By Ashley Reyes

SEMA Launch Pad, the automotive industry’s product-pitching competition that has propelled inventors and entrepreneurs to successful, thriving businesses since 2013, will be featured for the first time in a nationwide television special on February 13 on the History Channel.

The SEMA Launch Pad program features 15 semifinalists who competed live in Las Vegas, where they pitched their products and ideas to a panel of industry experts and icons that included Chip Foose (Foose Design), Jared Hare (Addictive Desert Designs), Myles Kovacs (DUB) and Alex Parker (Redline Detection).

The 2021 competition included a record high 200-plus competitors vying for the program’s largest grand prize ever, valued at $100,000. The program features 15 semifinalists who competed live in Las Vegas, where they pitched their products and ideas to a panel of industry experts and icons that included Chip Foose (Foose Design), Jared Hare (Addictive Desert Designs), Myles Kovacs (DUB) and Alex Parker (Redline Detection).

“We’re excited to bring the SEMA Launch Pad to a nationwide television audience,” said Ted Wentz, SEMA Board member and chair of the SEMA Launch Pad Task Force. “For years, the SEMA Launch Pad has encouraged and supported product innovation and new ideas. The television program will give a new audience the opportunity to see the depth of the industry’s innovation.”

The automotive industry has been following the 2021 competition through a five-episode YouTube miniseries, which generated almost half a million views. The upcoming television special includes brand-new, exclusive coverage of the finale, with the top two finalists competing in front of thousands of industry professionals at the world-renown SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Viewers will watch as competitors both triumph and falter along the way, with judges asking hard questions and providing candid feedback.

“The Launch Pad is a competition designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs succeed and grow,” said Wentz. “To see the competition unfold on television is inspiring. We hope that it encourages others to bring new products to the marketplace as well.”

To learn more about the SEMA Launch Pad, visit www.sema.org/launchpad.

By Ashley Reyes

As businesses struggle to maintain quality employees, managers are finding greater value in investing in existing staff and providing greater opportunities and support.

The SEMA Future Leader Network (FLN), formerly SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN), introduced a program that may help businesses retain and invest in their employees. Through the Professional Development Training Program presented in partnership with Dale Carnegie, a limited number of emerging team leaders will be able to participate in the program designed specifically for up-and-coming leaders in the automotive aftermarket. The training program from Dale Carnegie is typically $1,600, but is available to FLN members at 50% of the cost and includes complimentary hotel and food for the two-day program in Southern California.

“The Dale Carnegie program is among the best that is available,” said FLN Chair Nick Caloroso. “We’re proud to be able to bring such a high-quality program to the industry and help aspiring leaders grow their skills. This is a proven program that has shown demonstrated results.”

Another great benefit of taking the course through the FLN is that participants will connect with other aspiring leaders in the automotive aftermarket. Complete details:

When/Where: March 24 and 25, 2022 in Diamond Bar, California
Who Should Apply: FLN members (employee-level, including junior level executives and those from small businesses). Please note emerging leaders under 40 in the automotive aftermarket who work for a SEMA-member company can apply for FLN membership at no cost.

Attendees will learn how to:  

• Communicate professionally and confidently in business situations.
• Engage others by building rapport, asking pertinent questions and listening.
• Build relationships and deal effectively with people in a multitude of scenarios.
• Gain cooperation and influence people, including direct reports, laterally and upward.
• Use emotional controls to sustain success.

Cost: The program is available for $800 or half of Dale Carnegie’s regular fee, and includes complimentary meals and hotel accommodations for two nights. Participants will also need to arrange their own travel to the event.

The program is limited to 25 FLN members, but any SEMA-member company employee aged 40 and under can apply for FLN membership at no cost. Businesses are encouraged to send their star employees to the conference and take advantage of the cost savings and unique opportunity.

Interested individuals can learn more or contact Denise Waddingham, FLN director, at deniselw@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

Many SEMA members make products exclusively for increasing performance of internal combustion engines (ICE). While the current trajectory of OEMs focusing on EV technology threatens the potential applications for their products, the promise of zero-emissions ICE technology provides hope and insight into future possible markets and applications for their products.

