STILLWATER, OK (04.24.26) – The 2026 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) will soon take place in Atlanta June 1-5.  North America’s highest achieving skilled career and technical education students will participate in the premier showcase SkillsUSA Competition.  Students are currently competing at the regional and state levels to earn a coveted spot to compete at NLSC.  

Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater, OK recently hosted the 2026 SkillsUSA – Mobile Electronics Installation state contest.  The contest was attended by twenty-one students who are enrolled in automotive technology programs in high school and vocational schools all over Oklahoma.  Students competed in various contests which included soldering, Ohm’s law applications, amplifier tuning, and customer service.  Only two competitors will advance to the national contest: the top performing high school student and top performing post-secondary student.    

Kicker has been a major sponsor for SkillsUSA for over four years and contributes funds, equipment, course development, and volunteers.  Aaron Malin, Kicker Tech Force Global Training Manager, said, “We are constantly being reminded by our retail partners that skilled technicians are in high demand and hard to find.  SkillsUSA is a great organization that provides leadership, resources, and context to engage young people.” 

Mobile electronics professionals from manufacturers, rep firms, and retailers will be on hand to serve as judges and mentors for the national contest in Atlanta.  “We are still in need of funds for this year’s event. [Approximately $9,000]” said Chris Jack, Technical Chair for SkillsUSA – Mobile Electronics Installation. “If you could please scan the QR code below [or https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-train-future-car-audio-installers] and send just $50.00 we can make it.” 

Members of the industry are also encouraged to support SkillsUSA at the local and state levels.  “GET INOLVED!  Contact local trade and tech schools and see what you can do to be helpful.  Donating money is good, but working with excitement is the magic”, said Malin. 

For more information about SkillsUSA – Mobile Electronics Installation you can contact Chris Jack at 310-866-2454, or Bryan Gary at 806-922-1822. 

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HOUSTON, TX (04.23.26) – “The training was hosted by Firstech and we had the pleasure of having Joshua Woodie, who is the National Trainer, do a deep dive on everything Firstech has to offer. The rep principal, Hector Mena from Momentum Marketing, and the Firstech Western Regional Gabe Schmidt were also in attendance” Amir Dhanani related.

“The training had a great turnout with about 70 attendees and everyone was engaged all the way through. We even had some raffles at the end to finish on a high note.”

Distributors are in a unique position in today’s 12vol marketplace. Offering top brands, supporting dealers with prompt delivery and engaging shows and factory training is very important.

With strong locations in Dallas and Houston SSR is doing a great job.

For more see 12voltnews.com.

DIAMOND BAR, CA(04.23.26) – SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) today announced a strategic optimization of its media resources, highlighted by the launch of a new SEMA News digital resource page. This move reflects a broader realignment of the Association’s publishing efforts to better serve an industry that moves faster than a traditional print cycle allows.

By realigning a portion of its editorial resources toward high-growth digital platforms, SEMA is doubling down on its ability to provide real-time value to its members. This transition represents a modern shift in how the Association tells the industry’s stories, ensuring that SEMA remains the most agile, relevant, and influential voice in the aftermarket.

“Our goal is to meet our members exactly where they are with the information they need,” said Warren Kosikov, SEMA Vice President, Sales. “While we are increasing our digital velocity to match the pace of the market, we remain committed to the high-quality, long-form journalism our members value. By adjusting our publishing schedule and realigning some of our resources, we can provide the best of both worlds: immediate news online and deep-dive analysis in our print publications.”

A Multi-Platform Approach to Industry News
The cornerstone of this expansion is the new digital hub at www.semanews.com. While SEMA continues to produce its respected magazines and in-depth long-form content on a more strategized schedule, the new digital-first focus ensures that critical news – such as legislative updates and business trends – are delivered without delay.

