DIAMOND BAR, CA (06.06.23) – Attendees of the 2023 SEMA Show, October 31-November 3 in Las Vegas, can expect an expanded SEMA Education program as part of a new SEMA initiative to create a more robust career- and professional-development program year-round.
The SEMA Show Education program will feature thought-provoking sessions, allowing attendees to tailor their program with a customizable learning journey of skill development and competency-based industry education.
“We want to support our attendees by offering a customizable learning journey for skill development and competency-based education inclusive of the Show and throughout the rest of the year,” said Pamela Brown-Matthis, SEMA Director of Education. “You’ll see that reflected in the comprehensive programming delivered at the Show as well as the virtual education that we’re incorporating into SEMA member-based events throughout the year across the country.”
The SEMA Education team is “focused on creating immersive learning experiences where engagement is high and attendees can see immediate knowledge and skills benefits. We’re dedicated to bringing innovation and fresh perspectives to the aftermarket business community,” Brown-Matthis said.
Keep an eye out for additional details on the 2023 SEMA Show Education program, which will feature the introduction of Monday afternoon seminars.
One vital program change for 2023 is the introduction of Monday afternoon seminars on October 30, prior to the Show’s official opening Tuesday morning. The idea is to provide wider access to education on what is usually considered an exhibitor “setup day.”
In keeping with this goal, planners have reorganized the Show’s many seminars into six highly focused SEMA Education tracks: Inside the Shop; Aftermarket Updates and Future Trends; Small-Business Strategy; Sales and Marketing; Vehicle Technology and Electric Vehicles; and Legal and Regulatory.
Stay tuned for more on the world-class SEMA Education program for 2023, including the announcement of the keynote speaker, partner education tracks and more details.
SEMA Show management is dedicated to making the event as cost-effective as possible for all. Register at SEMAShow.com/register by June 30 for just $40. Registration is $60 through September 29 and $120 after that date.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.31.23) – SEMA members have elected Melanie White, President of Hellwig Products, and Ted Wentz III, CEO of Quadratec, to lead the association over the next several years as key members of the 2023-2024 SEMA Board of Directors.
Melanie White
White was voted incoming chair and fills the position held for the past two years by Kyle Fickler (ProCharger), who will begin his term as chairman in July when James Lawrence (Power Automedia) concludes his term in that position. White’s current seat on the Board will be filled by Marcus Umlauff (Toyota North America) for the balance of the two-year seat. Current SEMA Board member Wentz was re-elected to serve another term of three years.
SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ rep, and services.
Ted Wentz III
The SEMA Board of Directors for 2023-2024 will be as follows:
Board Officers
Chairman – Kyle Fickler, Director of Business Development, ProCharger
Kathryn Reinhardt – Senior VP of Marketing and Events, Hemmings
Marcus Umlauff – General Manager-Truck, Toyota North America
Ted Wentz III – CEO, Quadratec, Inc.
Steve Whipple – President, PRW Industries, Inc.
Outgoing Board Members
Tim Martin – CEO, Aftermarket Advisors
Les Rudd – President/CSO, Bob Cook Sales
The entire 2023-2024 SEMA Board of Directors and outgoing Board members will be honored and recognized during the 2023 SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala (formerly the SEMA Awards Gala) in Anaheim, Calif., on July 21. All SEMA members and industry professionals are invited to join the celebration by purchasing tickets at www.sema.org/gala.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.26.23) – RealTruck Inc.–the premier manufacturer of aftermarket truck parts and accessories–has officially rebranded all areas of its business following a training session at the SEMA Garage in Detroit.
RealTruck sent its sales team to a three-day cross-training event at the SEMA Garage to ensure its team members are equipped to assist its customers. Participants received classroom instruction on more than 300 of RealTruck’s vast product offerings and hands-on training for the installation of several truck bed covers, including the upcoming Retrax EQ, AMP PowerSteps, BackRack headache racks, AVS LightShield Pro and more straight from the state-of-the-art facility.
