people - Titan Motorsports

SEMA PEOPLE
35 Under 35
Compiled by SEMA News Editors
I
n order to land on our “35 Under 35” list, individuals must first be nominated
by one or more industry peers. Pouring through the nominations, SEMA
News looks for candidates already displaying leadership qualities within
their organization or business. Entrepreneurship, commitment, insight,
innovation, integrity, responsibility, and demonstrated skill, involvement
and success within the industry weigh heavily in our decision-making. The
selection process is never easy—in one way or another, every nominee is a winner—but, ultimately, we reduce the nominations down to 35 finalists to make
our special section. When all was said and done for this 2014 edition, we again
found ourselves with an impressive roster of highly accomplished individuals
making their marks at a young age in a diverse array of industry segments.
In the following pages, we are again pleased to present 35 young trendsetters bringing exciting new ideas and renewed enthusiasm to every corner of the specialty-equipment marketplace.
Often embracing and even pioneering new technologies and “Millennial” business practices,
they nevertheless share in the same creative dynamism and industry spirit that every “oldschooler” will immediately recognize and appreciate. In short, these are people to watch in the
years to come. And if they’re any indication of the new generation on the rise, our industry will
not lack for talent, energy and passion in future years.
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September 2014
SEMA News
Sarah Albright, 27
Senior Public Relations Coordinator
Mishimoto Automotive
Ryan Balicki, 34
Sales Manager
Motovicity
Arriving at Mishimoto just three years
ago, Sarah Albright hit the ground running, successfully launching and managing
the TeamMishi driver program that now
encompasses more than 350 international
drivers and professional athletes. In addition, she has written and
secured placement of more than 200 media features detailing the
company’s products and engineering while also doubling Mishimoto’s social media reach.
“Catering to the next generation of social media users is definitely going to be a challenge,” she said. “You constantly have to
be in tune with the newest trends—which can change on a weekly
basis—and always keep an eye out for the next revolution. You
can release a product to hundreds of thousands of people in seconds, and it’s already out on blogs and other social streams in a
matter of hours. You have to become a master of knowing what
the end consumer’s interests are at any particular moment.”
Albright fell in love with the industry with her very first car, a
Honda del Sol, and practiced her photography skills at numerous
drift events and car shows.
In her briefcase: Albright’s satchel overflows with an iPhone,
two sugar-free Red Bulls and a pack of Sharpies representing every
color of the rainbow.
Since taking the reins as the company’s
sales manager in 2013, Ryan Balicki has
made a significant impact at Motovicity,
leading its sales and customer-service
efforts and helping to shape many of its
newest industry relationships through a combination of personal
charisma and business acumen. Balicki credits wrenching with
his father on a ’67 Olds 442 with whetting his childhood performance appetite. “I used to pretend it was the General Lee and
would only get in through the window,” he recalled.
“In all honesty, I think that the performance aftermarket
wholesale segment is in a really good place,” he said. “The economy has improved and people have had the liberty to spend a
little more than they would have in past years. The resurgence of
the Big Three and what we refer to as Modern Muscle has been
a huge lift for our industry. The American musclecar has made
a comeback, with Ford, GM and Chrysler all producing respectable vehicles, leading to great opportunities for the aftermarket
performance industry.”
In his briefcase: An iPhone, an iPad, a laptop, a calculator
and a desktop computer. “It’s a tight squeeze, but it’s in there.
The industry is so data-driven that you have to be dialed in at
all times.”
Jonathan Barber, 25
National Sales Manager
Oracle Lighting Technology
Benjamin Bowman, 35
Vice President for Supply Chain
Management & Quality
Parts Unlimited
Jonathan Barber’s skill at managing
warehouse-distributor and jobber accounts
across the country has helped Oracle
Lighting to more than double its annual
revenue since he became the company’s
national sales manager, helping Oracle make four consecutive
appearances on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing
small businesses. Barber was also able to expand Oracle Lighting’s sales to Dubai and Saudi Arabia after attending the SEMA
Middle East Conference, sharply increasing Oracles’s international sales and leading the U.S. Small Business Administration to
name Oracle Lighting the “2013 Louisiana Exporter of the Year.”
“The biggest challenge I foresee in the near future is staying on
top of the curve and being able to produce new products as soon
as a new vehicle is released that we know people will modify. The
key is to be able to have something in the works before the demand
is there,” Barber said. “Every day working in the automotive aftermarket has been a blessing, because I was able to meet a lot of people
who taught me about the industry and how to become an influential person.”
In his briefcase: Barber keeps all of his contacts, calendars,
product sheets and sales tools stored on his phone. “It also contains social media apps that help bring awareness to a large client
base regarding new products, new projects and customer vehicles
that we feature,” he said.
With a degree in mechanical engineering and training as a toolmaker, Ben
Bowman is also experienced in various
automotive Tier 1 quality systems and
is the youngest vice president in the 25-company Dubin Clark
family of companies. He manages the global supply chain for two
of the leading restoration market companies and three brands,
and is responsible for new-product development across all group
companies and brands. He is an expert in outsourcing and
manufacturing in the United States and is a member of SEMA’s
Young Executives Network.
