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

This year, the SEMA Board of Directors has an opening in the Distributors/Retailers category.

As a member of the association, your recommendation is needed for industry leaders to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors.

The following seat is open for this year’s election:

• Distributors/Retailers (one open seat)

Please take a moment and tell us whom you would recommend as a potential nominee for a board member position by completing and submitting a nomination form. To help the vetting process, include a brief information about the nominee’s qualifications, such as background, experience and achievements that would make that nominee an outstanding board candidate.

Nominations for the SEMA Board of Directors are due Friday, January 3, 2020. Please complete and submit the nomination form.

A strong board means wise leadership and an association that serves its members well.  We urge you to take part in the nominations process—our industry has many individuals who would be an asset to the Board, but we need you to help bring them to the attention of the Nominating Committee.

Thank you for your attention to this important request.

Chris Kersting, CAE

SEMA President & CEO

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

This year, the SEMA Board of Directors has an opening in the Distributors/Retailers category.

As a member of the association, your recommendation is needed for industry leaders to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors.

The following seat is open for this year’s election:

• Distributors/Retailers (one open seat)

Please take a moment and tell us whom you would recommend as a potential nominee for a board member position by completing and submitting a nomination form. To help the vetting process, include a brief information about the nominee’s qualifications, such as background, experience and achievements that would make that nominee an outstanding board candidate.

Nominations for the SEMA Board of Directors are due Friday, January 3, 2020. Please complete and submit the nomination form.

A strong board means wise leadership and an association that serves its members well.  We urge you to take part in the nominations process—our industry has many individuals who would be an asset to the Board, but we need you to help bring them to the attention of the Nominating Committee.

Thank you for your attention to this important request.

Chris Kersting, CAE

SEMA President & CEO

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

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.

Aftermarket Store Technician
4 Wheel Parts is hiring an aftermarket store technician to install and work on suspensions, lift kits, alignments, gears, mounting and balancing wheels. Candidates should have three years of experience, ASE certification a plus.  

Design Engineer
FOX Factory Inc. is hiring a design engineer within the Powered Vehicles team, responsible for designing, developing and modifying products and processes applying engineering principles. Candidates should have a bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering, at least a fundamental understanding of product design and development and one to two years of applicable experience.

Traveling Sales Representative
Quake LED is hiring a traveling sales representative. Qualified candidates will become experts in the company’s product offerings while traveling around the country to represent the brand and sell product at various off-road events and trade shows. Responsibilities include selling product to the general public and event attendees, driving to and from events, setting up and breaking down displays, counting inventory on event trailers and providing customer service to end-users. Candidates must be able to travel for extended periods of time, have a clean driving record and a strong interest in the off-road, powersports and automotive industry.

Following are dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

• YEN General Membership Call, January 15, 2020
• MPMC Media Trade Conference, January 21–23, 2020, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Santa Ana, California
• SBN Biannual General Membership Call, February 4, 2020
• 2020 SEMA Middle East Business Development Conference, March 31–April 5, 2020, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• YEN General Membership Call, April 15, 2020
• WTC Ambassador (WTCA) Call, May 6, 2020
• SEMA Nordic Business Development Conference, August 29–September 1, 2020, Stockholm, Sweden
• 2020 SEMA Show, November 3–6, 2020, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas

For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstore.com) at Travel Store USA, 949-930-9268.

By SEMA Editors

SEMA eNews highlights SEMA-member companies’ websites weekly through the Hot Links to Cool Sites section. SEMA members: To be included in Hot Links to Cool Sites, email your company name and website to enews@sema.org. Note: Make sure to include “Hot Links” in the subject line of the email.

• Bilstein
• Crown Automotive Jeep Replacement
• Fluidampr
• H&R Springs
• Hypertech
• Lunati
• Northern Radiator
• Powertrax
• Rampage Products
• Scorpion Racing Products

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities in the Classifieds page of SEMA.org.

By SEMA Editors

As part of Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) commitment to increase engagement and support for the racing industry, the organization has launched a search for two executive positions, including the new position of President to be based out of Indianapolis, Indiana.

With a focus on building, promoting and protecting the motorsports industry, PRI’s president will oversee the strategic vision, leadership and executive management of all PRI initiatives. Based in Indianapolis, what many consider to be the center of the racing industry, the president will work closely with racing-related businesses, as well as individual racers, race teams, racing facilities, sanctioning bodies, and parts suppliers to develop programs and services to benefit the motorsports community.

In addition to the president in Indianapolis, PRI will hire a general manager in Southern California who will be responsible for the daily operations of PRI’s Trade Show, magazine and online media content. Bill Miller, the current general manager, will continue to support the PRI team while focusing on his responsibilities as senior vice president of operations for SEMA, which has owned and operated Performance Racing Industry since 2012.

