SEMA Member News—March 2020
 During its rebranding launch in Moab, Utah, the council announced late last spring that the Light Truck Accessory Alliance (LTAA) had joined forces with the off-road segment and renamed the council the Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA). |
By SEMA Editors
TORA Concentrates on Education and Community Building
When it was announced late last spring that the Light Truck Accessory Alliance (LTAA) had joined forces with the off-road segment and renamed the council the Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA), it signaled both a reaffirmation and a new beginning.
By keeping the word “truck” in its name, the group reaffirmed support of and allegiance to its long-standing core constituency of cap and accessory companies. At the same time, “off-road” marked both the council’s and the industry’s evolution, as they aligned themselves with and embraced the off-road
segment.
As TORA moves forward into a new decade, the council remains committed to providing member resources and programs to encourage engagement and community building.
“While our main focus is on building awareness of TORA in the off-road community, we are also making sure that our core membership in the light-truck segment continues to feel engaged and involved,” said TORA Chair Erika Marquez.
New Beginnings, New Initiatives
 An initiative for 2020 is aimed at community building, creating a sense of kinship and unity among companies and individuals from within the light-truck and off-road segments by hosting more regional networking get-togethers across the country. |
TORA has taken a multi-faceted approach. For instance, to gain insight into educational topics that would most interest its members, TORA members brainstormed ideas during the SEMA Show. The council also conducted an online poll. Suggested poll topics included business operations, marketing, social media, and advanced vehicle technology.
Thinking ahead to the 2020 SEMA Show, TORA has set its sights on orchestrating technology-centric seminars specific to light trucks and off-road. Though the seminars are still in the early planning stages, Marquez noted that the council’s select committee has already begun brainstorming topics and is working with SEMA staff to develop the format and content. Additionally, TORA is planning to expand its social-media footprint to further build council awareness and improve communication.
Yet another initiative is aimed at community building—creating a sense of kinship and unity among companies and individuals from within the light-truck and off-road segments.
“Networking events are a great way to bring together the truck and off-road markets,” Marquez said.
With that thought in mind, TORA aims to host more regional networking get-togethers at a mixer and at off-road and truck events.
“Changing the council’s name from LTAA to TORA has opened the door to all of the different segments in the truck market,” Marquez said. “I’m excited for all the new initiatives that the TORA select committee is planning for 2020. Some of the initiatives include offering more community-building regional events throughout the year; new education forums on new-vehicle technology as it pertains to truck and off-road; and expanding our communication channels to our general membership.”
