Results of the 2012 SEMA Board of Directors election are in, with two new members joining the group and three members re-elected. The newest members of the group are Russell Stephens, representing the manufacturer category, and Nick Gramelspacher, representing the distributor/retailer category.

SEMA Honors Nick Arias Jr., Bill France Sr., Mark Heffington and Bob Larivee Sr. With Hall of Fame Induction For a chosen few, an obsession develops. Regardless of personal or professional success, this select group never stops raising the bar. Even when they take the checkered flag at the track or...

Did you know that some lawmakers are big fans of collector cars, vehicle exhibitions and auto racing? Many of these U.S. representatives and senators have joined the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus. Likewise, state lawmakers have joined the companion State Automotive...

It’s been a long time coming, but the SEMA Data Cooperative (SDC) beta phase is up and running at full speed, with more than 80 specialty parts companies participating. Starting life as a concept of the earliest SEMA business technology volunteers, the SDC represents the culmination of more than 10...

Priority Issues: State Accelerated Vehicle Scrappage: SEMA opposes scrappage proposals. Where proposals can’t be defeated, SEMA seeks to amend them to protect collector vehicles, focus on gross polluters, use measured emissions values, allow parts recycling and include repair/upgrade alternatives...

Our primary mission here at SEMA is simple: to help our member businesses succeed and prosper. One of the most important ways we do that is through legislative and regulatory advocacy. In a nutshell, it’s our goal to make your voices heard. To that end, SEMA supports a dedicated and highly active...

Let’s be honest. Politics is something we all love to hate. However, over time and based on experiences with government on the local, state and federal levels, I have become educated to the fact that relationships built with government officials are vital to our industry’s continued existence.

From Model Ts to musclecars and beyond, the restoration of classic automobiles has been a thriving segment of the automotive specialty-equipment industry for decades. Dozens of new restoration products were introduced to warehouse distributors, jobbers and retailers at the 2011 SEMA Show, and the...

More than 70 SEMA members met with their U.S. representatives and senators as part of the Washington Rally, providing a valuable opportunity to urge members of Congress to pursue a pro-growth manufacturing and job-creation agenda. Specific topics included support for the Low Volume Motor Vehicle...

Law and Order is an update of some of the most recent federal and state legislative and regulatory issues that could potentially impact the automotive specialty-equipment industry. These include issues affecting small-business owners and their employees.