The shift focuses on the expansion of SEMA’s digital ecosystem, including:

• Semanews.com: The new centralized digital content webpage, launching today (with PRInews.com currently in development).
• SEMA News & PRI News: Enhanced weekly electronic newsletters providing a direct line to industry developments.
• Optimized Magazine Strategy: Continued production of high-value print editions and long-form editorial content, delivered on a quarterly schedule that complements the digital news cycle.
• Daily Digital Updates: New content and curated highlights published every day.

This launch will focus on helping SEMA members and aftermarket professionals integrate these new digital resources into their regular business habits.

Looking Ahead to the 2026 SEMA Show
This digital evolution also serves as an additional information source leading up to the 2026 SEMA Show, held Nov. 3-6 in Las Vegas. As the world’s premier automotive aftermarket trade event, the SEMA Show will leverage the new digital hub to provide exclusive “road to the show” and other coverage.

Attendee and buyer registration opens on May 4; to sign up for notifications, visit here. For more information, visit www.semashow.com.

NEW YORK, NY (04.22.26) – SiriusXM has announced the launch of two new channels in collaboration with ABC News, further expanding its lineup of premium news and storytelling content. ABC News Live (ch. 796) is available starting today on the SiriusXM app, with 20/20 True Crime (ch. 794) launching in the coming weeks.

The ABC News Live channel delivers around-the-clock coverage of breaking news across the United States and around the globe. As a 24/7 streaming news channel, it keeps listeners informed on the latest developments in politics, weather, health, business, and more, offering real-time updates, analysis and context from ABC News’ trusted journalists.

20/20 True Crime will be a nonstop destination for gripping, in-depth storytelling from 20/20 and ABC News. The channel will feature award-winning narrative podcasts, full episodes of 20/20, installments of 20/20: The After Show, and curated cases from the 20/20 True Crime Vault. From headline-making investigations to unforgettable mysteries, listeners can dive into the stories, twists, and reporting that bring the truth to light.

In addition to the new channels, two ABC News programs will soon be available on SiriusXM’s P.O.T.U.S. radio channel (ch. 124). The venerable Sunday morning program This Week with George Stephanopoulos, alongside the award-winning Start Here Weekend newscast, can be heard by SiriusXM subscribers both in their cars and on-the-go, bringing expanded access to trusted political reporting and analysis.

This Week with George Stephanopoulos is ABC News’ pre-eminent Sunday public affairs program, anchored by George Stephanopoulos, and co-anchored by Martha Raddatz and Jonathan Karl. The show features newsmaker interviews, in-the-field reporting, and panel discussions offering unique coverage and perspectives on the major domestic and global stories driving the news each week.

Start Here Weekend, hosted by Brad Mielke, dives deeper into the stories driving headlines through in-depth conversations with ABC News correspondents, experts, and newsmakers. With an engaging and accessible style, Start Here Weekend helps listeners expand their understanding of the week’s biggest stories.

Starting this weekend, This Week can be heard on P.O.T.U.S. every Sunday at 2pm ET, with Start Here Weekend available on Saturdays at 9am and 6pm ET.

Both the 20/20 True Crime and ABC News Live channels will be available to listeners across North America on the SiriusXM app and in vehicles equipped with SiriusXM with 360L. Access to the SiriusXM app is included with most SiriusXM subscriptions.

Visit www.siriusxm.com for more.

LIBERTYVILLE, IL (04.22.26) – BRUTUS BRL amplifiers set the bar in amplifier innovation and audio performance. With cutting-edge amplification technology and a modern chassis footprint, the ALL-NEW BRUTUS BRL amplifier series is engineered to maximize power efficiency while providing raw, clean power to drive subwoofers and speakers to their full potential performance.

Every BRUTUS BRL amplifier is innovated with a built-in VU Meter — while Ultra-Fi MOSFETS are designed for high output power and thermal dissipation through a proprietary coupling method. BRL amplifiers feature a Class-D chipset, making them more efficient and allowing for a wide frequency range. Dominate your audio setup with BRL.

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