WTC to Focus on Education and Networking

SEMA Member News—November/December 2012

WTC to Focus on Education and Networking

	The WTC Industry Awards and Networking reception will be held on Tuesday evening, October 30. It will again take place against the backdrop of the Renaissance Hotel’s picturesque pool and Envy Cellar.

Every SEMA Show takes on a life of its own and is remembered for the cars, the new products, the exhibits and, of course, the parties. For the Wheel & Tire Council’s (WTC) Show planning committee, the decision was made to focus on what the organization’s membership continually says are the primary benefits of being a part of the group: education and networking.

Last year, the council hosted a general membership lunch meeting that was anchored by presentations from SEMA’s Vice President of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak and Standard Testing Lab’s Tim Dietz, who covered the history of SAE testing standard J2530. Building on the success of that meeting and in response to the membership’s desire to address issues such as marketing, emerging trends, TPMS and tire safety, the WTC will host two sessions on Monday, October 29, from 2:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. in room S227 of the South Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).

In “Turning ‘Real’ Trends into ‘Real’ Revenue,” President and Founder of Exsell Marketing Wayne Williams will share the latest trends in the wheel and tire industry. Williams has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket and is the “Counter Intelligence” columnist for Modern Tire Dealer magazine. The presentation will incorporate an overview of Google Insights and how this powerful tool can benefit businesses through an understanding of what people search for and how they are searching for your products as well as those of your competitors.

Mark your calendars and join the WTC at the 2012 SEMA Show. WTC At a Glance Monday, October 29, 2012: WTC presents “Turning ‘Real’ Trends into ‘Real’ Revenue” and “Finishing the Plus-Sizing Job: Pressure, Labeling and TPMS,” 2:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m., LVCC room S227 Tuesday, October 30, 2012: WTC Industry Awards and Networking Reception, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel Pool Wednesday, October 31, 2012: WTC-powered session “Selling Like a PRO,” 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., LVCC room N258 Thursday, November 1, 2012: WTC-powered session “Recruit, Train and Hire Superstars,” 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., LVCC room N258

The second session, “Finishing the Plus-Sizing Job: Pressure, Labeling and TPMS,” will be presented by Dr. John W. Daws of Daws Engineering. Dr. Daws specializes in the analysis of tire failure and has published papers on the forensic analysis of tire separation as well as on the fitment of plus-size tires to vehicles and their relationship to vehicle handling and stability. Guests will get an understanding of tire-pressure requirements in various plus-sizing alternatives, learn about pressure labeling of the vehicle to conform to DOT safety requirements and be counseled in good business practices. Dr. Daws will also clarify the impact of tire pressure and labeling requirements with respect to TPMS.

As in years past, the WTC has again elected to “power” educational tracks geared at providing business value to its membership. This year, the group has opted to focus its efforts on customer service and sales solutions. To that end, the WTC will be supporting the following two learning tracks:

“Selling Like a Pro” will be presented by Bob Phibbs of The Retail Doctor. The session will take place on Wednesday, October 31, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. in room N258 of the LVCC.

“Recruit, Train, and Hire Superstars” will be presented by Bob Negen of WhizBang! Training. It will be held on Thursday, November 1, from 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. in room N258 at the LVCC.

The WTC Industry Awards and Networking reception will be held on Tuesday evening, October 30, from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. It will again take place against the backdrop of the Renaissance Hotel’s picturesque pool and Envy Cellar. The annual reception serves to honor WTC’s Lifetime Achievement recipient and is the council’s premier networking opportunity.

Past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include distinguished individuals, such as Ricky Guevara, Greg Weld and Art Hale Sr. The award recognizes those persons who have devoted a majority of their lifetimes, business time and resources to a product or service related to the wheel and tire industry. The individual honored epitomizes professionalism, integrity and service over a period of 20 or more years.

Networking and good business go hand in hand. Apart from honoring the Lifetime Achievement recipient, the reception provides a relaxed atmosphere in which attendees can catch up with old friends, explore new opportunities and strengthen existing partnerships.