The MPMC Hall of Fame honors those who have made a significant contribution to the motorsports manufacturing segment and/or MPMC. Nominations were solicited from the MPMC general membership, and the MPMC Hall of Fame task force voted on the final selection of inductees. MPMC is proud to congratulate the following 2011 Hall of Fame inductees. An official induction ceremony will take place Friday, December 2, 2011, at the PRI Show.

Todd Gartshore developed his technical acumen at a young age while writing tech pieces for various publications. He also enjoyed success as a winning driver in SCCA competition. In later years, though, he was widely recognized as a leader in the development of the performance aftermarket, along with the company he co-founded in 1984, Baer Brake Systems. Baer is a charter member of MPMC and has participated in every MPMC Media Trade Conference since its inception in 1997.

Gartshore’s contributions to SEMA and MPMC were extensive as well. He served on the SEMA Board of Directors from 1999–2005 and on the MPMC Select Committee from 2003–2005. He was re-elected to the MPMC Select Committee in 2010, where his extensive knowledge of the industry proved to be an immediate benefit to the council. Beyond his passion for cars and the aftermarket, though, was his ability to bring people together. He had a remarkable ability to make everyone feel like an “insider.”

Todd Gartshore passed away on June 25, leaving a legacy of excellence.

Rick Rollins is a life-long industry veteran who has been a counterman, a buyer, a regional sales manager and a company owner. He also drove Formula Ford and F2000 Formula race cars. His industry record includes stints at ADI, American Bugg and Hastings Manufacturing Co. He spent 12 years at Taylor Cable Products, a manufacturer of automotive wire, wiring harnesses and accessories, and more than nine years as vice president of sales and marketing for Superchips.

Today, Rollins serves as president of Rollins Performance Companies, where he provides business solutions for companies in the performance, accessory and automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Rollins also served a total of 16 years on the SEMA Board of Directors, including two years as its chairman, and he was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2006. He was instrumental in the formation of the MPMC and served six consecutive years on the MPMC Select Committee.

Chuck Blum served as president of SEMA for 22 years, from 1980–2002.

He is generally credited with transforming SEMA from a fledgling association into the industry leader that it is today and with hiring the right people to grow the SEMA Show from a 400-exhibitor localized event into the largest automotive aftermarket trade show in the world.

Blum was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1997.

More importantly for MPMC, it was Blum who came up with the idea of SEMA councils and committees.

Without Blum’s insight and innate problem-solving abilities, there would likely not be an MPMC today.

Nate Shelton has been synonymous with high performance and SEMA since he took his first job as a rep at Hooker Headers in 1972. From there, his career progressed at such companies as Cam Dynamics, Koni Shocks and VDO. He joined K&N in 1987 and was instrumental in its success in the automotive air filter market, eventually acquiring a part of the company.

While at K&N, Shelton pioneered many innovations in product and manufacturing for the air filter industry. Today, he serves as chairman of the B&M Performance Group, which includes McLeod and Hurst. Shelton was the first chairman of MPMC and helped spearhead what became today’s MPMC Media Trade Conference. He has served on numerous SEMA councils and committees, served on the SEMA Board and as SEMA chairman, and was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2007.

The MPMC Hall of Fame honors those who have made a significant contribution to the motorsports manufacturing segment and/or MPMC. Nominations were solicited from the MPMC general membership, and the MPMC Hall of Fame task force voted on the final selection of inductees. MPMC is proud to congratulate the following 2011 Hall of Fame inductees. An official induction ceremony will take place Friday, December 2, 2011, at the PRI Show.

Todd Gartshore developed his technical acumen at a young age while writing tech pieces for various publications. He also enjoyed success as a winning driver in SCCA competition. In later years, though, he was widely recognized as a leader in the development of the performance aftermarket, along with the company he co-founded in 1984, Baer Brake Systems. Baer is a charter member of MPMC and has participated in every MPMC Media Trade Conference since its inception in 1997.

