A dark horse candidate is challenging Collision Advice's Mike Anderson for the opportunity to serve on the Specialty Equipment Market Association board.
Jeff Hermann, CEO of MagnaFlow Group, is contesting the election to fill a single open position on trade group's board. Voting will run from May 4 to May 26, with results expected June 9. Ballots are limited to SEMA member companies, each of which is allotted one vote.
Despite being broadly regarded as the favourite, Anderson, an industry veteran who has previously highlighted the need for the collision sector to play a more significant role in the SEMA board, has not yet launched an official campaign website.
Hermann's website lays out a three-part platform focused on preserving automotive culture, protecting motorsports and preparing the industry for technological change.
The platform calls for defending “consumer’s right to choose between ICE, hybrid, and EV platforms,” supporting “right to repair and right to modify,” and expanding access to SEMA Garage resources for advanced driver assistance systems and electric vehicles.
The campaign also emphasizes maintaining the SEMA Show as a “global destination for automotive culture” and supporting efforts to protect racetracks and access to public lands.
Hermann’s site features endorsements from across the aftermarket, motorsports and media. Among them, Mario Andretti, racing driver, said, “Jeff leads with a racer’s mindset, pushing innovation through competition and building teams that deliver real results.” Chip Foose, automotive designer, said, “Jeff’s not just part of this industry, he’s one of the people out there building it and pushing it forward.” Alex Parker, president of Redline Detection, said, “Jeff understands INNOVATION! He will advocate for OEM repair data, so we can do what we do best: Bring incredibly cool new technology and products to our customers.”
Kasidy Alves, co-president of Scosche Industries, John Johnson, owner of The Spartan Group and past SEMA treasurer, Jerry Zaiden, president of JEGS Performance and past SEMA board chairman, and Mike Sweers, former Toyota North America CTO and chief engineer for trucks, along with a broader slate of industry executives, racers and media figures have also endorsed Hermann.
