Sean Burger and Sean Fudge will represent Quadratec Wholesale in their outside role as southeast and midwest regional sales manager, respectively. Burger brings many years of experience working with Jeep accessory sales across retail and wholesale channels in the southeastern United States to Quadratec Wholesale. Having worked in various capacities for a leading manufacturer of Jeep and off-road accessories, Burger brings product technical knowledge, sales training and account management skills to Quadratec Wholesale.
Sean Fudge
Fudge brings 10 years of experience in account management and outside sales in the truck and off-road accessory market to Quadratec Wholesale. His previous experience managing hundreds of accounts and developing new business will be crucial to his new responsibilities.
In their new roles, Burger and Fudge will be responsible for managing sales growth, existing and new account development and promoting the benefits of Quadratec Wholesale and the Quadratec family of brands within their territories.
Race Winning Brands Acquires Haltech
Race Winning Brands (RWB), a portfolio company of MiddleGround Capital, has announced the acquisition of Haltech Engine Management Systems based in New South Wales, Australia, and with offices in Lexington, Kentucky, and Lake Forest, California.
Haltech specializes in electronic engine management systems for performance and racing applications, including a wide range of domestic and sport-compact engine platforms. Haltech will continue to operate and serve its customers from its existing locations in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Austria. For more information, visit racewinningbrands.com or haltech.com.
Mullen Automotive Announces Key New Hires
Mullen Automotive Inc. has announced a number of new hires across vehicle engineering, vehicle integration, powertrain systems and manufacturing in support of EV vehicle programs, including the Mullen FIVE EV Crossover and Mullen ONE EV Cargo Van programs. The following individuals who have recently joined Mullen Automotive are located across Mullen’s different facilities in California and Mississippi:
Product Engineering:
Robert Huotari – director of interiors
Mark Jenkins – design engineer
Ameil Kapadia – senior manager, BIW engineering
Manufacturing:
Cesar Aguirre – manager, BIW advanced manufacturing engineer
Amanda Hancock – HR manager
Allen McDonald – plant controller
Kyler Ohl – IT systems architect
John Roberts – facilities supervisor
Jesse Satterfield – manager, PC and L
Jack Saylor – production manager/tech specialist
Michelle Saylor – global manufacturing assistant
Vehicle Integration:
Vedanth Basappa – manager, virtual simulation
Scott Newton – packing engineer
Thermal Systems:
Albert Lizardo – senior manager
Mullen recently announced the “Strikingly Different” U.S. Test Drive Tour, covering 19 cities across the United States. The tour will begin this fall in Southern California and work its way throughout the United States. Further details can be found here, or place your Mullen FIVE reservation here.
Michael Graber
Michael Graber Appointed President, CEO of Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas has announced that Michael Graber has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp., the aftermarket sales unit for Toyo branded tires. He was promoted from the position of vice president of sales. In his new position, Graber will lead a team and will be responsible for replacement market sales, strategic sales planning, pricing, marketing, product planning and consumer affairs.
The Shop Magazine Acquired By Media Company
Cahaba Media Group has announced the acquisition of The Shop’s assets—the automotive aftermarket print magazine, website and podcast based in Broomfield, Colorado—from National Business Media. Previously the editor of Cahaba Media Group’s Pumps & Systems magazine, Jennifer King will lead The Shop team as the executive editor. Jef White will remain the editor, while AJ Hecht will remain the associate editor. The acquisition also included the RV Pro brand, including a print magazine, website and more for the RV market and related products. For more information, visit theshopmag.com and cahabamedia.com.
S&W Performance Group Acquired by Private Investment Firm
Ken Wible, Terri (Weney) Gdowik and Jay Lankford
The S&W Performance Group—the drag-racing and performance street vehicle chassis and components manufacturer—has been acquired by Ken Wible and Jay Lankford’s private investment firm. S&W will continue to operate out of its Spring City, Pennsylvania, headquarters, which first opened in 1959. For more information, visit swracecars.com.
Joey Williams
SSBC-USA Adds Digital Marketing Coordinator
SSBC-USA—home of American Stopping Power—has announced the addition of its newest team member, Joey Williams, digital marketing coordinator. As SSBC-USA enters its third year of increased business and product expansion, the 40-year-old brand reputation has undergone a new light. The addition of a marketing professional will allow SSBC-USA to increase its digital footprint and highlight all that the new company has become. It will bring awareness to the latest in performance braking products, exclusively from SSBC-USA. Williams will manage the SSBC-USA website, monitor social media, develop sponsorships, implement new traffic drive and run email campaigns.
Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.
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.
Technical Specialist eFlexFuel is hiring a technical specialist responsible for serving as a highly skilled technical resource for the company’s partners and customers, designing and executing product training materials and sessions both online and in person, and solving engine and fueling issues in cars, motorbikes and powersports vehicles. This position can be remote, but travel around the United States is required to meet customers or to participate in different events.
Events Marketing Manager Bonnier is hiring a remote events marketing manager. Reporting to the vice president of marketing, responsibilities include execution of all marketing for events, media planning and development, and some production and engagement with key groups, such as clubs and media partners. The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated, process-driven individual with experience in event marketing and specific knowledge of hunting and motorcycle markets. Chosen candidates must be highly enthusiastic, able to manage multiple projects and coordinate multiple events simultaneously, creative, resourceful and demonstrate strong communication and relationship skills.
Product Data/Website Administrator Cognito Motorsports is hiring a product data administrator responsible for the development and maintenance of product data for distribution across all digital channels, including the company ERP, website and reseller network. The qualified candidate must have excellent writing and proof reading skills with extraordinary attention to details and ability to hit scheduled deadlines. A B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited four-year university is preferred, or equivalent work experience.
Lamborghini Announces LMDh Hybrid Sports Car Prototype Racing Program
Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the motorsports department for Lamborghini, has announced its first LMDh prototype will debut in 2024 in the FIA World Endurance Championship (Hypercar class) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (GTP class). The commitment allows Lamborghini to compete for victories at some of the world’s most prestigious endurance races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. LMDh stands for Le Mans Daytona hybrid and gives the name to the new sports prototype race car category debuting in 2023.
“This step up into the highest echelon of sports car racing marks an important milestone for our company,” said Stephan Winkelmann, the chairman and CEO of Lamborghini, which announced plans to fully transition to hybrid technology by the end of 2024. For more information, visit lamborghini.com.
New Owners for Paragon Speedway
Paragon Speedway, the dirt track in Paragon, Indiana, has new owners. Robert and Jennifer Woodward, and their business partner Darrell Helton, have purchased the facility that has hosted races since 1954. Upgrades include updated concession stands and restrooms, while goals include securing partners to increase racer payouts and getting more fans in the grandstands. Super stocks, 410 sprints cars, Modifieds, Bombers and Hornets appear on the 2022 schedule, which also includes visits from the Schaeffer’s Oil Indiana RaceSavers sprint cars on June 25 and September 24. The season ends on Saturday, October 1. For more information, visit paragonspeedway.com.
US Legends Announces New ‘Superlight’ Training Car
Photo courtesy of US Legend Cars International
US Legend Cars International has introduced the newest Legend vehicle designed to be a “superlight track machine” at 1,250 lbs. Powered by a 125hp Yamaha FZ09 sealed engine, the car honors the original design—first launched in 1992 at Charlotte Motor Speedway—with a five-eighths scale fiberglass full-fendered silhouette of a classic modified American race car. For more information, visit uslegendcars.com.
Douglas A. Frymer, attorney at Law Offices of Douglas A. Frymer, is the latest ETTN member to share his insight on how his company has changed over the course of the pandemic.
Get to know what tools his company has leaned on and what new trends he is seeing in the industry in his interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What technology tools, new or old, have you leaned on recently?
Douglas A. Frymer: I relied upon the most common apps for online meetings, such as Zoom and Teams, routinely. Every court, State and Federal, uses some version of telephonic call in, combined with an app, for appearances. And most courts use either a third-party provider or have a version themselves, for mandatory electronic filing. This has made the practice of law faster, and usually more efficient, and reduces court appearance time (but created many filing fees that never were charged before) at the cost of personal interaction and face time with judges, court staff and other attorneys, which is not good for the legal community (being self-policing, relationships that allow for resolving matters, referrals and the like). Ahh, progress.
SEMA: How has the pandemic changed your company?
DF: My clients have struggled and are still struggling. Many are or have been in a holding pattern, not wanting to invest, not wanting to create or design, worried about retaining employees and hiring new. This affects me in terms of contracts and deals to be done, and hesitance to prosecute or defend actions, even where my clients are clearly in the right.
SEMA: What new trends have you noticed within the industry?