“Each year, we see different cars make the transition into the
elite group of vehicles people want to restore,” Bowman said.
“American muscle really drives our market sector now, but
something completely different may be on the horizon. My team
is constantly picking up on trends, and the next generation may
find new cars to be passionate about. That is challenging but
also exciting.”
In his briefcase: “Any tool that keeps me connected and organized is not far out of reach,” Bowman said. “That includes my
iPhone, pen and pad, plenty of business cards, current industry
magazines, passport and a good book to keep me focused on
my growth in business. If I could put in a model car to build,
I would have that, too.”
www.semanews.com 33
Mike Brown, 29
Co-Founder and CEO
ModBargains
Josh Buis, 35
Chief Operating Officer
Scorpion Window Film
Mike Brown founded ModBargains
while he was still attending Southern California’s Chapman University. Today, the
retail installer has evolved into a 25-person
operation with customers numbering
more than 100,000. When not working to make ModBargains
the ideal business for employees and customers alike, Brown can
be found mentoring students at his alma mater.
“The methods in which customers are sourcing product information today are becoming more and more diverse, challenging
and always changing,” he observed. “The rise of social media
platforms has changed the way companies must engage customers
and build product demand. When we started 10 years ago, social
media wasn’t in the cards. Today, it’s essential.
“Everything is coming down to data management. It’s not easy
to do, but the companies that collect, manage and utilize clean
data will win. Another challenge is managing marketing that is
stretched across many different channels. Having so many social
media touch points and methods of customer contact can be
exhausting, but if you miss a question, post or comment, you’ve
just missed a customer.”
In his briefcase: A laptop and an iPhone synched with Google
Calendars, apps and Gmail, not to mention a Los Angeles Kings
coffee mug constantly at hand.
Josh Buis has spearheaded Scorpion
Window Film since it launched in 2011.
He stewarded the division through its
growing pains and into a multi-milliondollar division of Scorpion Protective
Coatings while also acting as the head football coach for
Greencastle High School (with a record number of wins during
his tenure) and sitting on the board of the International Window
Film Association. He has grown the Scorpion window film division into a market leader in just over three years, with revenue
increases of at least 43% each year. He is not only a champion
within the company but also directs the business’s outreach into
the community and works with his clients in doing the same all
around the country.
“Window film reduces energy costs and glare and blocks harmful UV rays that can cause damage to skin and interior furnishings,” he said. “Installers have abundant options when choosing
a vender, but I would challenge them to do their research and
choose a company that provides exceptional customer service
and uses only the highest-quality raw materials in its film.”
In his briefcase: “I could not function without my Samsung
Note, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint and Quickbooks,” Buis said.
Devin Butterbrodt, 26
New Product/Production
Improvements Manager
Classic Instruments
Michael Chang, 33
Tony Kwan, 35
Co-Founders
Evasive Motorsports
Devin Butterbrodt started at Classic
Instruments through a college work-study
program but now runs its new-product
development team, and the company has
won numerous new-product awards with him as manager, including one at the SEMA Show. Butterbrodt represents the company
at NSRA, SEMA and Goodguys automotive events and is a member of the SEMA’s Young Executives Network and the Hot Rod
Industry Alliance. He also trains high-school students in Classic
Instrument’s “School to Work” programs.
“I grew up in a family of tinkerers,” he said. “My dad, a grandpa
or an uncle was always fixing, working on or building something,
so I had no shortage of projects, tools or advice. They all taught
me the value of doing quality work and how to creatively solve a
problem. I enjoyed working with them, and I’m glad to be able
to apply the values they taught me to create products for people
to have fun with.”
In his briefcase: “If I carried a briefcase, it would probably be
full of car parts and junk food,” Butterbrodt said. “I do have an
iPhone that I occasionally use to snap pictures and take notes,
but I still prefer an old-fashioned pen and notepad. It might not
be the latest and greatest, but it will get you where you are going
just fine.”
Founding Evasive Motorsports about
a decade ago, Michael Chang and Tony
Kwan have heavily leveraged social media
to build their business into an online,
retail and wholesale aftermarket sales powerhouse. Along the
way, they have also secured a trendsetting reputation in the
sport-compact segment. The pair grew up with a love for cars,
thanks to the car culture that surrounded them, from auto shows
to racing.
“Our blessing was when we decided to make it our daily
grind,” said Chang. “The most important trend to us is the
revival and increased number of car enthusiasts who are actively
going to the racetrack. Our roots are on the road course, and we
enjoy assisting customers who share the same passion.”
Kwan added, “One of the biggest trends in the near future
will be for performance parts manufacturers to create aftermarket
parts for a wider variety of vehicles as OEMs go from gasoline to
hybrid and electric-powered cars. For shops, the challenge will
be to effectively tune future cars as OEMs hold a tighter grip on
their platforms.”
In their briefcases: Kwan packs an iPhone, a laptop and car
keys so he’s ready to go anytime. Chang can’t survive without his
coffee, iPhone and beef jerky.
