Ford Global Technologist John Ellis visits SEMA Central to discuss the future of vehicle technology integration, including SEMA’s new Vehicle Electronics Program.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, annually drawing the industry’s brightest minds, newest innovations and hottest products to the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the AAIW, the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries for unlimited profit opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV, powersports, and RV markets. The 2014 SEMA Show drew more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers. The 2015 SEMA Show takes place November 3–6, Las Vegas.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	Greg Adler

Transamerican Manufacturing Group Announces Acquisition of Poison Spyder Customs

Transamerican Manufacturing Group (TMG), an independent manufacturer of performance aftermarket off-road accessories, has announced the acquisition of Poison Spyder Customs (PSC). Poison Spyder is continuing to gain momentum in the off-road community. “I really admire what Larry McRae [PSC president] has done in building a predominant brand so quickly,” said Greg Adler, CEO of Transamerican Auto Parts. “Poison Spyder is a great fit with our brands and our customer base. We look forward to developing the full potential of what McRae and his team have already worked so diligently upon.”

Edelbrock Offers 60th Anniversary Small-Block Sweepstakes

Edelbrock’s 60th Anniversary of the Small-Block Chevrolet Engine Sweepstakes will allow enthusiasts the chance to enter to win a unique engine commemorating the 60th anniversary launch of the small-block Chevrolet engine. One lucky winner will receive a small-block Chevrolet 350 with Edelbrock top-end components built by the engine tech team at PowerNation.

This commemorative small-block engine was built on a special episode of this season’s “Engine Power” TV show. This anniversary edition engine features an Edelbrock E-Force Enforcer EFI Supercharger system, Performer RPM E-Tec 200 cylinder heads, Performer-Plus camshaft, Victor Series water pump and Edelbrock’s Classic Series finned air cleaner and valve covers. Enthusiasts can enter at www.edelbrock.com or www.powernationtv.com until May 5, 2015.

	Shelley Woods Whiting (left) and Roxanne McSpadden (right)

Avery Dennison Appoints New Graphics Solutions Marketing Leadership

Avery Dennison has appointed Roxanne McSpadden as marketing director, graphics for Materials Group North America. She will lead the product innovation and management team for digital and screen and cut media, manage the technical team and channel programs for the Graphics Solutions business segment. She will report to Shelley Woods Whiting, who was recently appointed as vice president marketing, Materials Group North America.

McSpadden was previously director of global marketing at Graphics Packaging International in Atlanta, where she held various marketing leadership roles for the last nine years. Whiting comes to Avery Dennison from Georgia-Pacific Chemicals where she served as director of marketing, commercial development and sustainability. McSpadden and Whiting will both be based in Mentor, Ohio.

Power Automedia Hires Mads Buck as Senior Account Executive

Power Automedia has hired Mads Buck to its team of digital automotive experts. His automotive publishing experience took off with CSK Publishing, the original publishers of Muscle Mustang & Fast Fords, which was acquired by McMullen Argus Publishing. In addition to his experience with CSK and McMullen Argus, Buck has served as a group director for Primedia, account executive with Hemmings Motor News and most recently with Internet Brands’ Racing Junk online classified and dealer network.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

The SEMA Show includes a series of business education sessions and niche-specific seminars designed to provide tactics and insight to help businesses sell more products and be more productive. Presented by industry experts, topics range from customer service and marketing, to cash flow and industry trends, to online marketing and social media. Most sessions are available free of charge to those with SEMA Show credentials.

To make it easy and convenient for Showgoers to attend the seminars, sessions begin the day before the official opening of the Show and continue at various times throughout the event.

The SEMA Show includes a series of business education sessions and niche-specific seminars designed to provide tactics and insight to help businesses sell more products and be more productive. Presented by industry experts, topics range from customer service and marketing, to cash flow and industry trends, to online marketing and social media. Most sessions are available free of charge to those with SEMA Show credentials.

To make it easy and convenient for Showgoers to attend the seminars, sessions begin the day before the official opening of the Show and continue at various times throughout the event.

Fred Offenhauser	Nile Cornelison
Jim Cozzie	John Menzler

SEMA members have the opportunity to submit their nominations for the 2015 SEMA Hall of Fame. The award has been established to honor outstanding persons in the automotive specialty-equipment industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments on a national basis have enhanced the stature of and significantly contributed to the industry’s growth.

A rule of thumb to qualify could be to ask yourself the following question: “If this person had never existed, how would SEMA and the industry be different?”

The 2014 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees included Fred Offenhauser, Nile Cornelison, Jim Cozzie and John Menzler.

Please take a moment to review the Hall of Fame website and SEMA Hall of Fame criteria and listings of past inductees. In order to assist the Hall of Fame Committee in making their selection, please provide a brief statement, including accomplishments and comments as to why, based on the award criteria, the individual is deserving of this honor. Your completed nomination form is confidential and vital to helping the Hall of Fame Committee make their selection for the 2015 SEMA Hall of Fame.

Please submit your 2015 SEMA Hall of Fame form by Wednesday, March 18, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Bianco at 909-978-6692 or lindsayb@sema.org.