DF: More and more electric vehicles of all types, from scooters to cars and trucks, and how these will be powered, speeds and distances. But also, because these have closed, sealed systems, the ability to modify and personalize is a concern.
SEMA: What is the single-best career advice you’ve been given?
DF: Join SEMA and volunteer for councils and committees that match your passion, knowledge base and skill set. This started me in YEN (now FLN), which led to chair, which led to WIC (now WTC) and chair, and now a whole extended crew, nationwide, I’ve grown up with in this industry. And I don’t have to hang out with lawyers. Yes, I’m still drinkin’ the Kool Aid.
Fill out this form for a chance to be featured in the next ETTN member insight. By sharing your experiences, you can inspire and motivate other members to learn new tips and ideas. You may also be featured on ETTN’s social media and in SEMA News.
Michael Seymour is the SEMA Future Leaders Network’s (FLN) newest spotlight member. Seymour is the director of performance media at Holley, a developer of EFI products and manufacturer of top brands, such as MSD, Flowmaster, Hurst, Accel and many more.
Get to know Seymour in his interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?
Michael Seymour: KISS—Keep It Simple Stupid. Keeping things simple allows you to easily come back to the core reason why you are doing something in the first place. Otherwise, you can fall into the trap of work for the sake of “work.”
SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?
MS: Work comes naturally when you are passionate about what you do and who you serve.
SEMA: Where can you be found on a Saturday?
MS: Either in the garage or out at a car show/event. Saturday mornings and cars is almost at PB&J status.
SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?
MS: Know the audience—How familiar the attendees are to the subject being discussed and understanding how my role plays a part in the meeting’s objectives.
SEMA: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who it would be?
MS: Bill Tichenor, if he is paying.
If you are a current FLN member, fill out an FLN member spotlight form. Selected candidates may be featured on FLN’s social media, SEMA News and FLN member updates.
Levine is a sales and marketing coordinator at RepairPal Inc., a provider of auto-repair and maintenance information for consumers. Get to know what Levine enjoys about the industry in her interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What do you enjoy most about working at your current company?
Diane Levine: I love that the company is for the consumer and the repair shop equally. The staff is amazing and collaborates for the greater good.
SEMA: What is the most challenging part of your job?
DL: This is the first time I have worked exclusively remote. Acclimating to not going over something in person took a little getting used to. I don’t know if it’s really a challenge; it’s just different. As I continue to take on new projects, the challenges ebb and flow.
SEMA: How many years have you been in the industry, and what was your first industry job?
DL: I have been in the industry since 1978, when I took a job at a gas station.
SEMA: What are three qualities that got you to where you are today?
DL: I am project driven, I love variety and I am passionate about this industry. I am not afraid to jump into a new experience. I have been blessed with a huge automotive family.
SEMA: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments?
DL: When I started working in parts houses, there were times when male customers wouldn’t let me look up their parts. I was told, “I'll wait for one of the guys” on more than one occasion. For a while, I actually left the industry. I did not feel supported. When I worked for Flowmaster, I revived their Custom Car Builder program that had not been maintained and was well received by shops.
SEMA: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry?
DL: Charlene Bower offered me the opportunity to think outside the box even more than I was and stick with it! Bogi Lateiner invited me to join the Chevy Montage adventure. It rejuvenated my passion for getting greasy and reminding me of my inner warrior.
SEMA: What is the best career advice you have received?
DL: If something sparks a fire inside you, don’t give up! I had left the automotive industry a few times and won’t leave it again.
SEMA: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry?
DL: I have loved cars since I was a teen. Once I got a job in it, I felt at home. When I am not working in the industry, I have a longing in my heart.
SEMA: Who was the most influential person on your career/goals?
DL: My sister. She was by no means a car person, but she knew how much I loved the industry. She worked hard, even while battling cancer. Her mantra was to “Dream Big.”
Do you know, or are you, a woman with a career in the automotive industry? Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN’s #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN’s social media, SEMA News and recognized on the www.sema.org/she-is-sema website.
Robert Fisher Joins Power Automedia as Business Development Associate
Power Automedia has announced the hiring of Florida-native Robert Fisher, who will join the sales team as the latest business development representative. Prior to joining the Power Automedia team, Fisher was an experienced sales rep with a diverse background in marketing and public relations catering to the automotive aftermarket industry and outdoor recreation.
