SEMA Member News—September 2016
Three New Select Committee Members Join TORA
By Katie Carson
 Casey Currie of Casey Currie Racing. | |
The Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) elected three incumbents and three new members to its select committee. These committee members will serve two-year terms and will be up for re-election in 2018. The new members include Casey Currie of Casey Currie Racing, Kelli Mallicote of Bodyguard Truck Accessories and Matt Reasoner of BedRug and Retrax.
Incumbent Erika Garcia of BOLT Locks by Strattec said that it has been a pleasure working with the select committee, a great group of individuals who are passionate about the industry. “I am very excited to have been re-elected and look forward to participating in future projects to help our members for the growth of the truck and off-road industry,” she said.
Incumbent Todd Hoffman of A.R.E. Accessories said that his previous terms with the select committee have been a highlight of his experience with TORA. “It is worth the investment to be a member of this committee,” he said. “The involvement has allowed us the opportunity to bring other team members from my company into various helpful projects, such as product or truck specification tools for TORA members. These types of projects assist the light-truck accessory industry and are a part of the TORA’s mission.”
Incumbent Chris Doyle was also re-elected, and SEMA Member News checked in with the new members of the committee regarding their upcoming service.
 Kelli Mallicote of Bodyguard Truck Accessories. | |
SEMA Member News: Why do you feel that it is important to serve on the select committee?
Casey Currie: I want to learn more about the aftermarket business as well as pushing the aftermarket industry to new levels. SEMA always goes above and beyond, and to be a part of the team is awesome.
Kelli Mallicote: This industry has provided me with so much personal growth and achievement, and I want to pay it forward. I’ve met some great people who have encouraged me along the way, and I still have a lot of learning to do, but I feel it’s time that I serve my industry and give back.
Matt Reasoner: Serving on the select committee provides the opportunity to have my voice heard on matters that directly affect my segment of the industry. We’ve seen recently with the RPM Act just how important it is to get involved and protect our livelihood. Working to preserve the future of the light-truck accessory industry is very important to me.
SMN: What is most exciting to you about the council?
 Matt Reasoner of BedRug and Retrax. | |
CC: Growth. I am very excited to be able to help with the growth of the industry, to learn new methods and to be able to teach my theories.
KM: I’ve been involved with the industry for some time, and I’ve been one of those people who’s been sitting back wondering what the SEMA councils are all about. I’m sure there are many people who are out there doing the same thing I did, so I’m looking forward to shaking things up and getting everyone involved! I’m excited to help spark interest in TORA this year and get others involved in networking.
SMN: What are your goals, and how might your experience benefit the TORA council?
CC: I have been a part of our family business for more than 15 years and have been through the ups and downs, and I would love to bring my experiences to the table to be able to help others. I also have raced professionally for eight years and have been around a lot of great companies on the marketing side. I am thrilled to be able to share ideas with others and learn from their ideas.
KM: The number-one goal is to get people involved. The main thing I heard when doing my campaign phone calls was, “Well, we are TORA members, but to be honest, I don’t even know what TORA does.” My goal is to work to get people involved in TORA. I’d like to see more events throughout the year, across the country, so even those who don’t attend the SEMA Show can still be a part of TORA. I’d also like to work to expand the reach on social media, so we are reaching not only industry colleagues but also making our presence known for the end consumer as well.