“Having dedicated executives leading PRI will ensure that the needs of racing-related businesses and racers are met,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “The motorsports industry is a unique community filled with passion, innovation and enthusiasm. We’re looking for individuals who share that passion as PRI looks to enhance the resources and programs for the industry.”

Successful candidates will have proven leadership skills and a strong work ethic, and be motivated to serve the motorsports industry. Additional skills and requirements, as well as complete job descriptions, can be found at performanceracing.com/candidates. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online.

By Ashley Reyes

The “PRO Sales Training Manual” is available as a hard copy for purchase or in a free electronic format to all PRO council members.

More than 150 SEMA-member company employees have obtained and are seeing increased profits from the SEMA Accessory Professional Exam, a new resource provided by the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) designed to help restylers, installers and accessory retailers build a more successful dealer-direct sales strategy.

The new program, which identifies superior sales among automotive restylers, aims to recognize accessory manufacturers and restylers for their sales expertise while providing them understanding of the inner workings of a car dealership and how to qualify and identify the key decision maker.

Developed by industry experts, the five-section exam is based off the “PRO Sales Training Manual” and includes 50 multiple-choice questions focused on customer relations and sales strategy, salesperson knowledge and practices, business structure and sales processes, marketing and promotions, and SEMA PRO recommended business practices and preparations.

“It’s exciting to witness how many SEMA-member companies are seeing increased sales profits in their business as an outcome of the program,” said Jim Skelly, PRO council director. “Building a mutually beneficial relationship with new-and-used car dealers is key to building trust and gaining respect, but profit is also a great motivator.”

An accessory sales professional certificate and badge is awarded to restylers who pass the exam, earning them recognition for their achievement while providing business owners with a valuable marketing edge.

The “PRO Sales Training Manual” is available as a hard copy for purchase or in a free electronic format to all PRO council members. While it can be purchased by anyone for $149.95, PRO and Truck& Off-Road Alliance (TORA) members receive the special discounted price of $24.95 for the printed copy which can be ordered online at www.sema.org/pro.

For more information, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

The “PRO Sales Training Manual” is available as a hard copy for purchase or in a free electronic format to all PRO council members.

More than 150 SEMA-member company employees have obtained and are seeing increased profits from the SEMA Accessory Professional Exam, a new resource provided by the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) designed to help restylers, installers and accessory retailers build a more successful dealer-direct sales strategy.

The new program, which identifies superior sales among automotive restylers, aims to recognize accessory manufacturers and restylers for their sales expertise while providing them understanding of the inner workings of a car dealership and how to qualify and identify the key decision maker.

Developed by industry experts, the five-section exam is based off the “PRO Sales Training Manual” and includes 50 multiple-choice questions focused on customer relations and sales strategy, salesperson knowledge and practices, business structure and sales processes, marketing and promotions, and SEMA PRO recommended business practices and preparations.

“It’s exciting to witness how many SEMA-member companies are seeing increased sales profits in their business as an outcome of the program,” said Jim Skelly, PRO council director. “Building a mutually beneficial relationship with new-and-used car dealers is key to building trust and gaining respect, but profit is also a great motivator.”

An accessory sales professional certificate and badge is awarded to restylers who pass the exam, earning them recognition for their achievement while providing business owners with a valuable marketing edge.

The “PRO Sales Training Manual” is available as a hard copy for purchase or in a free electronic format to all PRO council members. While it can be purchased by anyone for $149.95, PRO and Truck& Off-Road Alliance (TORA) members receive the special discounted price of $24.95 for the printed copy which can be ordered online at www.sema.org/pro.

For more information, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

By Kyle Cheng

Check out the “SEMA Industry Indicators” report each month to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact your business strategy.

As the year comes to an end, a broad recession does not appear imminent. Despite slowing in the economy, American consumers remain optimistic and underlying fundamentals, such as the labor market, are strong. However, this year has been challenging for manufacturing. While ongoing issues are beginning to resolve, global growth remains slow and trade tensions remain high. These hurdles will continue to be obstacles in 2020.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Check out the “SEMA Industry Indicators” report each month to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact your business strategy. In this report, published monthly, you’ll get a snapshot of the overall economy and our industry, including:

• Overall Economic Outlook
• New Vehicle Sales and Statistics on Auto Parts Production
• Consumer Sentiment and Spending
• Economic Growth and Unemployment
• Other Important Industry Insights

To learn more, download the December “SEMA Industry Indicators” report, now available for free at www.sema.org/research.