Nineteen industry professionals are vying for a position on the 2011–2013 SEMA Board of Directors. The voting process, which is entirely electronic this year, will be ongoing until voting closes June 14.

Whether your company is large, small, growing, established or simply new to the market, now is the best time to join SEMA and take advantage of the benefits membership has to offer.The new online membership application is a user-friendly process that makes it even easier to become involved with SEMA.

SEMA has announced its new customer-service features available to SEMA members. The association now has a designated phone line (909/610-2030), where members can call Monday–Friday, from 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Callers will have access to a specialized customer-service representative who can answer questions in a timely manner.

A dedicated Aftermarket Zone and rare presentation from SEMA will provide attendees at the 2011 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Expo with a chance to discover how relevant and profitable the aftermarket can be for new-car and -truck dealerships.

SEMA and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) councils announced July 8, 2011, as “Collector Car Appreciation Day.” The date marks the second commemoration in what will become an annual event to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. SEMA and its councils are now working to secure a congressional resolution to recognize the day’s significance.

Brian Watt from Southern California Public Radio recently reported on the station’s Shifting Gears segment on the status of the $30 billion per year specialty-parts industry in the United States—one that generates many jobs in Southern California in particular.

The December issue of SEMA News is dedicated to business technology, future hot-rodding trends and business opportunities in China.

In an effort to immerse students in a setting that resembles the daily business of their future working environment, the Deep Orange project vehicle prototype program at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) pioneers education, research and industry collaboration within the automotive engineering graduate degree program.

More and more automotive specialty-equipment companies are beginning to grow their business through international trade. After all the research and preparation, the amount and variety of paperwork required for international shipping can seem daunting. That’s why FedEx has assembled information and resources to make it easier.