TIA Executive Vice President
On behalf of the Tire Industry Association (TIA), I would like to welcome you to Las Vegas and to this year’s Global Tire Expo—Powered by TIA! We hope you find everything you need to make your business a stronger and more dynamic enterprise.
It’s hard to believe, but here we are again in Las Vegas to showcase the work of our family members from the past year. The SEMA family consists of everyone on the Show floor and everyone back home that made all this possible. When you enter the Show you will see only a glimpse of the automotive specialty parts world, which is far larger than even the Show itself. However, the dedication, passion and vision of the entire SEMA family is plainly evident, concentrated into one week in Las Vegas. It’s a view of the future that we are proud to present.
In order to qualify for the SEMA News “35 Under 35” list, each individual first required nomination by his or her peers. In evaluating those nominations, we looked for signs that the candidate is someone who, at age 35 or under, already displays the responsibilities of leadership and has become a trusted, skilled player within his or her own organization. We also considered the level of industry involvement shown by these individuals and their expertise in their particular segment as perceived by their customers and peers.
SEMA presented John Menzler of the COMP Performance Group with the 2011 Person of the Year Award at the SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet in Las Vegas on the evening of Thursday, November 3. As a longtime SEMA member as well as a Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) and Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) Select Committee member and mentor to many in the industry, Menzler received ringing applause as banquet emcee Dave McClelland announced to a packed house, “Congratulations, John!”
An Interview With the New Chairman of the SEMA Board of Directors
“Scooter” Brothers has been working with cars since he could walk. He is the son of a mechanic, and even though his dad wasn’t interested in racing, Brothers got hooked on it while he was still in high school in the late ’60s. He got involved with some of the men who started a company called Racing Head Service and, with a four-year break while he served in the navy, he’s been in the automotive performance business ever since.
Nineteen industry professionals are vying for a position on the 2011–2013 SEMA Board of Directors. The SEMA Board provides strategic direction to the association and plays a critical role in shaping the future of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. Election materials were mailed to the primary contacts at eligible SEMA-member companies within the corresponding categories May 17. The voting process, which is entirely electronic this year, will be ongoing until voting closes June 14. Election results will be published in an upcoming issue of SEMA News.