SEMA members are invited to a live webinar on February 23 to hear from Mike Copeland of Diversified Creations as he discusses their latest project—a hydrogen-fueled internal-combustion engine built from a supercharged LS and installed in a ’48 Chevy truck. Codenamed Zero, this truck produces zero tailpipe emissions.

By joining this webinar, attendees will learn about:

• Hydrogen ICE technology and the viability of hydrogen as a fuel.
• The difference between hydrogen ICE and fuel cell technology.
• The applicability of hydrogen ICE in the performance segment.
• The hydrogen infrastructure and performance potential of hydrogen ICE.

Learn more and register for the webinar here.

By Ashley Reyes

Trade buyers and media from Central and South America discussed what’s hot and what’s not in their respective markets during a roundtable held as part of the 2021 SEMA Show Education program.

Roundtable viewers will learn the product lines various countries, such as Chile, Uruguay and Mexico, are looking to expand and what is currently in demand.

SEMA members can now access a recording of the roundtable at www.semashow.com/education, and listen in as Latin American businesses share details about the local market and opportunities for manufacturers in the country.

Viewers will learn the product lines various countries, such as Chile, Uruguay and Mexico, are looking to expand and what is currently in demand. They will also hear from U.S. manufacturers about opportunities and challenges when selling into Latin America, and how SEMA’s International Department can assist with export opportunities and resources. For additional information on SEMA’s International programs including the upcoming trip to the Middle East and Europe contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org or visit sema.org/international. 

New recordings of seminars from the SEMA Show are added weekly at www.semashow.com/education. Other recently added seminars include:

• Pandemic Pivots—Business Innovations and the Role Product Information Played.
• How Mobile Electronics Skills Certifications Can Benefit You and Your Business
• How to Successfully Manage Your Shop’s Multi-Project Production Schedule
• Why the New UV Is EV

Users of the SEMA Education website will need to create a personal profile upon their first visit, which will then provide access to all recordings in the library.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) proposed significant revisions to Proposition 65’s short-form warning in January 2021. The proposal was opposed by SEMA, along with dozens of other companies and organizations. Following a review of public comments, OEHHA revised the proposal in December. Although it has been scaled back, SEMA continues to oppose the proposal. Among other considerations, it would require that at least one chemical associated with cancer and/or one chemical known to be a carcinogen be identified on the short form.

The current short-form warning does not identify a specific chemical(s) while the long-form warning requires identification of a specific chemical(s):

• Short-Form: WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm—www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
• Long-Form:  WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, including [name one or more chemicals], which is (are) known to the State of California to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Under the proposed rule, companies would now be required to list at least one chemical on the short form. Companies could only use the short-form warning if the product label was 12 sq. in. or less. OEHHA would continue to permit companies to use the short-form warning on their website or in a catalog.

SEMA has joined forces with many other organizations, including the California Chamber of Commerce, to voice opposition to the measure. SEMA and the California Chamber of Commerce has reminded OEHHA that the business community worked with the agency for several years to develop the original Prop 65 regulations that took full effect in September 2018. Companies subsequently invested significant resources in updating product labels, websites and catalogs, and instructing others in the product chain about their obligations. OEHHA’s proposed short-form warning changes would negate those efforts for many companies.

Prop 65 was a ballot initiative enacted by California voters in 1986. It requires warning labels on products containing chemicals listed as known to cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm. There are more than 1,100 chemicals currently on the list. Prop 65 doesn’t stop anyone from selling their products regardless of what chemicals they contain; it is simply a law that requires consumer warning labels under certain circumstances.  

Prop 65 is not limited to businesses with a presence in California, but applies to all businesses with 10 or more employees that sell products in California. It impacts the entire distribution chain from manufacturers to distributors and retailers, though the law tries to put the burden as high on the distribution chain as possible—meaning manufacturers are a frequent target of enforcement.

