The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) named Daina Dalesandro as this week’s #SheIsSEMA spotlight member. Dalesandro is a customer relations specialist at ORACLE Lighting, which manufactures designer lighting products and technologies for the automotive powersports, motorcycle and marine markets.
Learn about Dalesandro in her interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What do you enjoy most about working at Oracle Lighting?
Daina Dalesandro: I love my job because we are like a big family. I enjoy the company of every single person I work with. We also have amazing women that are making an impact. It is truly an inspiration every day to work alongside them.
SEMA: What is most challenging part of running your business or job?
DD: I cannot think of anything that is too challenging for my job. I love everything I do, so it makes all of my tasks more enjoyable.
SEMA: What was your first industry job?
DD: ORACLE Lighting is my first job in this industry.
SEMA: What are three qualities that got you to where you are today? How have these qualities benefited you?
DD: Patience, optimism and perseverance. My patience enables me to analyze things and situations beyond their face value. My optimism improves my emotional well-being, helps me foster better relationships and also provides protection against adverse events. I feel my perseverance is a value that drives me toward success and achievement helping me to overcome challenges along the way.
SEMA: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments?
DD: Every so often, I will have someone call in stating they want to speak to a “man," assuming I don’t know as much. In these situations, I do all that I can to assure them that I know what I am talking about. I have always been able to help these people out and it is a great accomplishment to win these people over.
SEMA: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry? How have they helped you along the way?
DD: Tiffanie Hartenstein, Sandi Crespo-Mossi and Missy Boudreaux are the three women I look up to in my company. These ladies help me strive to uncover my true potential. They serve as examples of how far women can go in a male-dominated industry.
SEMA: What is the best career advice you have received?
DD: Success is a journey, not a destination. It means that what matters is not necessarily where you are at the end, but what you accomplish while you are trying along the way. It means that no matter what, as long as you try, you can never fail.
SEMA: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry? What keeps you here?
DD: It gives me motivation knowing that there are so many strong and independent women out there in this industry killing it without regard to what people say or think about them. Also, this industry is so innovative. We push the limits of technology, every day.
SEMA: Who was the most influential person on your career/goals?
DD: Mary Barra is making history in the auto industry as the first female CEO of major global automaker General Motors. She is a true inspiration to all women.
Do you know, or are you, a woman with a career in the automotive industry? Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN's #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN's social media, SEMA News and recognized on the www.sema.org/she-is-sema website.
Dallas Johannes is the SEMA Future Leaders Network's (FLN) newest spotlight member. Johannes is the associate product manager at Restoration Parts Unlimited Inc. (RPUI), an automotive parts retailer of classic car parts for the automotive aftermarket.
Get to know Johannes in his interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?
Dallas Johannes: Always keep the end-user in mind. Whenever I am working on anything that a customer will see on the website, I consider what their impression of a product page will be or how they will interpret a description. Product data also reaches an end user, so I focus on quality and completeness when preparing product information.
SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?
DJ: I have been interested in cars from a very young age and I have always wanted to work in the automotive industry. I have worked odd jobs on the fringes of the automotive industry to get where I am now. Working in something automotive-related has always been the goal. I stay in this industry because cars have been one of the only things that I have been passionate about. I am here to show my younger self how far I can go.
SEMA: Where can you be found on a Saturday?
DJ: On Saturdays I can be found at a car meet, at Cars & Coffee, watching Formula One qualifying, or working on one of my project cars (an ’89 Chrysler TC by Maserati and an ’88 Volvo 740).
SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?
DJ: I like to do some research on the topic, company and products beforehand if the meeting is about new product additions. If the meeting is about something on the creative side, I like to go in with an open mind. I try to go into a meeting with a list of things I want to touch on or concerns I have.
SEMA: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who it would be?
DJ: I would have loved the opportunity to have lunch with Lee Iacocca. My family and I have had multiple Iacocca-era Chrysler vehicles. My parents had a first-generation Dodge Caravan and a first-generation Plymouth Voyager when I was growing up. I went on to buy my ’89 Chrysler TC by Maserati and my dad owns an ’82 Dodge Rampage. I want to talk to him about how he worked through Chrysler's bailout in 1979, led Chrysler’s AMC acquisition, the project surrounding the TC by Maserati and the introduction and evolution of the Chrysler K-Car line.
Fill out an FLN member spotlight form. Selected candidates may be featured on FLN's social media, SEMA News and FLN member updates.
SEMA Show exhibitors are invited to connect with automotive youth who are looking to jump-start their careers in the aftermarket industry.
Through the SEMA Show Student Program Industry Networking Breakfast, Thursday, November 3, from 8:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m., exhibitors will host a table and engage in quality, intimate conversations with a limited number of students. Participating companies will build connections by sharing their expertise, helping students explore career opportunities, and inspiring students in their career paths.
Through the SEMA Show Student Program Industry Networking Breakfast, exhibitors will host a table and engage in quality, intimate conversations with a limited number of students.
