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Wheel manufacturers, perhaps more than any other segment, are showing strong signs of confidence in the economy by securing booth space for the 2012 SEMA Show taking place Tuesday-Friday, October 30, November 2, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Election materials for the SEMA Board of Directors election have been mailed to the primary contact at all eligible SEMA-member companies. Voting takes place May 14-June 12, 2012.

After debuting at last year's SEMA Show, the Collision Repair & Refinish section will return to provide buyers with a dedicated area on the Show floor where they can quickly and easily meet with major refinish companies, paint booth manufacturers, parts suppliers and manufacturers, estimating and management software companies, manufacturers of structural repair and welding equipment, safety equipment and other related products. The section has been identified as one of the fastest growing areas of the show, and is on track to surpass last years' numbers for the 2012 SEMA Show taking place Tuesday - Friday, October 30 - November 2, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 452 (S. Res. 452) at the request of the SEMA Action Network (SAN) designating July 13, 2012 as "Collector Car Appreciation Day." The date marks the third commemoration in what has become an annual event to celebrate and raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society.

More than 1,700 exhibitors have demonstrated confidence in the 2012 SEMA Show by confirming booth space for the world's premier automotive trade show, taking place October 30-November 2, in Las Vegas, Nevada. These exhibitors will select their locations on the Show floor through the Priority Space Selection process beginning the end of May.

Nick Arias Jr., Bill France Sr., Mark Heffington and Bob Larivee Sr. will be inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame, an honor that recognizes an elite group of individuals for raising the stature or growth or the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Hundreds of leaders and professionals from the SEMA industry will gather to honor noteworthy icons and volunteers during the 2012 SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser on Friday, July 27, at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Convention Center in Pomona, California. The annual event serves as the industry's premier celebration where newly elected Board of Directors are sworn in and SEMA Hall of Fame inductees are introduced for the first time.

With about 200 days to go before the 2012 SEMA Show, exhibitors are poised to make a strong and lasting presence at the annual event taking place Tuesday-Friday, October 30-November 2, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Attendee and media registration for the 2012 SEMA Show is now open at www.SEMAshow.com/register. The annual trade-only event takes place Tuesday-Friday, October 30-November 2, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bringing many years of specialty parts and aftermarket data management accomplishments to the table, DATAgility, Inc. of Chicago has been engaged to provide on-boarding, data sync and data quality services for the new SEMA Data Co-op.

Performance Racing Industry (PRI), producers of the motorsports business magazine and trade show, finalized plans to be purchased by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). The transaction is set to close in late March 2012.

Eleven individuals will be running for seats on the SEMA Board of Directors election, taking place in May. The candidates are vying for five open seats within three categories.

Bringing 30 years of specialty parts aftermarket experience to the table, Jon Wyly has been hired to launch and manage the new SEMA Data Cooperative.

SEMA News, the official publication of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), is extending the content of the monthly magazine to include in-depth coverage of industry suppliers on a regular basis.

Applications are now available to exhibit at the 2012 SEMA Show, the premier automotive trade event where manufacturers of specialty parts and accessories connect face-to-face with more than 60,000 quality buyers from throughout the world. The application, also called the Exhibitor Space Rental Agreement (ESRA), is available at www.semashow.com/buyabooth.

Manufacturers may now sign up at www.semashow.com/exhibitor-summit to attend the third annual SEMA Show Exhibitor Education Summit, taking place April 2-4, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Presented by Show staff who know first-hand how to best navigate the SEMA Show, the Exhibitor Education Summit is an intensive program designed to connect exhibitors with key individuals and provide participants with up-to-the-minute insights into the Show.

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, is now accepting nominations for its Hall of Fame. Created in 1969, the SEMA Hall of Fame is the most prestigious award presented to an individual by the association. It is designed to honor outstanding persons in the industry who have enhanced the stature of, or significantly contributed to, the industry and/or association's growth.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Councils this year announced July 13, 2012 as “Collector Car Appreciation Day.”  The date marks the third commemoration in what has become an annual event to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society.  SEMA and its councils are again working to secure a Congressional resolution to recognize the day’s significance.  The industry endeavors to preserve our nation’s automotive heritage while providing well-paying, high-skilled jobs nationwide.  Collector Car Appreciation Day is a singular tribute to the collector car industry and the millions of hobbyists it supports.

Applications for automotive scholarships are now available through the 2012 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF) at www.sema.org/scholarships.  Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto parts industries may be eligible for cash awards ranging from $1,000-$4,000.

The vehicles have been tallied and the exhibitors have spoken. The second annual SEMA Award was presented to the Chevrolet Camaro for the Hottest Car, the Fiat 500 for the Hottest Sport Compact Car, the Ford F-Series for the Hottest Truck and the Jeep Wrangler for the Hottest 4x4-SUV. The winners were announced this morning at the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, today announced the winners of the New Products Showcase Awards held at the 2011 SEMA Show. The event recognizes the most cutting-edge automotive products either on the market or about to hit the market. This year, nearly 2,000 new products were submitted for consideration.

The Ford F-Series was named the Hottest Truck at the 2011 SEMA Show making it the second consecutive year to receive SEMA Award which recognizes outstanding vehicles that specialty-equipment manufacturers believe are the best platforms for accessorizing and that showcase this year’s coolest products.

The Jeep Wrangler was named the Hottest 4x4-SUV at the 2011 SEMA Show making it the second consecutive year to receive such an honor. The SEMA Award recognizes outstanding vehicles that specialty-equipment manufacturers believe are the best platforms for accessorizing and that showcase this year’s coolest products.

The Fiat 500 was named the Hottest Sport Compact at the 2011 SEMA Show making it the first vehicle to take home honors in the newest SEMA Award category and beating out a dozen competitors. The SEMA Award recognizes outstanding vehicles that specialty-equipment manufacturers believe are the best platforms for accessorizing and that showcase this year’s coolest products.