Gartshore’s contributions to SEMA and MPMC were extensive as well. He served on the SEMA Board of Directors from 1999–2005 and on the MPMC Select Committee from 2003–2005. He was re-elected to the MPMC Select Committee in 2010, where his extensive knowledge of the industry proved to be an immediate benefit to the council. Beyond his passion for cars and the aftermarket, though, was his ability to bring people together. He had a remarkable ability to make everyone feel like an “insider.”

Todd Gartshore passed away on June 25, leaving a legacy of excellence.

Rick Rollins is a life-long industry veteran who has been a counterman, a buyer, a regional sales manager and a company owner. He also drove Formula Ford and F2000 Formula race cars. His industry record includes stints at ADI, American Bugg and Hastings Manufacturing Co. He spent 12 years at Taylor Cable Products, a manufacturer of automotive wire, wiring harnesses and accessories, and more than nine years as vice president of sales and marketing for Superchips.

Today, Rollins serves as president of Rollins Performance Companies, where he provides business solutions for companies in the performance, accessory and automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Rollins also served a total of 16 years on the SEMA Board of Directors, including two years as its chairman, and he was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2006. He was instrumental in the formation of the MPMC and served six consecutive years on the MPMC Select Committee.

Chuck Blum served as president of SEMA for 22 years, from 1980–2002.

He is generally credited with transforming SEMA from a fledgling association into the industry leader that it is today and with hiring the right people to grow the SEMA Show from a 400-exhibitor localized event into the largest automotive aftermarket trade show in the world.

Blum was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1997.

More importantly for MPMC, it was Blum who came up with the idea of SEMA councils and committees.

Without Blum’s insight and innate problem-solving abilities, there would likely not be an MPMC today.

Nate Shelton has been synonymous with high performance and SEMA since he took his first job as a rep at Hooker Headers in 1972. From there, his career progressed at such companies as Cam Dynamics, Koni Shocks and VDO. He joined K&N in 1987 and was instrumental in its success in the automotive air filter market, eventually acquiring a part of the company.

While at K&N, Shelton pioneered many innovations in product and manufacturing for the air filter industry. Today, he serves as chairman of the B&M Performance Group, which includes McLeod and Hurst. Shelton was the first chairman of MPMC and helped spearhead what became today’s MPMC Media Trade Conference. He has served on numerous SEMA councils and committees, served on the SEMA Board and as SEMA chairman, and was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2007.

	The daylong Business Technology Symposium, held in conjunction with SEMA’s Leadership Days, presented participants with solid education, proven strategies and best practices from experts in the fields of online marketing, multimedia sales and eCommerce.

Developed by SEMA’s Street Performance Council (SPC), the event armed attendees with unique tools to gain a competitive advantage through effective, technology-based strategies.

"The SPC has always worked hard to develop relevant council initiatives," said Tyler Tanaka, vice president of business development at PostRelease. Tanaka, along with the council, was instrumental in organizing the symposium. "Four years ago," he said, "The specialty-equipment industry was generally viewed as woefully behind the curve in plugging into the exploding digital revolution. The need for further education and technological understanding was especially apparent in the areas of online advertising and marketing. The SPC launched the BTS in 2007 to address this growing industry concern."

“Programs didn’t really exist four or five years ago that broke things down in a simple, easy-to-understand way or that delivered relevant topics,” Tanaka explained. “The SPC helped develop this event to provide a value addition not only to the SPC, but also to the entire SEMA membership.”

Over the course of four years, online, digital and mobile technologies have advanced at an even more rapid pace within mainstream American businesses, proving that educational resources are critical.

“Given today’s competitive marketplace, companies are relying more and more on emerging technologies for brand building, lead generation and, in some cases, as a primary source of commerce,” Tanaka said. “Technology is continuing to revolutionize the way business is conducted in the automotive aftermarket, and our members’ businesses are ever-changing as a result. We wanted to give them the necessary tools to be prepared, understand and take advantage of the potential opportunities that exist while doing business in today’s digital world.”

