SEMA Member News—March/April 2013
MPMC Shines at PRI
Hall of Fame
|
|
|
“It’s very rewarding to see so many people show up so early in the morning to share in the honor of the inductees, have a cup of coffee and spend a little time with their friends,” said MPMC Chairman Vic Wood of Hedman Performance Group. “It points out, first, that our manufacturing community holds the MPMC Hall of Fame in high regard. Secondly, the PRI Trade Show is the perfect venue for the celebration. It provides an opportunity for so many of our industry peers to attend who would not otherwise be able to, given they do not participate in the SEMA Show.”
Wood was also quick to offer thanks to Steve Wolcott of ProMedia and John Kilroy of PRI for their assistance in making the Hall of Fame event better each year.
“Steve Wolcott and his ProMedia staff help us out as if our event were part of their event,” said Wood. “We utilize the same ballroom on Friday morning for our breakfast as they use on Friday evening for their two awards banquets. Their staff makes sure that the stage is in place and the PA system is working. John Kilroy and his staff also went out of their way this year with signage and promotion for the event. Again I have to say, what a fantastic community we all get to work in.”
That sense of community was further enhanced by the fact that one of the 2012 Hall of Fame inductees has never been an MPMC member. Engine builder Keith Dorton cannot be an MPMC member because his company is not a “manufacturer” by definition. Nonetheless, the selection committee agreed that his ongoing contributions to the motorsports industry and the council, as well as his status as one of the original founders of the council, earned him a place in the Hall of Fame. Judging from the reception he received, those in attendance agreed.
Engine Builder Seminar
MPMC continued to build on its reputation for assembling panels of renowned industry professionals at the PRI Trade Show. Following up on last year’s successful panel, the council produced a seminar titled “Alternative Fuels and Power Enhancers: New Business Opportunities for Engine Builders.” As with previous MPMC seminars, the focus of this year’s discussion was not on the technical aspects of the topic, but rather the types of challenges and opportunities an engine builder should expect when venturing into these areas.
The panel included Susan Roush-McClenaghan of Roush Performance, Steve Johnson of Induction Solutions, Dan Scheid of Scheid Diesel and David Warrameyer of Procharger. Each panel member shared experiences and answered questions pertaining to his or her respective field.
Alan Reihart, “the voice of MPMC,” was scheduled to moderate the discussion, but last-minute flight delays prohibited him from making the event on time. Always the consummate professional, Reihart enlisted help from his good friend Joe Castello of WFO Radio.com. Castello is himself an accomplished motorsports media personality and, with literally only hours to prepare, did a masterful job as moderator. Like Reihart, Castello is a successful drag racer, having won several track championships in and around South Florida, so he had a working knowledge of the subject matter.
“The willingness of our panelists to participate in this and previous seminars, as well as Alan Reinhart and Joe Castello treating these seminars with the utmost professionalism as moderators, just continues to show the community we have here,” said Wood. “We think we have a good formula going by picking relevant topics but also focusing on the business aspects of the subject. Engine builders can find all sorts of technical information about alternative fuels, power adders or engine building in general. But listening to a group of successful people ‘who have been there’ discuss the keys to their success, it’s rare. We’re proud to offer the opportunity to the ultimate users of our products.”
Looking forward, MPMC and PRI are already discussing possible ways to enhance MPMC’s presence and participation at future PRI Trade Shows.