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September 2014
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Jared Cox, 35
Director, New Product Engineering
Aeromotive
Nicholas D’Agostino, 34
Automotive Market Segment Manager
Wiseco Performance Products
Drawn to the world of speed since
childhood, Jared Cox is considered the
dynamo behind every new product at
Aeromotive, typically spearheading the
research and development of four to five
new creations a year. In fact, his efforts have garnered the
company a total of three SEMA Show New Product Awards in
recent years.
“Trends come and go, but you have your core products that
always do good,” he observed. “Some trends are worth investing
in and others not so much. Having skilled coworkers and passionminded people as well as listening to customers can give you a
good feel for where the market is headed.”
For Cox, counterfeit products present a major specialtyequipment market challenge.
“We’re seeing a large influx into our market,” he said. “They
bear our company’s logo, shapes and colors. It’s difficult to
explain to customers that you can’t help them because the items
aren’t your products. We’re currently working on fixes to help
fight against counterfeits.”
In his briefcase: “I couldn’t do without a set of digital calipers,
a smartphone, a calculator and a camera to prove that I work.
Oh, and a good set of coworkers to tell me to slow down and step
away from the edge.”
A Primedia freelance writer and photographer at 21, the owner of an engine
shop at 25, recruited by Diamond Racing
Pistons at 27 and joining Wiseco Performance Products as its automotive market
segment manager at 33—Nicholas D’Agostino has crammed a
lot of experience into his brief career. D’Agostino also places
significant emphasis on supporting grassroots automotive events
and believes that youth development is vitally important to the
health of the industry.
“The product-development process is easily the most enjoyable part of my job,” he said. “It gets me out of the boardroom
and back into the engine room, which is where I started. Many
of us spent some portion of our youth working on or driving performance vehicles of some kind. Finding a way to get the youth
of America to put down the controller and pick up a wrench is
the first step to building the next generation of gearheads.”
In his briefcase: D’Agostino said that his iPhone and Outlook
calendar are the two necessities of survival. “My iPhone apps run
the gamut from running and fitness programs (just ran my first
half marathon last month) to Urbanspoon and my music catalog,” he said. “My laptop is also with me in case I need to break
out the heavy artillery.”
Baadal Deliwala, 34
Owner and Sales Manager
Titan Motorsports
Tiffany Dorin, 27
National Accounts Manager
MagnaFlow
Titan Motorsports is a performance parts
distributor in Orlando, Florida, founded
by brothers Nero and Baadal “Bottle”
Deliwala in 1999 as an e-commerce
venture to fund their Toyota Supra build
and drag-racing addiction. Their dedication to the import performance market resulted in them becoming the winningest team in
NHRA Sport Compact history.
Deliwala graduated with a degree in management information services from the University of Central Florida, but his true
education has come from more than 15 years of building a global
performance parts brand. He was previously a select committee
member of the Sport Compact Council and is currently a member of the Emerging Trends & Technology Network.
“The old saying ‘Race on Sunday, sell on Monday’ has really
held true for our business,” Deliwala said. “We use our racing to
develop parts and business relationships with our sponsors and
supporting suppliers and to help educate our end consumers with
knowledge gained at the track. We rely heavily on data acquisition, not just to make our race cars go faster but also for our business with analytics and database management.”
In his briefcase: Deliwala doesn’t leave home without his
smartphone. “Using e-mail and custom enterprise applications,
we can communicate and manage customer orders through our
phones from anywhere in the world, 24/7,” he said.
Tiffany Dorin started in the automotive aftermarket with a part-time job at an
accessory shop to help cover a friend who
couldn’t work full time, but Dorin discovered that she could truly enjoy building a career in the industry when she attended her first SEMA
Show in 2005. She moved into sales at Keystone Automotive
and then to MagnaFlow, where her accounts now total more
than $10 million in annual revenue. She was recently promoted
to national accounts manager for MagnaFlow, and she is also a
member of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network and the Young
Executives Network.
“I faced challenges and opportunities that pushed me to
grow as an individual and as a businesswoman, getting me to
where I am today,” she said. “Though I may not have started
as an automotive enthusiast, it has become a part of who I am,
and I am privileged to be surrounded by like-minded people
at MagnaFlow.”
In her briefcase: “Anyone who knows me knows that I always
have my iPhone with me,” she said. “Responsiveness and quick
follow-up have been two key factors to my success. With the
amount of travel I do, my phone is my strongest tool. I also carry
an iPad, a laptop, business cards, a pen, water, Chapstick and
plenty of pictures of my daughter to keep me smiling!”
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September 2014
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James Gill, 35
CEO/President
D3 Group Inc.
Anthony-John (AJ) Grasso, 30
Marketing Manager
TransAmerican Wholesale
D3 Group is a premier manufacturer of
Cadillac tuning equipment for both street
and track and is a leader in Cadillac performance and accessories. James Gill, the
company’s CEO and president, grew up
racing and restoring classic musclecars and has spent 14 years in
automotive aftermarket manufacturing and design for the Cadillac luxury marque.
“I’ve always had an appreciation for vehicles and understand the
industry’s history,” he said. “Right now, custom wraps are trendy
for this market segment, offering customers a drastic change to
their vehicles without them having to spend tens of thousands of
dollars. Second- and third-hand owners are now picking up highend vehicles, and the amount of money they are willing to spend
on their vehicles changes with each owner. Knock-off companies
continue to erode the value of the products being offered in this
market segment and give potential consumers a false sense of cost.
