As SEMA president and CEO from 2002 until his retirement in 2022, Kersting led the organization through two decades of significant growth. During his tenure, he grew the globally recognized SEMA Show and bolstered the success of 6,000-plus SEMA member companies through innovative programs and services, including the SEMA Data Co-op (now SEMA Data), SEMA Garage & Emissions Lab, SEMA Political Action Committee (PAC), SEMA Ignited, SEMA Garage Detroit, and acquisition of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI). He also led the Association through times of difficult challenges, such as the 2008 recession and COVID pandemic.

Prior to his CEO role, Kersting led SEMA's Washington, D.C., office as vice president of government affairs, where he urged lawmakers to pass bills that protected the interests of SEMA member companies and challenged government regulation to maintain innovation and growth in the aftermarket industry. Association membership, approximately 2,400 when Kersting started, grew steadily during his tenure and topped more than 6,400 member companies at his tenure's end--a period of rapid growth for both the association and the industry.

"I feel so fortunate to have had a life-long career working with smart, interesting and good people," said Kersting. "SEMA's reason for existence was to help the people in this great industry and to give them tools and fuel to blast forward. I feel honored and humbled to have that work recognized."