“SEMA Garage offers us a unique opportunity to train a large group of people in a comfortable, well-equipped facility. Having a garage setting that will accommodate a lot of trucks and people to experience ‘hands-on’ installations is an important and welcome resource,” said Ryan Herman, executive vice president of sales at RealTruck.
The SEMA research and validation facility is 45,000 sq. ft., giving 7,000 SEMA-member businesses access to 3D scanning, 3D printing, ADAS testing, vehicle measuring sessions, fully equipped bays, and emissions testing and certification.
“There really isn’t a facility that can accommodate our needs as well as SEMA Garage. We brought in our entire outside sales force from around the country, and this experience has been a terrific way to teach, share and work together,” said Herman.
RealTruck announced its rebrand from Truck Hero last July and, since then, has been working with its various departments and facilities to roll out a new brand identity and sales team. In addition, the company has transitioned its manufacturing websites and dealer locator to realtruck.com, making it easier for millions of do-it-for-me truck owners to find dealers and local resources for professional installation.
For more information, including how to sign up for the SEMA Garage services, visit SEMAGarage.com or contact garage@sema.org. For more information on RealTruck, visit realtruck.com.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.24.23) – The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has announced Mike Mohacsi as its new vice president of product development and OEM relations. In his new role, Mohacsi will oversee the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, and Detroit, Michigan.
Mohacsi brings 30 years of experience in the automotive/powersports industry, including product development, testing, manufacturing, operations, project management and quality assurance.
Mike Mohacsi, vice president of product development and OEM relations
Most recently, Mohacsi worked for Power House Brands (Performance Machine, Progressive Suspension and Burly), which primarily offers aftermarket products for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including braking systems, wheels, suspension and accessories. While there, he provided direction and leadership for all engineering and operations activities for two manufacturing facilities in Cerritos, California, and Tijuana, Mexico.
Prior to Power House Brands, Mohacsi worked at HORIBA Instruments in the automotive segment as the director of West Coast area support, where he was responsible for new test equipment (dynamometers, emission, battery and software) installation projects as well as service for all customers (CARB, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Ford, Subaru, Hyundai, and VW) located on the West of North America (including Mexico).
Mohacsi also managed engine testing operations at Toyota Racing Development in Costa Mesa for five years. While there, he managed five engine testing cells and two valvetrain testing cells. He also led the specification, procurement, installation and commissioning of two new state-of-the-art engine test cells used for NASCAR Cup Series racing from the ground up, including the building and related equipment.
Mohacsi has also worked for many other well-known companies such as Renthal Ltd., Yamaha Motor Corporation, Honeywell Turbocharging Systems, FMF Racing, Answer Products and the Toyota Technical Center.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.23.23) – The 2024 SEMA Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference is confirmed for January 30-February 1, at the Embassy Suites – Anaheim South in Garden Grove, California. By connecting motorsports parts manufacturers with journalists and content creators, the council’s iconic event helps manufacturers generate coverage and raise brand awareness while providing media with a quick, easy and efficient method of gathering content.
Unlike traditional trade shows or conferences, the Media Trade Conference consists of private, uninterrupted meetings where media members can interview and learn about a company’s product and news. As a result, manufacturers are able to build strong, long-lasting relationships with individuals who can reach millions of their target audiences.
Read more about the event in the May issue of SEMA News Magazine here.
Manufacturers and media are encouraged to mark their calendars now for the MPMC Media Trade Conference taking place January 30-February 1, 2024. Manufacturer registration will open in mid-June. Go here to learn more about the Media Trade Conference.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.19.23) – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed the bipartisan America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023 (AORA) (S. 873) by a voice vote. This SEMA-supported bill will help to expand access and increase the $862 billion outdoor recreation economy. As a result, this historic public lands and recreation legislation is the first comprehensive recreation package since 1963. It will help improve and grow America’s outdoor recreation economy while delivering sustainable economic boosts to rural communities.