We spend a lot of time educating our consumers so they understand that not all products are created equal.”
Gill’s company holds a license for OEM Cadillac accessories,
manufacturing parts for the entire line of Cadillac vehicles. The
company is also a supporter of and active participant in the Cadillac Challenge racing series.
In his briefcase: Ever the designer, Gill carries an iPad, a
French curve, rulers, stencils and a note pad.
Driven, passionate and professional
are three words that describe AJ Grasso.
He is driven to do more in his career,
passionate about the industry and professional in the responsibilities he has
assumed. He is now bringing a new era of marketing to TransAmerican Wholesale.
“The fight to be first has created more sharers than creators,”
he said. “Creating trends rather than being trendy is what moves
the needle. Using professional images, creativity in design and
unique marketing angles continues to be a successful strategy.”
Grasso’s work has been showcased by a variety of manufacturers. While working for Rhys Millen Racing, his photos and
creativity were displayed in advertising for Hyundai, Red Bull
and HRE, and his work helped set the bar for team and driver
marketing in Formula Drift, Global Rally Cross and Pikes Peak.
His fresh perspective and campaigns at TransAmerican Wholesale have helped raise revenue and attract new business. He is
also the founder of Movement Garage, an Internet site dedicated
to the automotive lifestyle. Using the website, he documents the
various shows and events he attends as well as showcasing his
hobby of automotive-related painting.
In his briefcase: MacBook Pro, Canon 5D, LaCie 1TB hard
drive, Beats By Dre headphones, Go Pro Hero 3, Samsung
phone, Red Bull and business cards.
Matthew Heller, 32
President
Hornblasters
Greg Higgs, 34
CEO
Fab Fours Inc.
Matthew Heller entered the automotive
specialty aftermarket 12 years ago with a
single idea: air horns. Extremely loud ones.
As founder and president of Hornblasters, Heller personally introduced multiple
new products that completely turned the horn segment upside
down. Thanks to his efforts, any vehicle can now sound like a
semi truck or train. His company also can now be convincing
when it claims to be the number-one horn brand in the world,
and has received multiple SEMA Global Media Awards along the
way, attesting to Hornblasters’ international appeal.
Over the years, through tedious research and development,
Heller has designed, manufactured and launched more than 25
branded products, catering to a niche of mobile electronics that
he calls “the coolest segment of the industry.” Like other rising aftermarket entrepreneurs, he sees social media as the most
important trend affecting the marketplace, although he confides
that iPhone battery life is his biggest day-to-day challenge. (“The
struggle is real,” he quipped.)
Hornblasters is based in the small town of Zephyrhills, Florida,
and its success has provided Heller with the ability to give back
to his community, where he regularly can be found sponsoring
charity fundraising activities and participating in local leadership
programs and groups.
In his briefcase: “Who under 35 carries a briefcase?” he asked.
In 2004, Greg Higgs founded truck
and Jeep bumper and accessories manufacturing company Fab Fours in Jakarta,
Indonesia, but eventually relocated it to
first Colorado and then Lancaster, South
Carolina. In the last few years, Fab Fours made the Inc. 500
list of fastest-growing companies in America and the Aggie 100
fastest-growing companies owned by Texas A&M graduates. He
built the business from a startup to 65 employees, with revenues
of more than $11 million. Higgs supports many local charities, and Fab Fours outsources
work to many regional businesses, contributing to the area’s
economy. He brought 40 new jobs that didn’t previously exist
to the Lancaster region, and his employees are significantly
increasing their skill sets with lean manufacturing methods and
computer-controlled machines introduced by Higgs. “Premium truck and Jeep sales are wild right now and show
no signs of slowing,” Higgs said. “Our greatest challenge is
OEM design complexity. Their focus on safety features and fuel
efficiency can provide new and unique challenges to designing
aftermarket parts without sacrificing elements that customers
paid for on the original vehicle.”
In his briefcase: Higgs carries a mobile hotspot, graph paper
for scale sketching of new products and a victory cigar that he
says is “mostly crushed but waiting for that perfect moment.”
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September 2014
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Dan Kahn, 34
President
Kahn Media Inc.
Dave Kass, 27
Customer Service Manager
QA1
Having sold parts in a speed shop during
high school, landing his first magazine job
at 18 and going to work for Rod & Custom magazine at 22, Dan Kahn has been
involved in the automotive aftermarket all
his life. He started his own Kahn Media marketing and PR company more than five years ago.
“I’ve always been passionate about cars and communication,” he
said. “I’m blessed that this industry has afforded me the opportunity to make a living combining the two. The aftermarket has to
compete with dozens of other ways potential customers can spend
their money. To capture their attention (and business), brands
must use every tool available, and we provide those tools.”
Kahn’s greatest influence was his father, who gave him the
confidence to follow his dreams. In addition to running his
business, he also serves on the SEMA Hall of Fame nominations committee, is a member of the SEMA PAC President’s
Club, is chairman of the SEMA Young Executives Network and
co-founded “Cars for a Living,” a podcast geared to helping people
find their way into jobs in the aftermarket.
