The 2019 SEMA Show made headlines with the launch of a new educational platform. Jointly presented by SEMA’s education department and the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC), The Stage featured multiple daily interviews with some of the industry’s foremost thought leaders and legends.

The primary objectives of the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) are to ensure the future prosperity of the industry and to advance and promote awareness of the hobby. A recent undertaking involves documenting and preserving HRIA’s history from its early days as a SEMA committee to its current status as a council.

The SEMA Launch Pad, presented by the Young Executives Network (YEN), provides a springboard for young entrepreneurs and business owners to launch products into the $46 billion automotive specialty-equipment industry. The annual competition is open to contestants age 18–39.

As MPMC prepares for the conference at the Embassy Suites over January 26–28, enthusiasm runs high—with a twist. The 2021 event will be entirely online, allowing manufacturers and media to connect from anywhere in the world.

Debuted by the Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) as a pilot program in 2019, the PRO Cup Challenge featured four custom contenders. A panel of experts selected the winner. Attendees voted for the fan favorite.

The Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) kicked off 2020 with a bang, hosting a successful networking reception last January during the King of the Hammers off-road race in Johnson Valley, California. Then the pandemic hit, cancelling plans for the Ultimate Callout Challenge and the Overland Expo.

When ramping up for the 2020 SEMA Show, the Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN) initially planned to host its annual in-person Lunch & Learn, but once the Show was cancelled and SEMA360 was put into play, ETTN pivoted and moved ahead with plans to present a virtual version of the popular event.

In preparation for the SEMA Show, the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) lined up several high-profile programs. With the onset of COVID-19 and the Show cancellation, the select committee focused instead on a virtual ARMO Builders Panel during the SEMA360 event.

Undaunted by challenges posed by the pandemic and the cancellation of the SEMA Show, the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) refocused on hosting women-driven networking and educational forums during the SEMA360 virtual event.