The law permits private parties (meaning trial attorneys) to pursue enforcement and receive a portion of the fine or settlement ultimately assessed. These lawsuits, which are known as “bounty hunter” suits, are becoming more and more common, and are essentially lawyers shaking down small businesses for quick settlements.

The law requires a product warning label if the product contains a chemical that is on OEHHA’s list that is “known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm” and the product exposes the consumer to the chemical in excess of the “safe harbor” amount of exposure. Even if the product has a significant concentration of the listed chemical (parts per million), it may create very little exposure to the consumer because the part is “under the hood” and rarely handled after installation. Aftermarket auto parts often fall into this category. There are 12 chemicals that make up a majority of Prop 65 enforcement, and aftermarket auto parts notices of violation have been focused almost entirely on DEHP and lead.

The 2018 regulation provides the short-form warning option as an acceptable alternative to the revised requirements for consumer product exposure warnings. Many companies use this option since the warning fits more easily on product packaging and in advertising materials and the company does not have to identify at least one chemical listed under Prop 65 that triggers the warning. In proposing the change, OEHHA expressed concerns about an overuse of the short-form warning label.

If OEHHA seeks to implement the rule, the agency has proposed a one-year phase in period for companies to make any necessary labeling changes.

Click here for SEMA comments. 

Click here for Cal-Chamber comments.

Click here for additional Prop 65 information.

For additional information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org. 

By Rachel Tatum

SEMA Young Guns is hosting a weekly “Ask Me Anything” series on Instagram featuring young builders and content creators. This newly created series provides an opportunity for up-and-coming builders to interact one-on-one with young leaders paving their way in the specialty-equipment market.

Instagram users are invited to mark their calendars for the following SEMA Young Guns “Ask Me Anything” takeovers:

Dayton Jacobson, @jacobsonsweldingandpowdercoat

• Tuesday, February 1, from 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m. (PST)

Dayton Jacobson, 2021 SEMA Young Gun finalist, made it to the top of the competition with his insane ’00 Chevrolet S10 Build.

Cole Reynolds, @_cole_reynolds

• Tuesday, February 8, from 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m. (PST)

Builder Cole Reynolds is working on a ’74 Chevy LUV pickup. Reynolds will host his “Ask Me Anything” from Sick Week, allowing Young Guns followers a behind-the-scenes look at this Florida drag-and-drive competition.

J.D. Eatherly, 92, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away peacefully in his favorite chair with his wife by his side on Saturday January 22. Born and raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, he was the son of the late Jesse William and Douglas Serenia Chester Eatherly. He was preceded in death by his son Steve Eatherly and step-daughter Pam White.

When Eatherly left the Marine Corps in the ’40s, he went to Detroit and started working for a Rayco Auto Service franchise installing seat covers and vinyl tops. Shortly after, a Rayco franchise store opened in East Nashville in the early ’50s and he transferred from Detroit to Nashville to be closer to home. In the late ’50s, a second Rayco franchise opened in downtown Nashville.

In the early ’60s, Eatherly saw the need for a speed shop in Nashville, so he started his own business known as Rayco Racing Division. As the company started to grow, in 1962, it became Tennessee Speed Sport. The business continued to grow, and in 1967, he incorporated P&E Distributors, dba Tennessee Speed Sport. Throughout the ’70s and into the ’80s, the company’s wholesale division flourished and still continues today.

Eatherly was an avid NASCAR fan and loved to listen to the current and old races on the radio. He was also a very successful real estate developer in his retirement.

Survivors include his wife, Daisy Duke Eatherly of Nashville; children, Sandy Cantrell (Gary) of Bell Buckle, Tennessee; Donnie Eatherly (Donna) of Hendersonville, Tennessee; Sue Ann Jennings (Al) of Lebanon, Tennessee; stepchildren, Barry Burnette, Vickie Corbitt, Rhonda Burnette (LeAnne Searcy) and Martene Beasley, all of Nashville; daughter-in-law, Darcy Eatherly; step son-in-law, Barry White; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Thursday January 27, at 3:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Taylor Funeral Home with Bro. Steve Baggett officiating. Place of rest will be in Dickson County Memorial Gardens. Services are under the direction of Taylor Funeral Home, Dickson, Tennessee, 615-446-2808.