In his briefcase: Kahn carries everything he needs to set up a
mobile office while on the road. That includes a Dell XPS convertible tablet/laptop, a Wi-Fi mobile hotspot, about 200 business cards, his iPhone, chargers, a Dayplanner and an entire box
of pens.
Growing up in an automotive enthusiast family with a passion for the aftermarket propelled Dave Kass into the
prominent and highly visible customer
service manager position at QA1, where
he leads and trains QA1’s customer-service and tech-support
team and organizes close to 50 trade and car shows that the
company participates in each year. He works with engineering
and product managers to determine which new products to
release and plays a large role in their research and development,
acting as the link between production and sales. He also emcees
the QA1 Autocross at the Car Craft Summer Nationals, keeping
the competitors and crowd entertained and updated in unshaded
90-plus-degree heat.
“Enthusiasts these days are putting much more of an emphasis
on learning about the parts they put on their vehicles, including where the parts come from and the materials used,” he said.
“I am truly proud to work for a manufacturer that uses the most
state-of-the-art equipment and materials to provide people with
the highest-quality parts for the money.”
In his briefcase: “I never leave my desk without my phone, a
notepad for my daily to-do list and notes and, most importantly,
a Mountain Dew,” he said.
Brett Kinsfather, 34
Marketing Manager
Motovicity Distribution
Greg Kirber, 28
CEO
PartsTech Inc.
With 12 years in the industry, Brett
Kinsfather was not only instrumental in
managing Motovicity’s largest and most
successful marketing campaign to date but
also played a key role in the company’s
selection as SEMA’s 2013 Warehouse Distributor of the Year.
His ability to enhance awareness of the company has significantly
boosted Motovicity’s brand within the aftermarket.
“Growing up, I pretty much had zero athletic ability, so typical
sports weren’t a big part of my life,” he said. “But my dad was into
hot rods, and I always admired what guys like Mickey Thompson
were able to achieve, so I can say that my career really started there.
“The biggest challenge I see for the aftermarket is a sense of
satisfaction with the status quo. Any time we accept mediocrity
as a substitute for greatness, we have a problem. We need to keep
experimenting, failing and breaking records so that we can go on
to create exciting, meaningful products and services that improve
performance, efficiency and the user experience. Even though my
segment is technically B2B distribution, consumer demand and
excitement are what drive business.”
In his briefcase: An iPhone loaded with podcasts, an old-school
daily planner and oversized sketchbook. “I’m constantly cutting
out and pasting ads, e-mails, promotional pieces and designs that
not only inspire but move me with their look and messaging.”
Before launching PartsTech, Greg Kirber began his career at the shop level,
working in both repair and performance.
After earning a law degree, he’s now breaking new ground in e-commerce by utilizing cloud-based data, aggregation and analytics to build superior
product-identification and ordering systems for the marketplace.
“In the last decade, we’ve seen a drastic increase in the technological complexity of new vehicles and the subsequent adoption of
new technologies on the shop floor,” he said. “We are also seeing
enormous growth in e-commerce ordering as well as the need for
better data to support it. Images, digital branding and catalog
data are now critical marketing vehicles for suppliers, retailers
and distributors.”
Kirber, who credits his engineer father for his inspiration and
problem-solving abilities, sees big challenges ahead for the industry.
“Technology has enabled companies to bring concepts to prototype and prototypes to market with incredible speed,” he said.
“Not only must we keep pace with an increasing number of automotive products, but e-commerce sales channels must also keep
pace with new technology platforms while constantly striving to
improve user experiences.”
In his briefcase: Two laptops, an iPhone, a tablet, a legal pad,
a slightly bent screwdriver, a constantly changing to-do list and
snacks well beyond their expiration dates.
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September 2014
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Ryan D. Kirkwood, 32
President and CEO
UMI Performance
Jonathan Kunzman, 30
Vice President, Business Development
Kunzman & Associates
Under Ryan Kirkwood’s leadership,
UMI Performance has grown from a small
cadre of employees to a staff of 30 dedicated professionals building high-quality
suspension components for musclecars and
other high-performance applications.
“I have always loved cars but fell into the automotive industry by
accident,” said Kirkwood. “My father owned Utmost Machine, a
shop that he opened in 1989. Throughout my childhood, my dad
took me to work with him. Then, in 2002, we started making a few
simple automotive products. My dad saw my enthusiasm and told
me to create a business name. I came up with UMI Performance
Inc. in honor of his original shop name.
“One of the most exciting trends in our segment is the emergence of Pro-Touring-style products and also the customer’s desire
for U.S.-built quality. As a U.S. manufacturer, we face a variety of
challenges, such as finding skilled tradesman’s-type labor and the
rising cost of purchasing U.S.-made raw materials. Unfortunately,
we spend countless hours training employees because of lack of
schooling. Still, we are 100% dedicated to U.S.A. manufacturing
and intend to keep it that way.”
In his briefcase: An iPhone and charger, Oakley sunglasses,
a granola bar, Mountain Dew Kick Start, cologne and hair gel as
well as business cards when he can remember them.