Fred Offenhauser	Nile Cornelison
Jim Cozzie	John Menzler

SEMA members have the opportunity to submit their nominations for the 2015 SEMA Hall of Fame. The award has been established to honor outstanding persons in the automotive specialty-equipment industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments on a national basis have enhanced the stature of and significantly contributed to the industry’s growth.

A rule of thumb to qualify could be to ask yourself the following question: “If this person had never existed, how would SEMA and the industry be different?”

The 2014 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees included Fred Offenhauser, Nile Cornelison, Jim Cozzie and John Menzler.

Please take a moment to review the Hall of Fame website and SEMA Hall of Fame criteria and listings of past inductees. In order to assist the Hall of Fame Committee in making their selection, please provide a brief statement, including accomplishments and comments as to why, based on the award criteria, the individual is deserving of this honor. Your completed nomination form is confidential and vital to helping the Hall of Fame Committee make their selection for the 2015 SEMA Hall of Fame.

Please submit your 2015 SEMA Hall of Fame form by Wednesday, March 18, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Bianco at 909-978-6692 or lindsayb@sema.org.

Are you hunting for a new job? The “Positions Available” section in the SEMA Member Classifieds lists more than 50 job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest classifieds posted to the website.

• An automotive aftermarket company in Chicago is hiring an experienced regional account manager to cold call and source new customers within the territory. Proven technical selling skills with strong product knowledge, aftermarket warehouse and/or speed shop counter experience is a plus. This position will require travel 50% of the time.

• Vision X Lighting, located in Auburn, Washington, is hiring a sales/account manager to maintain an active list of customers, add new customers and seek out new sales opportunities in new markets. This position will require trade show attendance and travel to customers to provide training. Knowledge of Intuit QuickBooks is preferred.

• TPM Distributing, located in Lakeland, Florida, is hiring an inside salesperson. The successful candidate should be a truck enthusiast, computer savvy and have 3–5 years' minimum in customer service and telephone sales experience.

• Engine and Performance Warehouse, located in Denver, is hiring an outside sales representative to manage the territory for growth and maintain customer relationships through sales calls. The successful candidate must have the ability to identify, then match customer requirements to products and programs. Previous sales experience is required with service in the automotive aftermarket industry desired. Office time is occasional and daily travel is typical.

View more listings from SEMA's Automotive Classifieds listings.

The shooters at KGP Photography have gotten their first look at a prototype for the GMC Canyon Denali package, running on a secluded industrial drive near GM's Milford Proving Grounds.

The Canyon prototype's camouflaged front end hides a revised all-mesh grille design that is consistent with GMC's other Denali-trimmed models. Although blacked out on this prototype, the grille will surely be finished in unmistakable brightwork, to set it apart from lesser Canyon variants. The Denali's front bumper is also camouflaged, and it appears that it may be more chrome-intensive, with signs of the reflective stuff stretching across the full bumper's width. The interior also shows signs of camouflaging, suggesting that some interior upgrades could also be in store.

There have been some Internet rumblings that the Denali may also get a unique engine option to give the model more substance, but there is no firm confirmation of the extent of any mechanical upgrades that may distinguish the range-topping Denali from its lower-end Canyon siblings.

Photo credit: KGP Photography

The shooters at KGP Photography have gotten their first look at a prototype for the GMC Canyon Denali package, running on a secluded industrial drive near GM's Milford Proving Grounds.

The Canyon prototype's camouflaged front end hides a revised all-mesh grille design that is consistent with GMC's other Denali-trimmed models. Although blacked out on this prototype, the grille will surely be finished in unmistakable brightwork, to set it apart from lesser Canyon variants. The Denali's front bumper is also camouflaged, and it appears that it may be more chrome-intensive, with signs of the reflective stuff stretching across the full bumper's width. The interior also shows signs of camouflaging, suggesting that some interior upgrades could also be in store.

There have been some Internet rumblings that the Denali may also get a unique engine option to give the model more substance, but there is no firm confirmation of the extent of any mechanical upgrades that may distinguish the range-topping Denali from its lower-end Canyon siblings.

Photo credit: KGP Photography

The shooters at KGP Photography have gotten their first look at a prototype for the GMC Canyon Denali package, running on a secluded industrial drive near GM's Milford Proving Grounds.

The Canyon prototype's camouflaged front end hides a revised all-mesh grille design that is consistent with GMC's other Denali-trimmed models. Although blacked out on this prototype, the grille will surely be finished in unmistakable brightwork, to set it apart from lesser Canyon variants. The Denali's front bumper is also camouflaged, and it appears that it may be more chrome-intensive, with signs of the reflective stuff stretching across the full bumper's width. The interior also shows signs of camouflaging, suggesting that some interior upgrades could also be in store.

There have been some Internet rumblings that the Denali may also get a unique engine option to give the model more substance, but there is no firm confirmation of the extent of any mechanical upgrades that may distinguish the range-topping Denali from its lower-end Canyon siblings.

Photo credit: KGP Photography