The following is a message from SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting:

As a member of the association, we need your recommendation of industry leaders to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors. Our industry has many individuals who would be an asset to the SEMA Board, but oftentimes those individuals aren’t immediately apparent to the Nominating Committee when selecting the final candidates.

Please take a moment to tell us about whom you would recommend as a potential nominee for a board member position. We also ask that you include information to help the Nominating Committee know more about the nominee’s qualifications, such as background, experience and achievements from a leadership standpoint.

For this year’s election, the following seats are open:

• One seat in the Chairman-elect category
• Two seats in the Manufacturer category
• Two seats in the Distributor/Retailer category
• One seat in the Services category
• There are no seats open in the Manufacturer’s Representatives category this year.

Nominations for the 2015 SEMA Board of Directors are due Tuesday, January 6, 2015. Please complete and submit the nomination form, and be sure to include the qualification information noted above.

A strong board means wise leadership and an association that serves its members well.  We urge you to take part in the nominations process.

Thank you for your attention to this important request.

Chris Kersting, CAE
SEMA President and CEO

By SEMA Editors

The Rugged Ridge Trail Access Program makes grants of up to $5,000 available to organizations helping to advance the off-road hobby.

Omix-ADA will continue funding for its Rugged Ridge Trail Access Program for the 2015 calendar year. The program makes grants of up to $5,000 available to organizations helping to advance the off-road hobby. The Rugged Ridge Trail Access Program was first announced at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Since then, it has awarded grants to a number of non-profit off-road organizations, including the Blue Ribbon Coalition, the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO), the Colorado Association of 4WD Clubs, Friends of Uwharrie, New Mexico Off-Highway Vehicle Alliance, the Off-Road Business Association, Stay the Trail and Del Albright’s Volunteer Leader & Land Stewardship (VLLS) Course, among others.

The early success of the program in 2014 encouraged the company to continue supporting it with grant approvals for 2015. Each of the grants—which come as part of a larger philanthropic effort from Rugged Ridge’s parent company, Omix-ADA—were designated for use toward education, stewardship, litigation or any other activity advocating the conservation of public land and access to recreational trails.

“We’re pleased to have approved grant applications that support a variety of causes in 2014 and look forward to supporting additional organizations in 2015,” said Henk Van Dongen, director of marketing at Omix-ADA. “Ultimately, our goal is to support the people and organizations working to protect access to public land and recreational trails across the country—improving education about the off-road hobby and matters of conservation—so our open spaces remain that way for generations of off-roaders to enjoy for years to come.”

For additional information on the Rugged Ridge Trail Access Program, or to apply online for grants of up to $5,000, visit www.ruggedridge.com.

By SEMA Editors 

	To be considered for an education session, proposals must be submitted by February 18, 2015.

Interested in sharing expertise, real-world strategies and knowledge with others? SEMA Show staff is seeking automotive education session ideas that are delivered in innovative ways. To be considered for an education session, please submit your proposal by completing the 2015 SEMA Show Speaker Submission Form by February 18, 2015.

Selection Process

SEMA receives many session proposals for the annual SEMA Show. It is a difficult and highly selective process to review and choose from among the many excellent submissions. As such, quality, rather than quantity, is always best when submitting proposals. Speaker entries will be answered no later than April 25, 2015. Back-up entries will only be answered in the case of an available speaking opportunity.

Visit www.SEMA.org/speakers and submit your proposal. For more details, contact SEMA Education Director Zane Clark.

By SEMA Editors 

	To be considered for an education session, proposals must be submitted by February 18, 2015.

Interested in sharing expertise, real-world strategies and knowledge with others? SEMA Show staff is seeking automotive education session ideas that are delivered in innovative ways. To be considered for an education session, please submit your proposal by completing the 2015 SEMA Show Speaker Submission Form by February 18, 2015.

Selection Process

SEMA receives many session proposals for the annual SEMA Show. It is a difficult and highly selective process to review and choose from among the many excellent submissions. As such, quality, rather than quantity, is always best when submitting proposals. Speaker entries will be answered no later than April 25, 2015. Back-up entries will only be answered in the case of an available speaking opportunity.