Jonathan Kunzman provides IT expertise across the entire customer base of
Kunzman & Associates, a Michigan-based
manufacturer’s rep firm, for which he
developed an amazingly comprehensive
in-house data management system. As if that’s not enough, he
started and now oversees ARC, a sister company tasked with marketing services encompassing social media, national rebates, racing
contingency facilitation, catalog design and printing services.
“Like many of my peers, I was ‘corrupted’ at a young age,” he
quipped. “My father has been in the industry since the mid-’60s,
but interestingly, he wanted me to follow a different career path.
Through college and grad school, I appeased him by dabbling in
another industry, but there’s nothing I love more than the automotive aftermarket.
“As manufacturers’ reps, we’re constantly looking at improving
and advancing our customer service to the accounts and dealers
throughout our region as well as at the various consumer events
where we display annually. In terms of product trends, we see consumers looking to make their hot rods, musclecars and weekend
warriors more like their everyday drivers through modern technology and convenience products.”
In his briefcase: Kunzman shuns briefcases but is well armed
with an iPhone, an iPad, business cards, Orbit gum and a Tide
Stain Pen.
Steven Landis, 34
Head of Product Management,
Independent Aftermarket NAFTA,
TPMS and Electronics Innovation
Continental Automotive Systems Inc.
Ian Lehn, 28
President
BOOSTane, Octane Engineering
Steven Landis joined Continental in
2005. When the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration mandated TPMS, he
took the bull by the horns for the company, building a complete
replacement-parts program from scratch. His expertise has made
him a highly respected speaker at industry events, including those
sponsored by the Tire Industry Association and SEMA.
“Cars became a way of life at a young age from watching TV and
movies and playing with Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys,” he said.
“I may have grown up, but not all that much has changed.
“Tires are the only contact a vehicle has to the road and therefore influence many aspects of the driving experience. Future tire
information systems could allow enhanced monitoring of pressure,
temperature, run-flat mileage, load detection, tread depth and
storage of tire data with far-reaching benefits. When this information is processed onboard the vehicle, the suspension, powertrain
and braking characteristics could be further optimized as a result.
Increased vehicle computerization and complexity and servicing
know-how, in addition to accurate and up-to-date product data
and cataloging, represent major challenges and opportunities in
our industry.”
In his briefcase: “My must-haves are my smartphone and energy
bars to help me power through late nights at work and traveling.”
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Taking inspiration from his stepfather,
Mark Herrmann, who sparked a love
for the automotive aftermarket, Ian Lehn
began to flourish as an innovator in the
mechanical engineering classrooms of
Georgia Tech and claimed the top prize for the school’s most prestigious competition three years running. The contest required the
creation and construction of an indirect drive system for human
transportation, and Lehn won each time with a different design.
During his final year in school, Lehn recognized problems
associated with fuel octane reliability, race-fuel accessibility and
the general effectiveness of octane boosters on the market. He
developed an affordable alternative to racing fuel and started
BOOSTane, which has since undergone seven years of formulation and testing.
“We have worked very hard at developing an additive that not
only gives high-performance engines the octane they need but also
serves the demographic that is simply trying to protect its hobby
by restoring lost octane points and stabilizing the harmful effects
of ethanol to protect engines,” he said.
In his briefcase: Lehn’s briefcase contains everything from a
mobile scanning/photo booth to a MacBook and a GoPro camera
with a suction-cup mount. “You can never tell when you’re going
to need to shoot, edit and post a test run from the track,” he said.
Jonathan J. Lesar, 29
Product Foreman
Detroit Speed
Jonathan Mill, 28
Vice President
E-Stopp
Jonathan Lesar began his career with
Detroit Speed at age 18 as a fabricator
just out of high school. In fact, he’d been
moonlighting at the time in the restoration shop of his high school auto body
teacher, who introduced him to two key contacts within the
company. Today, he oversees the production of aftermarket items
aimed at the hot-rod and musclecar niches.
“Performance is the most important trend currently affecting
the segment,” he said. “Today’s consumers want a car that they
can take to a show, cruise around town or the country and then
drive hard at an autocross or track event. They want a vintage car
with the handling and performance of a modern super car.
“The biggest challenge I foresee in the future is predicting and
keeping up with product development for the next generation of
cars. As the evolution of hot rodding continues, this will be difficult. Hot rodding started out with the cars from the ’30s and
now has progressed into the musclecar lines of the ’60s and ’70s.
Where will the next generation go, and what cars will be the most
popular? It will be interesting to see.”
In his briefcase: Lesar counts a Sharpie, a pen and a notepad
among his most important items, along with Microsoft Excel
to help manage orders, production schedules and reports. “If I
don’t write things down, there’s a good chance I won’t remember
them later.”
The winner of the inaugural SEMA
Launch Pad competition based on his
creation of the E-Stopp pushbutton
emergency brake and anti-theft device
for custom vehicles, Jonathan Mill was
most influenced to enter the industry by his father-in-law, Larry
Goodman, who has been involved with SEMA for more than 20
years. Mill passes it forward by consistently helping other young
enthusiasts and introducing them to the association.
