The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $150,000 to 58 individuals this year. This includes 45 SEMA scholarships presented to current students, and 13 loan-forgiveness awards presented to employees of SEMA-member companies.
The industry is preparing for a busy and productive Friday at the 2015 SEMA Show, with interest and activities growing on the fourth and final day of the annual trade show taking place Tuesday-Friday, Nov. 3-6, in Las Vegas, NV.
Determining the most appropriate wheels and tires is easier than ever, with the use of the SEMA Wheel and Tire Council (WTC) Ride Guide, an easy-to-use manual that includes technical test data regarding the effects of plus sizing wheels for select vehicles.
Consumer spending on automotive specialty equipment parts and accessories is on a rise, reaching $36 billion in 2014. This number, which represents an 8% growth over the previous year and the fifth consecutive year of growth, is reported in the 2015 SEMA Market Report available exclusively to SEMA member companies at (www.sema.org/marketreport2015).
Auto enthusiasts and consumers can now visit www.semaignited.com to purchase tickets to attend SEMA Ignited, the official SEMA Show after party that connects the general public with industry leaders, celebrities and award-winning custom vehicles.
The SEMA Show New Products Showcase, one of the most sought after attractions at the annual event, will be located on the bridge between the central and south halls at the west end of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the 2015 SEMA Show.
The U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 196 (S. Res. 196) designating July 10, 2015 as "Collector Car Appreciation Day." The Resolution was requested by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Councils. The date marks the sixth commemoration in what has become an annual event to celebrate and raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society.
Wade Kawasaki of the Coker Group has been elected the chairman-elect of SEMA and joins the newly elected Board members to help lead the association for the 2015-2017 term. Kawasaki fills the position held for the past two years by Doug Evans of Luken Communications. Evans will begin serving his term as chairman in July. The newly elected SEMA Board volunteers are Susan Carpenter of JR Products, Laurel Dasher of Powerteq and Dan Kahn of Kahn Media Inc. Jim Bingham of Winner's Circle Speed & Custom Inc. and Nick Gramelspacher of Meyer Distributing were re-elected and will serve another term.
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) have introduced bipartisan legislation that would enable low volume car manufacturers to produce turn-key replica vehicles for customers nationwide. Replica vehicles resemble classic cars produced at least 25 years ago. Supported by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the "Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015" (H.R. 2675) would allow companies to construct up to 500 such cars a year subject to federal regulatory oversight.
The SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) recently announced the addition of its 1,000th member, now featuring over 385 Supplier brands and over 620 data Receivers registered in the system.