Visit www.SEMA.org/speakers and submit your proposal. For more details, contact SEMA Education Director Zane Clark.

By SEMA Editors 

	To be considered for an education session, proposals must be submitted by February 18, 2015.

Interested in sharing expertise, real-world strategies and knowledge with others? SEMA Show staff is seeking automotive education session ideas that are delivered in innovative ways. To be considered for an education session, please submit your proposal by completing the 2015 SEMA Show Speaker Submission Form by February 18, 2015.

Selection Process

SEMA receives many session proposals for the annual SEMA Show. It is a difficult and highly selective process to review and choose from among the many excellent submissions. As such, quality, rather than quantity, is always best when submitting proposals. Speaker entries will be answered no later than April 25, 2015. Back-up entries will only be answered in the case of an available speaking opportunity.

Visit www.SEMA.org/speakers and submit your proposal. For more details, contact SEMA Education Director Zane Clark.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

	Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area—home of the annual "King of the Hammers" event—is the nation’s first federal OHV area.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which directs how defense monies are to be spent in 2015. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the bill shortly, to be signed into law by President Obama. Lawmakers have taken advantage of this “must-pass” legislation to include more than 60 land-use provisions not directly tied to the military. They include relatively minor land swaps and boundary adjustments along with several long-debated proposals covering land-use issues. 

Highlights of particular interest to SEMA and the off-road community include:

• Cape Hatteras, North Carolina: A SEMA-supported provision requires the Department of the Interior (DOI) to amend its January 23, 2012, final rule, which restricted off-highway vehicle (OHV) access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area. The DOI must consider extending access to seasonal routes for longer periods of time during the fall and spring. It also requires that wildlife protection buffers be adjusted to ensure they don’t constitute a larger area than is needed to protect endangered species, and instructs DOI to construct new vehicle access points and roads. 

• Hermosa Creek, Colorado: A SEMA-supported provision designates 70,650 acres of federal land in the San Juan National Forest (La Plata County, Colorado) as the “Hermosa Creek Special Management Area.” Local and state advocates for the OHV community worked closely with lawmakers to protect continued motorized vehicle and snowmobile access within the recreation area.

• Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area, California: Lawmakers did not pass a provision to include the word “National” within the title “Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.” Johnson Valley is the nation’s first federal OHV area. More than 96,000 acres is maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as a dedicated OHV recreation area. SEMA will support another effort in 2015 to add the word and symbolically acknowledge the land’s national significance.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

	Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area—home of the annual "King of the Hammers" event—is the nation’s first federal OHV area.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which directs how defense monies are to be spent in 2015. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the bill shortly, to be signed into law by President Obama. Lawmakers have taken advantage of this “must-pass” legislation to include more than 60 land-use provisions not directly tied to the military. They include relatively minor land swaps and boundary adjustments along with several long-debated proposals covering land-use issues. 

Highlights of particular interest to SEMA and the off-road community include:

• Cape Hatteras, North Carolina: A SEMA-supported provision requires the Department of the Interior (DOI) to amend its January 23, 2012, final rule, which restricted off-highway vehicle (OHV) access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area. The DOI must consider extending access to seasonal routes for longer periods of time during the fall and spring. It also requires that wildlife protection buffers be adjusted to ensure they don’t constitute a larger area than is needed to protect endangered species, and instructs DOI to construct new vehicle access points and roads. 

• Hermosa Creek, Colorado: A SEMA-supported provision designates 70,650 acres of federal land in the San Juan National Forest (La Plata County, Colorado) as the “Hermosa Creek Special Management Area.” Local and state advocates for the OHV community worked closely with lawmakers to protect continued motorized vehicle and snowmobile access within the recreation area.

• Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area, California: Lawmakers did not pass a provision to include the word “National” within the title “Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.” Johnson Valley is the nation’s first federal OHV area. More than 96,000 acres is maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as a dedicated OHV recreation area. SEMA will support another effort in 2015 to add the word and symbolically acknowledge the land’s national significance.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff 

	Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area—home of the annual "King of the Hammers" event—is the nation’s first federal OHV area.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which directs how defense monies are to be spent in 2015. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the bill shortly, to be signed into law by President Obama. Lawmakers have taken advantage of this “must-pass” legislation to include more than 60 land-use provisions not directly tied to the military. They include relatively minor land swaps and boundary adjustments along with several long-debated proposals covering land-use issues. 

Highlights of particular interest to SEMA and the off-road community include:

• Cape Hatteras, North Carolina: A SEMA-supported provision requires the Department of the Interior (DOI) to amend its January 23, 2012, final rule, which restricted off-highway vehicle (OHV) access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area. The DOI must consider extending access to seasonal routes for longer periods of time during the fall and spring. It also requires that wildlife protection buffers be adjusted to ensure they don’t constitute a larger area than is needed to protect endangered species, and instructs DOI to construct new vehicle access points and roads. 

• Hermosa Creek, Colorado: A SEMA-supported provision designates 70,650 acres of federal land in the San Juan National Forest (La Plata County, Colorado) as the “Hermosa Creek Special Management Area.” Local and state advocates for the OHV community worked closely with lawmakers to protect continued motorized vehicle and snowmobile access within the recreation area.

• Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area, California: Lawmakers did not pass a provision to include the word “National” within the title “Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.” Johnson Valley is the nation’s first federal OHV area. More than 96,000 acres is maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as a dedicated OHV recreation area. SEMA will support another effort in 2015 to add the word and symbolically acknowledge the land’s national significance.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By Linda Spencer

	Forty-two SEMA-member companies participated in the 2014 SEMA Middle East program. Pictured (far right) is Mike Copeland, vice president of Lingenfelter Per­formance Engineering.
	Last year, Rigid Industries LED Lighting—an LED light­ing manufacturer based in Gilbert, Arizona—participated in the SEMA Middle East trip for the first time. Paula Argiropou­los (center), is the company’s international sales manager.
	“I can’t think of a better way to investigate the potential of a market than an industry trip like this,” said Lake Speed Jr. (right), general manager of Driven Racing Oil. “It provided the perfect balance of shop vis­its, local market intelligence and interaction with buyers. The level of infrastructure, the passion about motorsports, the sophistica­tion of the speed shops we’ve visited—it’s every bit of what we have on Main Street USA. It’s not anything I could have under­stood without being here, feeling it and seeing it.”

Exhibitor registration for the fourth-annual SEMA fact-finding and networking visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is now open. The 2015 Middle East Business Development Program, taking place March 24–28, will involve site visits, the chance to exhibit at an Abu Dhabi-based show, participating in an International Measuring Session and networking events.

The program—which includes exhibiting fees, hotels, meals, networking events and the chance to measure vehicles not sold in the United States—is designed to create opportunities for U.S. manufacturers to meet with pre-vetted buyers from the six Middle Eastern countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This political and economic alliance includes Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2014, resellers from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and India also attended. Thanks to a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. government can help qualified firms defray the costs.

To give prospective 2015 attendees an idea of what to expect, check out the 2014 trip report, which includes a list of last year’s exhibitors. More information can be found at sema.org/middleeast, or by contacting Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org to set up a one-on-one briefing on the trip's features.

Six Facts about the region include:

• Demand for SEMA-type product is strong. According to a recent U.S. Department of Commerce report, greatest product demand areas include: 4WD accessories (for both on- and off-road use), classic car products, performance products, exterior upgrades and window film.

• Consumers in the region have deep pockets—The UAE and GCC have among the world’s highest per-capita disposable incomes, and thus, the funds to pursue their hobby. As more people have money to spend and the local economy continues to grow, consumer expenditure in the is expected to top Dh766 billion this year—up by 7% from 2013—according to Euromonitor International—a London-based market intelligence firm.