Steve Yankovich, eBay vice president of Mobile, delivered this year’s keynote address, which focused on how the mobile medium has become increasingly influential in automotive purchases. A series of business technology supersessions also covered a diverse range of topics under five main conference titles: Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials; Mobile’s Role in the Automotive Aftermarket; Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing; Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads to Win More Customers; and Product Design and Manufacturing Technology That Could Change the Aftermarket.

“SEMA members are really engaged in furthering their marketing education,” said Kirsten Knipp, director of product evangelism with HubSpot and a speaker for the Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads session. “Because specialty products and services benefit disproportionately from getting found online via inbound marketing, it was gratifying to be able to share new data about search, social media and even modern middle-of-the-funnel marketing optimization with this group.”

BTS attendees benefitted from the event's educational content.

“I first attended the Business Technical Symposium two years ago, when social media was a new territory that the industry began exploring as a marketing tool,” said Cheralyn Smith. “I was able to bring some valuable practices to the office, and we still use them every day at my company. This year, I had the opportunity to be on the Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials panel. That really gave me a chance to share our experiences, hear what is working for other companies and get an inside perspective on how social media continues to grow and transform marketing in the industry.”

“During challenging economic times, the automotive aftermarket requires an extra gear to compete, sustain and grow, and the BTS very much complied with the business savvy necessary to rise in the aftermarket business environment,” added attendee Dick Dixon, director of the International Motorsports Alliance at California State University San Bernardino.

Tanaka and SPC were pleased with the enthusiastic response received from participants such as Smith and Dixon.

“Overall, the feedback was great,” Tanaka said. “People got tips, tricks and concepts they could immediately put into place Monday morning when they went back to their businesses.”

	The daylong Business Technology Symposium, held in conjunction with SEMA’s Leadership Days, presented participants with solid education, proven strategies and best practices from experts in the fields of online marketing, multimedia sales and eCommerce.

Developed by SEMA’s Street Performance Council (SPC), the event armed attendees with unique tools to gain a competitive advantage through effective, technology-based strategies.

"The SPC has always worked hard to develop relevant council initiatives," said Tyler Tanaka, vice president of business development at PostRelease. Tanaka, along with the council, was instrumental in organizing the symposium. "Four years ago," he said, "The specialty-equipment industry was generally viewed as woefully behind the curve in plugging into the exploding digital revolution. The need for further education and technological understanding was especially apparent in the areas of online advertising and marketing. The SPC launched the BTS in 2007 to address this growing industry concern."

“Programs didn’t really exist four or five years ago that broke things down in a simple, easy-to-understand way or that delivered relevant topics,” Tanaka explained. “The SPC helped develop this event to provide a value addition not only to the SPC, but also to the entire SEMA membership.”

Over the course of four years, online, digital and mobile technologies have advanced at an even more rapid pace within mainstream American businesses, proving that educational resources are critical.

“Given today’s competitive marketplace, companies are relying more and more on emerging technologies for brand building, lead generation and, in some cases, as a primary source of commerce,” Tanaka said. “Technology is continuing to revolutionize the way business is conducted in the automotive aftermarket, and our members’ businesses are ever-changing as a result. We wanted to give them the necessary tools to be prepared, understand and take advantage of the potential opportunities that exist while doing business in today’s digital world.”

Steve Yankovich, eBay vice president of Mobile, delivered this year’s keynote address, which focused on how the mobile medium has become increasingly influential in automotive purchases. A series of business technology supersessions also covered a diverse range of topics under five main conference titles: Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials; Mobile’s Role in the Automotive Aftermarket; Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing; Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads to Win More Customers; and Product Design and Manufacturing Technology That Could Change the Aftermarket.

“SEMA members are really engaged in furthering their marketing education,” said Kirsten Knipp, director of product evangelism with HubSpot and a speaker for the Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads session. “Because specialty products and services benefit disproportionately from getting found online via inbound marketing, it was gratifying to be able to share new data about search, social media and even modern middle-of-the-funnel marketing optimization with this group.”

BTS attendees benefitted from the event's educational content.

