As the automotive industry continues to adapt to changes in the economy and consumer spending habits, SEMA-member companies are faced with the decision to race ahead with a new course for the specialty-equipment market or fall behind with the old status quo. In a recent SEMA webinar, "The Major Determinants of U.S. Automotive Demand: Factors Driving the U.S. Automotive Market," moderator John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology, urges members to focus on the upside of the industry’s downturn.

The SEMA Person of the Year Award was established in 1969 to honor an individual for outstanding contributions to the industry reaching beyond the person’s normal job functions. In the case of this year’s honoree, those contributions were extraordinary and ongoing. SEMA was proud to name Doug Evans of Source Interlink Media its 2009 Person of the Year at the recent SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

News and information from SEMA's councils and committees.

A photo collection of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs from the 2009 SEMA Show.

Performance parts pioneer and SEMA Hall of Fame member John Simmons kept in touch with trends on the streets, at the track, and at the shows.

SEMA and Ford coordinated on the Enthusiast Opinion Leader Research Program at the 2009 SEMA Show, asking more than 500 enthusiasts to report on interesting products and trends to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The January 2010 SEMA Consumer Demand Index for Performance Products and Accessories (formerly PADI) is now available for download at www.sema.org/research/padi.

SEMA members looking secure substantial discounts on inbound and outbound deliveries can now sign up for the SEMA Freight-Savings Program online at www.siriani.com.

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists will offer seminars at the 2010 SEMA Show on a wide range of topics affecting the collision repair industry.