• Similar to the United States, the region's consumers seek large vehicles. The low cost of fuel combined with local tastes result in a vehicle park much like in the United States, with a significant share of the market taken by light trucks. For example, in 2013, slightly more than half of the vehicles sold in Saudi Arabia were light trucks (SUVs, pickups and minivans). In the UAE, this figure is 53%.

• The UAE is a regional hub with a number of distributors in that market selling within the GCC and beyond.

• Off-roading is a region-wide pastime. Learn what sort of products are needed given the conditions of a sandy terrain and extreme heat.

• It is said that the UAE spends more per capita on motorsports than anywhere else in the world. The Dubai Autodrome and the Yas Marina Circuit are within one hour’s distance of each other, and the Bahrain International Circuit is in nearby Bahrain. The Yas Circuit on Yas Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi became the first drag-racing track outside the United States to be sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). The Bahrain International Circuit followed in June 2011.

By Linda Spencer

	Forty-two SEMA-member companies participated in the 2014 SEMA Middle East program. Pictured (far right) is Mike Copeland, vice president of Lingenfelter Per­formance Engineering.
	Last year, Rigid Industries LED Lighting—an LED light­ing manufacturer based in Gilbert, Arizona—participated in the SEMA Middle East trip for the first time. Paula Argiropou­los (center), is the company’s international sales manager.
	“I can’t think of a better way to investigate the potential of a market than an industry trip like this,” said Lake Speed Jr. (right), general manager of Driven Racing Oil. “It provided the perfect balance of shop vis­its, local market intelligence and interaction with buyers. The level of infrastructure, the passion about motorsports, the sophistica­tion of the speed shops we’ve visited—it’s every bit of what we have on Main Street USA. It’s not anything I could have under­stood without being here, feeling it and seeing it.”

Exhibitor registration for the fourth-annual SEMA fact-finding and networking visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is now open. The 2015 Middle East Business Development Program, taking place March 24–28, will involve site visits, the chance to exhibit at an Abu Dhabi-based show, participating in an International Measuring Session and networking events.

The program—which includes exhibiting fees, hotels, meals, networking events and the chance to measure vehicles not sold in the United States—is designed to create opportunities for U.S. manufacturers to meet with pre-vetted buyers from the six Middle Eastern countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This political and economic alliance includes Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2014, resellers from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and India also attended. Thanks to a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. government can help qualified firms defray the costs.

To give prospective 2015 attendees an idea of what to expect, check out the 2014 trip report, which includes a list of last year’s exhibitors. More information can be found at sema.org/middleeast, or by contacting Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org to set up a one-on-one briefing on the trip's features.

Six Facts about the region include:

• Demand for SEMA-type product is strong. According to a recent U.S. Department of Commerce report, greatest product demand areas include: 4WD accessories (for both on- and off-road use), classic car products, performance products, exterior upgrades and window film.

• Consumers in the region have deep pockets—The UAE and GCC have among the world’s highest per-capita disposable incomes, and thus, the funds to pursue their hobby. As more people have money to spend and the local economy continues to grow, consumer expenditure in the is expected to top Dh766 billion this year—up by 7% from 2013—according to Euromonitor International—a London-based market intelligence firm.

• Similar to the United States, the region's consumers seek large vehicles. The low cost of fuel combined with local tastes result in a vehicle park much like in the United States, with a significant share of the market taken by light trucks. For example, in 2013, slightly more than half of the vehicles sold in Saudi Arabia were light trucks (SUVs, pickups and minivans). In the UAE, this figure is 53%.

• The UAE is a regional hub with a number of distributors in that market selling within the GCC and beyond.

• Off-roading is a region-wide pastime. Learn what sort of products are needed given the conditions of a sandy terrain and extreme heat.

• It is said that the UAE spends more per capita on motorsports than anywhere else in the world. The Dubai Autodrome and the Yas Marina Circuit are within one hour’s distance of each other, and the Bahrain International Circuit is in nearby Bahrain. The Yas Circuit on Yas Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi became the first drag-racing track outside the United States to be sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). The Bahrain International Circuit followed in June 2011.