“I first attended the Business Technical Symposium two years ago, when social media was a new territory that the industry began exploring as a marketing tool,” said Cheralyn Smith. “I was able to bring some valuable practices to the office, and we still use them every day at my company. This year, I had the opportunity to be on the Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials panel. That really gave me a chance to share our experiences, hear what is working for other companies and get an inside perspective on how social media continues to grow and transform marketing in the industry.”

“During challenging economic times, the automotive aftermarket requires an extra gear to compete, sustain and grow, and the BTS very much complied with the business savvy necessary to rise in the aftermarket business environment,” added attendee Dick Dixon, director of the International Motorsports Alliance at California State University San Bernardino.

Tanaka and SPC were pleased with the enthusiastic response received from participants such as Smith and Dixon.

“Overall, the feedback was great,” Tanaka said. “People got tips, tricks and concepts they could immediately put into place Monday morning when they went back to their businesses.”

	The daylong Business Technology Symposium, held in conjunction with SEMA’s Leadership Days, presented participants with solid education, proven strategies and best practices from experts in the fields of online marketing, multimedia sales and eCommerce.

Developed by SEMA’s Street Performance Council (SPC), the event armed attendees with unique tools to gain a competitive advantage through effective, technology-based strategies.

"The SPC has always worked hard to develop relevant council initiatives," said Tyler Tanaka, vice president of business development at PostRelease. Tanaka, along with the council, was instrumental in organizing the symposium. "Four years ago," he said, "The specialty-equipment industry was generally viewed as woefully behind the curve in plugging into the exploding digital revolution. The need for further education and technological understanding was especially apparent in the areas of online advertising and marketing. The SPC launched the BTS in 2007 to address this growing industry concern."

“Programs didn’t really exist four or five years ago that broke things down in a simple, easy-to-understand way or that delivered relevant topics,” Tanaka explained. “The SPC helped develop this event to provide a value addition not only to the SPC, but also to the entire SEMA membership.”

Over the course of four years, online, digital and mobile technologies have advanced at an even more rapid pace within mainstream American businesses, proving that educational resources are critical.

“Given today’s competitive marketplace, companies are relying more and more on emerging technologies for brand building, lead generation and, in some cases, as a primary source of commerce,” Tanaka said. “Technology is continuing to revolutionize the way business is conducted in the automotive aftermarket, and our members’ businesses are ever-changing as a result. We wanted to give them the necessary tools to be prepared, understand and take advantage of the potential opportunities that exist while doing business in today’s digital world.”

Steve Yankovich, eBay vice president of Mobile, delivered this year’s keynote address, which focused on how the mobile medium has become increasingly influential in automotive purchases. A series of business technology supersessions also covered a diverse range of topics under five main conference titles: Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials; Mobile’s Role in the Automotive Aftermarket; Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing; Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads to Win More Customers; and Product Design and Manufacturing Technology That Could Change the Aftermarket.

“SEMA members are really engaged in furthering their marketing education,” said Kirsten Knipp, director of product evangelism with HubSpot and a speaker for the Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads session. “Because specialty products and services benefit disproportionately from getting found online via inbound marketing, it was gratifying to be able to share new data about search, social media and even modern middle-of-the-funnel marketing optimization with this group.”

BTS attendees benefitted from the event's educational content.

“I first attended the Business Technical Symposium two years ago, when social media was a new territory that the industry began exploring as a marketing tool,” said Cheralyn Smith. “I was able to bring some valuable practices to the office, and we still use them every day at my company. This year, I had the opportunity to be on the Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials panel. That really gave me a chance to share our experiences, hear what is working for other companies and get an inside perspective on how social media continues to grow and transform marketing in the industry.”

“During challenging economic times, the automotive aftermarket requires an extra gear to compete, sustain and grow, and the BTS very much complied with the business savvy necessary to rise in the aftermarket business environment,” added attendee Dick Dixon, director of the International Motorsports Alliance at California State University San Bernardino.

Tanaka and SPC were pleased with the enthusiastic response received from participants such as Smith and Dixon.

“Overall, the feedback was great,” Tanaka said. “People got tips, tricks and concepts they could immediately put into place Monday morning when they went back to their businesses.”