The bill requires federal land-management agencies to increase opportunities for motorized and non-motorized access to public lands, and it includes provisions to streamline the process and expenses associated with obtaining special recreation permits. Additionally, the legislation directs the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to make maps available to the public depicting where vehicles are allowed and prohibited and to update them periodically to ensure that the maps do not become outdated.
SEMA, along with our partners that comprise the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, thank Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) for their leadership in passing this vital legislation that benefits public lands, access to the outdoors, and the economy.
Click here to sign a letter to your U.S. Senators asking them to support S.873.
For more information on the American Outdoor Recreation Act, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.11.23) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal last month for strict new federal multipollutant emissions standards for
light- and medium-duty vehicles. The proposal would decisively tilt the U.S. car and truck market toward electric vehicles (EVs) over the next decade. The new standards would initiate for the ’27 model year and gradually increase through the ’32 model year.
If the EPA drafts standards are implemented by 2032 as proposed, the agency anticipates that two-thirds of all new-car sales in the United States would be EVs. This large-scale shift would significantly disrupt automotive industry supply chains and potentially eliminate large numbers of jobs in vehicle manufacturing, parts production and repair shops. Ford alone estimates a 30% labor reduction in its transition to EVs.
Likewise, much of the automotive specialty-equipment market–the parts and modifications you make to your vehicle once it leaves the car lot–is built around the internal combustion engine. The $51 billion aftermarket industry supports more than one million jobs in U.S. automotive manufacturing. The automotive specialty-equipment market has also led the way in alternative fuel innovations such as hydrogen, replacing older engine technologies with newer, cleaner versions, and even conversions of older internal combustion engine-based cars to new electric, hydrogen and other alternative fuels. Yet none of that is considered part of the broader plan to reduce greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants from automobiles.
Small businesses would be the most vulnerable to the disruptions caused by a seismic shift to battery-electric vehicles. According to the most recent Census Bureau tally of the almost 1,200 auto engine and transmission parts suppliers in the United States, more than 60% had 20 or fewer employees. These companies often make specialized components, operate on tight margins and rely on long-term contracts. They employ American workers with technical skills and create the often politically celebrated blue-collar jobs.
Large automakers are losing billions a year in their EV programs, despite the massive financial infusion of taxpayer dollars they are receiving from the government and subsidies to purchase EVs. If they are struggling, how are small businesses expected to survive?
Clean air and the reduction of greenhouse gases are goals everyone can acknowledge. That said, when governments arbitrarily pick technology winners and losers, the marketplace is deprived of choices and the public suffers. Instead of forcing this transition, the EPA should put in place incentives to support a diversified zero-emissions approach that takes advantage of breakthrough technologies across the spectrum.
Hydrogen, for example, is already being used as a power source in buildings, cars, trucks, forklifts, ships and trains. Hydrogen-powered cars have greater range and faster refueling times compared to EVs and reduce the need for limited-supply materials used in EV battery packs. And clean hydrogen generation is already feasible: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory website identifies five different methods to produce hydrogen economically from sustainable resources.
Other renewable fuels–including synthetic eFuels that allow legacy vehicles to operate in a carbon-neutral manner–should also be part of the equation. Where are the government-backed financial incentives for these alternate technologies?
The market is rightly skeptical of new EV technology, and right now, it simply does not have the infrastructure ready to support EVs. Yet by using multipollutant emissions regulations to force-feed EVs to the market, the government is effectively putting all its eggs into one technology basket.
The Biden administration should realize that the market’s hesitation to adopt EV technology in the first place proves that putting the government’s thumb on the scale is not an effective means of persuasion. But instead of adjusting course to let the market forge the transition, the administration is effectively doubling down on a flailing policy.
Meanwhile, a dozen states have recently introduced or passed legislation or resolutions affirming support for the internal combustion engine and for the government to remain technology-neutral in the debate to reduce automotive emissions. In Virginia, for example, it was only the state’s slim Democratic Senate majority that stymied Governor Glenn Youngkin’s campaign platform issue to repeal Virginia’s internal combustion engine ban.