Memorials can be made to Glaucoma.org, Autismspeaks.org, NationalMSsociety.org or Fightingblindness.org.

Marlan Davis, longtime tech editor for Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on January 15. He joined Hot Rod in the late ’70s and spent the next four decades helping automotive enthusiasts understand engine and vehicle performance.

Said David Freiburger, “Roadkill” host, on his Facebook page:

“Marlan was a car-loving teen who was a bag boy at a grocery store, but living next to Hot Rod publisher Dick Day led to him getting a job at the magazine as an assistant when he was 18 in 1977. He eventually became senior technical editor at Hot Rod and Car Craft and was renowned as the most detailed tech writer in the industry. When his job was downsized out of existence a couple years ago, he was happy for the early retirement funds, and walked away as the longest-standing editorial staffer in the lineage of companies that have owned what started as Petersen Publishing. He helped and entertained droves of gearheads for nearly 45 years. Godspeed, Marlan.”

By Ashley Reyes

Jody Perewitz, the first woman to ever jockey an American V-Twin powered motorcycle into the record books at more than 200 mph, will join SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) members for a Facebook and Instagram live chat on February 2, at 12:00 p.m. (PST).  

Perewitz has become one of the most recognizable women in the motorcycle industry today and holds 16 land-speed records, one of which is a world record. During this chat, SBN members will have the exclusive opportunity to ask about her career accomplishments, her viewpoint on being a successful woman in a male-dominated industry and challenges she’s overcome.  

Perewitz’s additional career achievements include being one of only three women to complete all the miles in the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Race, completing all the miles from the upper peninsula of Michigan to Key West, Florida, in the 2019 Motorcycle Chase, taking home a win at New Smyrna Speedway in 2018 and being the youngest member to be inducted into the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame.  

Live Chat Location: SBN Facebook page and SBN Instagram page.

By Ashley Reyes

Daniel Ciganovich is the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization’s (PRO) newest spotlight volunteer.

Ciganovich is the president of Innovative Dealer Alliance. In his Q&A with SEMA, Ciganovich shares how he was introduced to the restyling industry, and what led him to starting his own company in the same market segment.

SEMA: What inspired you to pursue a career in restyling/manufacturing?

Daniel Ciganovich: I have always been interested in automotive from an early age, from the time I built my first custom Cal-Bug in High School. I eventually started working for a regional tire and wheel retailer when an opportunity presented itself to work for a well-known restyler who operated in 11 western states. The position I took was to sell and install aftermarket accessories as a dealership in-house accessory manager. I never felt so motivated and happy selling cool accessory upgrades in the dealership environment, for me it was the perfect match!

SEMA: Why did you decide to volunteer for PRO? How has it or will it impact you?

DC: After 13 years managing one of the largest restyling businesses that spanned both the United States and Canada, I felt it was time for a change. I started my own company to help other restylers grow their businesses, and joined PRO to share my experience with other like-minded business owners, as well expand my knowledge from others.

SEMA: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket?

DC: Work is work, and you are going to have to work hard to be successful. There will be great days and bad days no matter what industry you are in, so you might as well be a part of something you are passionate about.

SEMA: What is your dream vehicle? Where would we find you in it on any weekend?

DC: A Porsche 911 carving the canyons here in Southern California. For now, I am happy cruising PCH in my ’67 Bug, or heading out to the desert to watch King of the Hammers or The Baja 1000 in my lifted F-150.

SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?

DC: Don’t confuse effort with results.

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

DC: I love all aspects of the automotive industry, and for now, my company keeps me well connected to the restyling business. At this stage of my life, I just can’t ever see a time when I will not be a part of this exciting and dynamic industry.

Fill out a PRO member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the automotive restyling industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on PRO’s social media, SEMA eNews and future PRO-member updates.