“There’s no doubt that networking at the SEMA Show fosters some of the greatest partnerships that exist in the industry today,” said SEMA Project Manager of Member Services Byron Bergman. “Participating in the Student Program gives exhibitors unparallel opportunities to create those connections while giving back to the next generation of industry professionals.”
Participation, which is free to exhibiting companies, simply requires one-and-a-half hours from one company representative. No set-up time or marketing materials are required. Click here to register your company.
Creating a culture of fun is important for the success of any team or organization, particularly because a fun culture helps to keep employees engaged and attract new talent.
Tiffanie Hartenstein, CEO of Oracle Lighting, is no stranger to this concept and will join the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) for a Facebook and Instagram live chat to share ideas that have worked for her company on September 8, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).
Hartenstein attributes Oracle’s positive company culture to helping the company achieve SEMA’s Manufacturer of the Year Award. SEMA members are invited to connect with Hartenstein directly and join in on an inspiring discussion on how to influence fun and positivity within one’s own organization.
Hartenstein will answer participant questions live on the SBN Facebook page and SBN Instagram live (@sbn_sema).
Recruiting, training, and retaining employees is an ongoing challenge for many wheel and tire aftermarket companies.
SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) members and those in the wheel and tire segment are invited to hear from three industry leaders as they talk about what they are doing to solve and prevent this issue during the live webinar “Staffing and Training for the Wheel and Tire Aftermarket,” September 15, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).
Attendees will hear from Ted Schlaack, RimTyme; Gary Ruede, Discount Tire; and Kent Hobson, Sam’s Club, and walk away with strategies and trends for building a team, and learn real-life examples of what has and hasn’t worked for the panelists’ companies.
Panelists will answer participant questions live. Register here.
Dodge to Discontinue Challenger, Charger Production
Dodge has announced that it will end production of the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger after 2023.
“We are celebrating the end of an era—and the start of a bright new electrified future—by staying true to our brand,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand CEO of Stellantis, the global automaker and mobility provider with a portfolio of brands, including Dodge.
As part of this announcement, the Dodge ’23 lineup will pay homage to the musclecar pair with seven special models, the return of a rainbow of heritage colors, an expansion of SRT Jailbreak models, a commemorative “Last Call” underhood plaque for all ’23 Charger and Challenger vehicles and a new, customer-focused vehicle allocation process.
The new ’23 models were teased and displayed under full vehicle covers at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, during the first day of the three-day Dodge Speed Week event. Details and specific information on six of the vehicles will be released later this year. The new models will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis at top-selling Dodge dealerships, with a list of dealerships to be shared on dodgegarage.com.
The seventh and final ’23 Dodge model will be the “very last of its kind” and will be revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, November 1–4.
For more information, visit the announcement here.
Luke Skipper
FIA Announces New Director of Communications and Public Affairs
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has appointed Luke Skipper to the newly created role of director of communications and public affairs. Canadian-born Skipper brings 17 years of experience to the FIA’s growing international team. Tasked with delivering a new communications and public affairs strategy, he will work with the Federation’s leadership to “ensure the FIA is the global voice of mobility and motorsports.” He will also lead a team to drive growth through social media and digital engagement and enhance the FIA’s lobbying capability.
Skipper joins the FIA after seven years with Weber Shandwick, currently the world’s second-largest communications agency. He most recently served as director of public affairs. Before, he worked for the Scottish National Party in the Scottish Parliament, the European Parliament, and as the chief of staff for the party at the House of Commons in London for eight years.
Hennessey Appoints Michael Harley as Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Hennessey, based in Sealy, Texas, has appointed Michael Harley as the new vice president of marketing and communications. He will oversee global marketing and communications at Hennessey Special Vehicles, Hennessey Performance (HPE), and Tuner School. Harley is a noted automotive expert who has held key roles at J.D. Power and Associates, Autoblog, AutoWeb, Autotrader, and Autobytel. He was most recently executive editor at Kelley Blue Book. Before his move to the automotive industry in 2006, Harley held the director of creative resources position at Cameo Guild, where he managed development and marketing for the global gift and collectible manufacturer and importer.
Evan Smith Joins NMRA/NMCA Editorial Team
ProMedia Events and Publishing, home of the Holley NMRA Ford Nationals and Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, has hired veteran automotive journalist and content creator Evan Smith to join its editorial team. Smith will be responsible for editorial content across ProMedia’s web-based brands, including NMRAdigital.com, NMCAdigital.com, and Race Pages Digital.
Smith holds content creation experience as the owner of Raven Media and as the former editor of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords and Mustang-360.com. He also runs the REVan Evan YouTube channel and @official_ford_guy Instagram page.
Smith has worked intimately with Ford Motor Company, Holley Performance, NHRA and Shelby American, and has won races as a driver in NMRA, NMCA and NHRA. He also served as a factory test driver for Ford Motor Company on special projects, including the Shelby GT350, GT500 and Cobra Jet Mustangs.