The EPA’s emissions proposal is misguided and counterproductive. Instead of trying to force a clean energy transition, the Biden administration should support the work of innovators and protect the small-business owners and those they employ by letting the market and innovation drive solutions to the environmental challenges we all seek to solve.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (05.10.23) – Three industry leaders are joining the prestigious SEMA Hall of Fame: Steve Ames of Ames Performance Engineering, John Iannotte of Kunzman & Associates, and Mitch Williams, who recently left StopTech Performance Brake Systems to join Rigid Industries.
Created in 1969, the SEMA Hall of Fame honors trailblazers who have significantly enhanced and contributed to the automotive industry. Its members are considered heroes, and each individual has a unique story to tell. The industry is invited to join in honoring the new SEMA Hall of Fame members during the 2023 SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala in Anaheim, Calif., on July 21. More details on the inductees will be shared during the Gala.
Steve Ames: Having developed a fascination for cars at a young age, Steve Ames began drag racing after earning an engineering degree from Columbia University. He started in the parts business by traveling along the East Coast buying New Old Stock (NOS) parts. In 1976 he noticed that Pontiac parts were in particularly high demand and began focusing exclusively on such products. As business continued, Ames realized that demand for restoration parts outweighed that of NOS parts and launched Ames Performance Engineering. He expanded with other companies within the restoration industry, providing much-needed products for growing markets, and became an authoritative voice in the classic car industry. Ames is one of the original founders of SEMA’s Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO), was named ARMO’s Person of the Year in 2007, and is a recipient of the ARMO Lifetime Achievement Award. Ames passed away in December 2020.
John Iannotte: John Iannotte is among the industry’s most known and respected sales reps. As a teenager, he was the first-ever service rep for the Mr. Phone/Mr. Gasket organization. He continued his career playing a key role in the founding and growth of Bob Barker Marketing & Sales and for much of the success at the multi award-winning company Kunzman & Associates. An active member and supporter of the SEMA Manufacturers’ Rep Council (MRC), Iannotte advocated for and became one of the first certified professional manufacturers reps (CPMR) and pushed for standards throughout the industry. He served numerous terms on the SEMA Board of Directors, where he fought legislative issues involving manufacturing tax relief, pushed for industry data standards, supported philanthropic activities, and promoted ongoing education and training throughout the industry. Iannotte continues to serve as a sales rep for Kunzman & Associates, as well as volunteer his time and expertise to many industry initiatives.
Mitch Williams: Mitch Williams has nearly 40 years of industry experience, including six terms on the SEMA Board of Directors – one as SEMA Chairman of the Board. As such, he introduced lean concepts to SEMA and expanded SEMA’s global influence by founding the SEMA International Task Force to connect SEMA members with international business opportunities. He also served on the Joint Operating Committee, providing oversight to the SEMA Show and its partner show, AAPEX. He was a charter member of the SEMA Political Action Committee (PAC) and personally lobbied members of Congress on important industry issues. Williams founded the SEMA Lighting Task Force at a time when NHTSA was targeting lighting companies. In addition to nearly 20 years with Hella, Williams held executive positions with Original One Auto Parts, Restoration Parts Unlimited, APR, Dinan Corp., Xstream Trucking, StopTech, and recently joined Rigid Industries as its president.
Ames, Iannotte, and Williams will be formally introduced during the 2023 SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala in Anaheim, Calif., on July 21, at which time newly elected and outgoing SEMA Board members will also be honored. All SEMA members and industry professionals are invited to join the celebration by purchasing tickets at www.sema.org/gala.
PLYMOUTH, MI (04.28.23) – Automotive aftermarket professionals aged 39 and under are invited to expand their network during the SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) Networking Mixer at the SEMA Garage in Detroit. Join the Network in kicking off their second Professional Development Program, mix and mingle with industry friends, and discover resources to help up-and-coming leaders succeed in the automotive aftermarket.
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