SEMA Member News - September/October 2009
MPMC
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| Vic Wood of Hedman Performance Group |
Vic Wood has spent the majority of his career in or around the automotive specialty-equipment industry, including appointments to the board of directors of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association and The Australian National Drag Racing Association. He started drag racing at the age of 16 and continued as a competitor in various motorsports until 2004, when he retired from driving after going 234 mph in a modified roadster at Bonneville. Wood is currently the national sales manager at Hedman Performance Group, with responsibility for all of the group’s brands, including Hedman Hedders, Hedman Husler, TransDapt and Hamburgers Performance Products. His role encompasses all aspects of strategic planning, sales, marketing, traditional business development, industry relations and more.
Prior to joining Hedman, Wood performed various roles in management and marketing and held executive-level positions with B&M and SEMA. As a life-long industry volunteer, he has served on numerous committees and task force projects for various organizations both in Australia and the U.S. In his spare time, Wood enjoys working on his 1964 Chevrolet truck and building and tuning high-performance engines in a home shop. He is also the crew chief on a Southern California-based Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car, which runs in the NHRA Heritage Series.
“SEMA has been a big part of my life for the past 30 years,” said Wood. “I am more than pleased to serve the MPMC and its members in any manner in which I am deemed suitable.”
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| Steve Matusek of Aeromotive Fuel Systems |
Steve Matusek’s deep-seated passion for the aftermarket industry was cultivated from an early age. Helping his father with various Comp Eliminator race cars, Matusek literally grew up at drag strips around the country. He founded Aeromotive Fuel Systems in 1994, but even the demands of running a manufacturing company could not keep Matusek away from the race track.
“Even with my background and understanding of the demands a manufacturer faces, it wasn’t until I got back to the track as a racer that I was truly able to understand the unique synergy between manufacturers and motorsports at the grass roots level,” Matusek said. “We are truly fortunate to be in an industry where passion and enthusiasm drives innovation and ingenuity. What I have learned from racing and from the experiences of my peers has prepared me to not just understand the market from an enthusiast perspective but has also put me in a position to help our industry grow and prosper for years to come.”
Matusek has continued the family tradition started by his father by introducing his three daughters to racing. Two of them compete in Jr. Drag Racing, and the oldest is currently licensing to run AA/SA in the NHRA Stock Class. His youngest daughter won the Jr. Drag Racing Western Conference finals in Denver, Colorado, in 2006, an accomplishment that also earned her the title of National Champion. Matusek’s own racing accomplishments also continue to grow. His team at Aeromotive developed and built what is considered the quickest and fastest modular-powered Mustang in the world. The car has garnered several best engineered car awards and number-one qualifier positions in the ultra competitive NHRA Comp Eliminator class.
“I am proud to be a second-generation racer and part of three generations of successful racing,” said Matusek. “We are a racing family and truly live this industry. With my experience as a business owner and with my knowledge as a race car builder and driver, I am intimately familiar with the demands of racers, sanctioning bodies, car builders, the media and the effect those demands have on the industry as we develop new products, grow distribution and remain profitable. I look forward to joining the MPMC select committee and giving a little something back to this industry, which has been and continues to be my life.”
The following incumbents were also elected for another two years on the MPMC select committee, and MPMC is proud to have them back:
- Marla Moore—Hypertech
- Rich Barsamian—Grant Products
- Todd Ryden—MSD
- Billy Carroll—Comp Cams
Even though the following nominees did not garner enough votes to win a seat on the select committee this year, they should nonetheless be recognized as well. By accepting a nomination, they have already made a commitment to MPMC, and the select committee hopes to see them on the ballot again next year.
- Tyler Tanaka—Turbonetics
- Vince Sica—Powermaster Performance
- Peter Medina—Synapse Engineering