In his new role with Power Automedia, he will focus on generating new business opportunities and developing relationships with potential clients. Fisher will work hand in hand with the chief revenue officer, senior director of business development and other members of the sales team.
Stertil-Koni Names Travis Wilks New Service Technician
Stertil-Koni announced hiring of Travis Wilks as a new service technician. He is based in the company’s North American headquarters location in Stevensville, Maryland.
According to the company Wilks brings a strong work ethic and keen determination to become both a master technician and a certified Automotive Lift Inspector (ALI).
Most recently, Wilks worked for a vendor supplying high pressure fluid transfer hoses to the U.S. Navy. There, he also became proficient in the use of forklifts and other heavy equipment.
Metra Electronics to Host Manufacturer Training Sessions at KnowledgeFest
Metra Electronics announced that the company will host new training sessions at KnowledgeFest, and showcase its latest aftermarket installation products. Metra’s training sessions will cover new products launched at 2021 SEMA Show, including new Axxess integration products and DSPs, Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator aftermarket accessories, and Heise vehicle lighting solutions.
Metra hold providing in-depth training sessions for installers at the event, June 10-12. Training Sessions
“Simplify your Install with Axxess DSPs” on Friday, June 10, at 1:45 p.m. and Sunday, June 12, at 9:30 a.m.
“New Accessories for Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator” on Friday, June 10, at 3:00 p.m.
“New Saddle Tramp Audio Upgrades for Harley-Davidson Motorcycles” on Saturday, June 11, at 4:15 p.m.
“New Vehicle Lighting Trends with Heise” on Saturday, June 11, at 5:30 p.m.
“Advanced Integration Made Easy with Axxess and Metra” on Sunday, June 12, at 10:45 a.m.
Metra’s customers can register for the KnowledgeFest event at no cost using Metra’s VIP code, available by request from their sales representative. Once registered for the event, attendees will also need to register online at www.knowledgeFest.org for each training session they will attend. More information is available at www.knowledgeFest.org.
The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals to Feature Mopar
The Carlisle Fairgrounds will feature some of the coolest and most historically significant Mopars ever built. The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, July 15–17, is just as much of a car show and automotive flea market as it is a family and social reunion.
The event will include special displays (noted below), and legendary racers, including Paul Rossi, the Ramchargers, Golden Commandos, and Herb McCandless.
2022 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals Planned Displays
Mopar Collectibles Display
Mopars with a Family Connection
Plymouth Prowler 25th Display
’72 Mopar 50th Anniversary Display
’70 Charger 50th Anniversary Display
More information for the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com.
Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.
Implementing change at a company can be a daunting task when employees are complacent and comfortable doing things the way they have always been done. When a team is resistant to change, growth or improvement can be affected.
To motivate staff and have them fully support your idea for change, it’s important to understand how to develop and present the idea in an appealing manner.
During the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) live webinar on May 19, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT), SEMA members will participate in interactive breakout sessions and open discussions on:
How value is the foundation for change.
How to advance your idea for change using curiosity, empathy and evidence.
How to position your idea.
How to prototype, measure and adjust your idea.
How to add value to your career by introducing and implementing change
Participants should be prepared to present a change idea to discuss during this live session.
Turning off work and spending some time focusing on self-care when workloads become overwhelming can improve your mindset, reduce stress, and leave you better-prepared to overcome challenges with calm and clarity. Being intentional about your thoughts and how you spend your time can have immediate and lasting benefits on your overall health.
Join the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) live webinar on May 18, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT), to hear from Jaclyn Sunseri, vice president of media and sales at Hemmings Motor News, and Tiffanie Hartenstein, CEO of Oracle Lighting, on how meditation, journaling, breath work and self-care can help clear one’s mind and increase focus when it’s needed most.
The webinar includes virtual breakouts in which attendees will learn how to unplug from work, how to encourage your team to unplug, and how to be a good role model.
Lamborghini Announces LMDh Hybrid Sports Car Prototype Racing Program
Power Automedia has announced the hiring of Florida-native Robert Fisher, who will join the sales team as the latest business development representative. Prior to joining the Power Automedia team, Fisher was an experienced sales rep with a diverse background in marketing and public relations catering to the automotive aftermarket industry and outdoor recreation.
Stertil-Koni Names Travis Wilks New Service Technician
Metra Electronics to Host Manufacturer Training Sessions at KnowledgeFest
The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals to Feature Mopar
