By Ashley Reyes
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Former race-car driver turned attorney Jeffrey Banyas of Edwin A. Sisson, Attorney at Law LLC, has been named the SEMA Young Executives Network’s (YEN) newest Spotlight member. Banyas, who works at a leading patent/trademark firm and has served as legal counselor to many SEMA members, is a newly elected volunteer on the YEN Select Committee. He was recognized in 2018 as one of SEMA’s “35 Under 35” young business leaders. Learn more about his involvement in the industry in his Q&A with SEMA YEN.
SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?
Jeffrey Banyas: During an internship prior to law school, my supervisor told me to start smiling more. It is amazing how people's perceptions of you change for the better when you appear outwardly happy and confident.
SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?
JB: I was born and raised in this industry. My family still owns a high-performance engine shop to this day, and I grew up around racetracks either as a spectator, crew member or driver. I don't think I could get away from it even if I wanted to (which I don’t).
SEMA: Where can you be found on a Saturday?
JB: With any luck, you’ll find me at an oval track race somewhere in Ohio.
SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?
JB: I try to be as prepared as I can for anything that may come my way. I've always said that I can live with the outcome of any meeting or any situation so long as I went into it feeling like I was as prepared as I possibly could be.
SEMA: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who it would be?
JB: Smokey Yunick. I consider him one of the great innovators of the high-performance industry.