“New tech was once shunned by the classic-car industry, but
people are now realizing the benefits of having updated technology in their classic cars,” he said. “The consensus is that it is
valuable and opens doors for young enthusiasts to bring innovative technology to this market. Even so, laws against emissions
will soon be huge obstacles for lovers of classic automobiles.
There are a ton of collector cars out there that could potentially
be illegal to drive soon. After putting so much money into these
vehicles, the last thing anyone will want to do is swap out perfectly good motors.”
In his briefcase: Mill always carries his video camera and
editing software. “I love to create engaging content, and the
opportunities to do so are around every corner,” he said. “I literally wrote this while out on the Hot Rod Power Tour, waiting for
some interviews I filmed of young enthusiasts to render.”
Corey Mullane, 27
Communications Director
Theory Communication & Design
Chris Nelson, 30
President
Top Line Group LLC
Corey Mullane works with Fortune 100
companies that are trying to break into the
automotive marketplace. He guides them
to the enthusiast market first before taking
them out to the mainstream, and he has
been influential in building business for clients such as ExxonMobil,
General Motors and select others.
“Branded content is redefining the landscape of automotive
media while fundamentally altering the traditional brand-mediacustomer relationship,” he said. “If you do branded content
right, it’s more efficient, more effective and more helpful to
your customers.”
Mullane said that Andy Williamson taught him things about
the industry—and people—that can’t be learned in school, while
industry veteran Greg Gill served as a mentor.
“Keen business acumen and being able to weave an intricate
business plan or marketing strategy for Fortune 100 companies
is all well and good, but unless you’re using your craft in the service of the people who provide you with that privilege, it’s all for
naught,” he said.
In his briefcase: “Whether at the office or the track, I always
have my iPhone, a charger and my green pencil, because ink is
too permanent to allow your mind to think,” Mullane said. “Of
course, I always have my laptop, plenty of business cards and
enough protein bars to last all 120 hours of the SEMA Show.”
Since starting Top Line Group in 2009,
Chris Nelson has built it into a nationwide wholesale distribution network for
high-quality aftermarket automotive
lighting products. He is becoming known
as a “go-to guy” for lighting when a customer needs to know what
works. Top Line Group has grown sales revenue 150% year after
year and now employs three people full time and three more part
time. Nelson also created GTR Lighting, an automotive lighting
company that features HID and LED products.
“At the same time that we are seeing a massive influx of cheap
and low-quality imported knockoffs and counterfeit lighting
products, we are also seeing a huge increase in consumer demand
for the higher-quality products that we’ve been selling for
years,” he said. “I’ve positioned my companies at the top of the
market, so when entry-level consumers are ready for something
really special, they can purchase those higher-end items from
companies like ours. There will always be a place for both types
of products.”
In his briefcase: “I need access to my cell phone to stay connected and take pictures of client projects using our products to
post on Facebook,” Nelson said. “I also carry a cool $40 carbonfiber pen that I bought at my first trade show. And I gotta have
a mocha iced coffee over rocks to satisfy my sweet tooth and help
keep me moving!”
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Stephen Parini, 34
Sales Director
Renovo Motors
John Perkins, 32
IT Director
Scorpion Protective Coatings Inc.
At Renovo Motors, an electric-vehicle
(EV) startup in Silicon Valley, Stephen
Parini ensures that the buying and ownership experience have the highest levels of
personal customer service. His automotive
career started with AutoTrader, and he methodically worked his
way up. He previously led the DenBeste Motorsports sales team
to become the top-selling Shelby CSX Cobra dealer in the world.
“Pegged as the future of the automotive industry, electric-car
development has been focused primarily on people-movers,”
Parini said. “The improvements in battery and charging technology are making the transition to EVs more feasible. As this transition continues, companies are beginning to realize that there is
untapped performance imbedded in EV DNA. Supercar stalwarts
such as Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren are now building hybrids.
Formula E will debut this fall as an all-electric, open-wheel racing
series on the world stage. As the technology becomes more and
more mainstream, it will allow innovative companies to build
the next generation of high-performance cars, employing all the
power that electric drivetrains have to offer. The automotive
industry is in a time of rapid change, and I am excited to be a
part of it.”
In his briefcase: iPad, iPhone, laptop, sunglasses, Kicker headphones, snacks, notepad and, of course, a flux capacitor. “You
know,” he said, “the normal stuff.”
All of the information-technology work
for the three main divisions of Scorpion
Protective Coatings Inc. (Scorpion Coatings, Al’s Liner and Scorpion Window
Film) runs through John Perkins. That
includes setting up the company’s websites, running the e-mail
systems, digital content and many other tasks—all while helping
to raise his twin two-year-olds and a baby boy and acting as an
assistant football coach for the local high school.
“I have always been intrigued by the automotive industry,”
Perkins said. “My dad is a car guy and loves to tell stories about
being a kid in the ’70s and having several musclecars. I worked
for a NAPA store for a few years while in college, but Clayton
Tomasino, CEO of Scorpion Protective Coatings Inc., asked me
to join the Scorpion team almost six years ago. We have grown
every year since 2008 by focusing on our applicator customers
and how we can help develop their businesses through multiple
channels and develop substantial relationships with them.”