Van Sant Distributing Acquires Icengineworks Exhaust Modeling and Fabrication Systems
Van Sant Distributing has announced its recent acquisition of Icengineworks—originator of custom exhaust modeling and fabrication systems. Icengineworks products aid in the design and welding of custom headers, turbo manifolds, full exhaust systems as well as turbo downpipes and cold air intakes. Model a custom exhaust inside your car’s engine bay using the Icengineworks modeling blocks, then use the cutting jigs to help transfer your design into metal using mandrel bent U-bends and J-bends. The tack-weld clamps allow fine tuning and adjustment to ensure proper fitment prior to welding. The latest addition to the lineup is the NPSeries for turbo manifolds. It helps builders utilizing stainless pipe elbows in the fabrication of custom turbo applications.
Chris von Lenski
CRP Industries Mourns the Death of Chris von Lenski, Former Executive Vice President
Chris von Lenski, former CRP executive vice president of sales, marketing and product development and 40-year veteran of the company, passed away on July 14. The announcement was made by Dan Schildge, CRP Industries CEO.
During his tenure with CRP, von Lenski was an integral part of the CRP organization and a major contributor to its overall success and growth in the U.S., Canadian and Mexican import automotive aftermarket parts business. He was a consummate “hands-on” individual who always did whatever was needed to take care of CRP’s customers and assure their satisfaction.
Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.
Exhibiting at the SEMA Show and entering at least one product in the New Products Showcase puts your latest products in front of thousands of qualified buyers from every segment of the specialty-equipment industry. The best part: the first product you enter is free!
The New Products Showcase is considered the No. 1 destination for buyers to discover what’s new from the industry's leading manufacturers. For exhibitors, it's an ideal opportunity to grab the attention of buyers with new products, legacy parts and best-sellers. So if a product does not qualify as “new,” exhibitors can enter it as a featured product and still attract more eyeballs to the item. All submissions are also professionally photographed in a mock studio on a white seamless background. The photos are shared and used by media in SEMA Show coverage and are also available to exhibitors to use for marketing purposes.
The New Products Showcase is considered by many media and buyers to be the No. 1 destination to discover what’s new at the SEMA Show.
Entry Fees:
The first product entered in one category in the New Products Showcase is FREE!
Additional $75 per product category before October 7.
After October 7, the cost is $150 per entry.
No refunds provided after October 7.
Entries submitted on-site will be accepted on a space availability basis.
Exhibitors may enter as many products into the Showcase as they would like, and because every exhibitor qualifies to submit one entry at no cost, there is absolutely no reason for an exhibitor not to participate. The free product entry is one example of how exhibiting at the SEMA Show delivers great ROI. SEMA Show organizers offer many programs and services targeted to small businesses. Dedicated account reps are available to help exhibitors navigate the process.
SEMA Show exhibitors and attendees preparing for the 2022 SEMA Show can lock in the guaranteed lowest hotel rate now by booking in the SEMA Show block.
Making hotel reservations in the block provides you with the most affordable and convenient options for a wide range of hotels located on and off the Strip.
Showgoers can save more than $200 per night at several Las Vegas hotels, including Aria, by booking through the SEMA Show block.
All of the hotels available through the SEMA Show block come with a low-price guarantee. To help ensure that your price remains the lowest, SEMA will price-match lower advertised rates, even after your reservations are set. Whether you're looking for your favorite place to stay, or for a hotel within close proximity to the Show, you can book with confidence knowing you will get the rooms you need at the the most affordable price available.
The SEMA Show also provides shuttle service to and from the Show for the hotels listed that are not within walking distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center.
There are more than 45 hotels available in the block. For more information on the hotels listed below, including rating, price per night and distance from the Las Vegas Convention Center, visit www.SEMAShow.com.
SEMA has negotiated exclusive, discounted nightly rates at the best hotels in Las Vegas. However, you can only get the discounted rates when you book through the SEMA Show’s official hotel provider. Save more than $200 a night at the following SEMA Show hotels:
Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.
Meyer Distributing is hiring a sales account manager responsible for all inside sales functions, including but not limited to inbound/outbound telephone calls and the processing of sales documents and represents Meyer and its interests with the highest regard to customer satisfaction in a professional manner. Candidates must have a college degree and more than three years of experience in sales and/or portfolio management. Automotive industry experience is preferred.
Edelbrock LLC is hiring a motivated and energetic individual to be an R&D technician for its California Research and Development Technical Center. The ideal candidate will be an experienced technician with a demonstrated ability to work with a variety of automotive engine and vehicle level components. Must have a good understanding of automotive mechanical systems, modern ECU controls and diagnostics. A background in racing, hot rodding and OEM development vehicle or engine building is preferred. This position reports to the director, compliance and calibration engineering in Cerritos, California.
American Autowire is hiring a business development and technical sales representative responsible for developing new business and working with customers to choose the correct American Autowire products for their vehicles. Candidates must have prior business development, sales and automotive aftermarket experience.
Dodge to Discontinue Challenger, Charger Production
Evan Smith Joins NMRA/NMCA Editorial Team
Van Sant Distributing Acquires Icengineworks Exhaust Modeling and Fabrication Systems
