SEMA, The Specialty Equipment Market Association, is OUR Industry group that represents almost 7 thousand businesses like ours here at Coker Tire and Honest Charley, Inc. In addition to all the great work SEMA does with the OEM’s like tech transfer and licensing stuff, or Government relations with the Feds, NHTSA beaurecrats or State legislatures……SEMA puts on THE Show of all Shows in Las Vegas in early November. SEMA is operated by a Board of Directors who are elected by all those member businesses. I recently served as Chairman of the Board of SEMA from 2003 through 2005. Mitch Williams is now Chairman. I am now First “has been”. I really enjoyed my time as Chairman and enjoyed working on behalf of the membership to grow our Industry, solve problems and cheer lead for all the cool stuff we do in our Industry.

This past week, Theresa and I attended the Installation Banquet and Council Summit in Los Angeles. The Council Summit is a meeting of all the SEMA councils to learn what the broader group is doing collectively and to exchange ideas, problems and solutions. It is always cool to hear about the new things each market niches is doing. On Friday evening SEMA had a cool banquet at the Globe Theater in Universal City. We celebrated several of the current Board members who are going off the Board: Russell Stephens and Rick Rollins. Both guys are hard workers who love SEMA and our Industry very much and have served SEMA well. We also introduced two new BOD members Chris Thomson of Airaid Filter Company and Bill Warner of Husky Liners. The most important portion of the evening was the announcement of the three nominees for SEMA Hall of Fame for 2006. The following is an exerpt from SEMA.org about each of these new Hall of Famer’s:

Steve Bolio

Steve Bolio’s career in the automotive aftermarket spans more than 44 years and includes experience in retail, wholesale, product development and manufacturing. For the past 18 years, he has been a partner in the manufacturers’ rep firm Scafidi-Bolio & Associates. Bolio has been an avid supporter of SEMA, serving six years on the SEMA board of directors and participating in several SEMA councils and committees, including the Show committee, the Awards committee and the Manufacturers’ Representative Council. Other notable industry accomplishments include serving four years on the Performance Warehouse Association’s board of directors, being named SEMA Rep of the Year in 1999 and being named SEMA Person of the Year in 2003.

Dick Maxwell

Dick Maxwell is described as the epitome of a car guy. He was a racer, a street rod enthusiast and builder, off-road truck co-pilot, pro rally driver/navigator and a motorcyclist. He helped develop drag racing technology (ram induction, weight transfer) and factory racecars (1965 A990 Hemi Lightweight, 1968 Hemi Dart/Barracuda, altered wheelbase) that prompted aftermarket performance parts. Throughout his career with Chrysler, Maxwell, who passed away in 2002, had envisioned the aftermarket and the automaker working together to help one another prosper.

Rick Rollins

 

Dedication to the industry is a phrase that best describes Rick Rollins. He has been involved with the industry for more than 30 years. During that time, he has been a counterman, a buyer, a regional sales manager and a company owner. He also owned and drove Formula Ford and F2000 Formula racecars. He is currently vice president of sales and marketing for Superchips Inc.

Rollins is an outgoing member of the SEMA board of directors and has participated in SEMA committees, including the executive committee, the long-range planning committee and the Show committee. In addition, Rollins was also a member of SEMA’s Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council Select Committee for six years.