In his briefcase: “As a person who wears many hats, I couldn’t
function without my Mac,” Perkins said. “I use too many apps
to list, and I also almost always have a dry-erase marker in my
pocket, as we have whiteboards in nearly every room in our
office. And I can’t work at all without coffee.”
Ryan Snell, 31
President
Next Level Motoring
Jay Velthoven, 34
Director of Marketing
Roush Performance
Growing up with a passion for cars,
Ryan Snell started Next Level Motoring
out of a garage at age 20 while finishing
his Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. He quickly grew it into a popular
Los Angeles retail outlet and, before long, into a multi-channel
e-commerce company that today ships more than 30,000 wheels
a year to enthusiasts worldwide.
“Mobile communications and smartphones have been a big
game changer over the last several years, allowing trends to
develop faster than ever,” Snell said. “Enthusiasts share ideas,
information and photos instantly and push the envelope with
wheel fitments and styles. Aggressive setups that were previously
seen at car shows are now becoming more mainstream.
“Our biggest challenge is constantly changing trends and a
barrier to entry in both retailing and manufacturing that’s lower
than ever. E-commerce levels the playing field and is a way for
startups with minimal experience or capital to pop up overnight
and disrupt the industry. This keeps us on our toes and motivates
us to always evolve to be the best at what we do.”
In his briefcase: “I don’t go anywhere without my iPhone,”
he said. “My must-have apps include Dropbox, Scanner Pro and
Facebook pages.”
In nine short years, Jay Velthoven has
found himself promoted from entry-level
designer to Roush’s director of marketing
for performance products and street-legal
performance products. Characterized as
an idea man, he has cultivated many relationships between
Roush’s aftermarket parts business and top drivers and teams in
the motorsports world, turning them into Roush ambassadors.
Meanwhile, on the social media front, Velthoven has dramatically grown the company’s engagement over a multitude of
channels. A few years ago, Roush had no Facebook presence. The
company now boasts more than 65,000 organic followers on its
Facebook page. In addition, Velthoven has been responsible for
growing Roush’s YouTube channel to 5,700 followers and nearly
three million views among trending videos.
“My dad was a big influence,” said Velthoven, who is passionate about the automotive aftermarket. “He always worked in the
industry, and we always had a sports car in the garage growing
up. I was hooked as a car guy at a young age.”
Velthoven sees high technology and mobile integration as
important trends affecting the specialty-equipment marketplace.
Along with that, he sees evolving OEM vehicle systems and
related calibrations bringing new challenges to the industry.
In his briefcase: An iPhone, a MacBook Air, 4G and Wi-Fi.
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Scott Weiss, 32
Marketing Director
Konig American
Cody Ziegler, 30
National Sales Manager
Meyer Distributing
As marketing director for one of the
nation’s largest wheel manufacturers for
more than eight years, Scott Weiss has
managed project-car builds with OEMs
such as Honda, Chevrolet, Hyundai and
Toyota in everything from off-road to musclecars. Throughout
that time, he has been an influencer in the sport compact and
tuner scene. He was himself most influenced in his vocation by
his dad, who always had a cool toy in the garage, and his mom,
who always encouraged him—even when he used her kitchen
table as a place to disassemble his transmissions.
“Konig American produces wheel brands across the automotive
spectrum, but my automotive life originated in sport compact,”
he said. “There is currently a focus in the wheel and tire segment
on developing and utilizing different manufacturing processes to
deliver lighter, stronger and more efficient products. Such development has now enabled us to provide affordable Flow Formed
wheels to consumers.”
In his briefcase: “You will find an iPhone, an iPad, a MacBook
Pro, Adobe Creative Suite, other coding programs, a pen, a paperclip and a stick of chewing gum—which always seemed to work
for MacGyver,” Weiss said. “You’ll also find pictures of my wife,
daughter and son (arriving September 14), whom I miss every
second I’m away from them.”
Thanks to a decade of sales experience
prior to earning his title of national sales
manager at Meyer Distributing, Cody
Ziegler is extremely knowledgeable about
everything related to the truck accessory
market, exhibiting keen attention to detail.
“Product knowledge is the most important trend affecting the
warehouse-distributor today,” he said. “From a customer perspective, it’s tough to stay up to date with year, make and model
changes, cab configurations and bed size changes. Thankfully,
our staff is well-versed and ready to accept any challenge.
Online retailers are a big challenge for the segment, Ziegler
said. While not opposed to online retailing, he recognizes that
mom-and-pop shops have helped make his company what it
is today.
“We encourage manufacturers to have minimum advertised
pricing policies,” he said. “Let’s keep everyone on a level playing
field. Plus, we encourage customers to create their own websites,
because the web is where everyone gets their information. Even if
a customer doesn’t sell from their website, they can at least gain
the exposure of their business.”
In his briefcase: “Briefcases? People still use those? Of course,
my iPhone is on me everywhere I go. Utilizing the calendar is a
must to keep my brain from scrambling day to day.”
The Nominations Continue…
Do you know a rising star within
the specialty-equipment industry,
age 35 or younger?
To nominate them for future
35 Under 35 recognition, visit
www.sema.org/35-under-35.
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35 Under 35