SEMA has named the 2026 recipients of its Visionary 8 program, recognizing eight emerging leaders whose work is advancing the automotive aftermarket. The honorees were announced at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Visionary 8 nominees must be 35 or younger, be active SEMA members and show achievements that positively affect their companies and the aftermarket. Judges evaluated nominees on entrepreneurship, insight, integrity, responsibility and skill.

"The automotive aftermarket is built on passion, and this year's honorees embody that spirit through their innovation, fresh ideas and solutions that grew and advanced the industry," said Joe Escobar, SEMA manager of recognition programs. "Their achievements are strengthening businesses, expanding the industry's reach and creating opportunities for the next generation."

The 2026 honorees

Braxton Boone, owner of Boone Mobile Detailing, started the business while still in high school and has grown it into a professional operation serving the Richmond, Virginia, area. The company has added specialized services such as paint correction, headlight restoration, clay bar treatments and paint protection, and Boone has created opportunities for others to develop skills in automotive detailing.

Justin Hartenstein Jr., social media manager at Oracle Lighting, is 19 and leads digital strategy and community growth for the company. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, his content generated more than 20 million views, SEMA said. Drawing on his work as an enthusiast and content creator, he conceptualized and helped launch Oracle's first lensless headlight, which the company said set sales records on launch day.

Dustin Korth, senior accounts manager at MetaMartini, has worked on creator-driven marketing, digital storytelling and community-focused engagement for brands in the diesel, truck, performance, wheel and tire markets. He also contributes as an automotive journalist for Diesel World Magazine and serves as vice president of operations for River Valley Road Rally.

Kyle Kuhnhausen, president of Kuhnhausen Metal Concepts LLC, has earned multiple top-12 finishes in the SEMA Battle of the Builders and the 2025 SEMA Best Engineered Vehicle award. Working independently, he has focused on integrating modern drivetrains and technology into vintage vehicles and has mentored aspiring builders through the SEMA Young Guns program, industry education programs and hands-on training.

Sean Leger, owner of Emerald City Hot Rods, founded the shop in 2020 to blend traditional coachbuilding with modern performance and design. The company has grown into a nationally recognized custom fabrication shop, with design, fabrication, engineering and custom interiors completed largely in-house.

Erik Nave, chief operating officer and marketing director at Titan Fuel Tanks, started at the company as a marketing specialist and inventory control professional. SEMA said he has led marketing initiatives, product launches and customer-focused messaging that have supported brand visibility and company growth.

Ray Padilla, chief executive officer of Auto Film Mastery and Media Tune, created the annual Auto Film Mastery Conference six years ago to help automotive film and detailing shop owners grow their businesses. Through Auto Film Mastery, he has developed educational courses, training programs and industry resources. He also owns Media Tune, a marketing company that works with automotive shops.

Rashmi Sinha, chief innovation officer and co-founder of Revv, co-founded the company with Adi Bathla in 2022. As the company's technical leader, she built Revv's initial codebase and engineering systems and has applied emerging AI technologies to product development.

Nominations for the 2027 SEMA Visionary 8 will open in summer 2027 at sema.org/awards. SEMA is a trade association representing more than 7,000 member companies in the specialty automotive equipment industry. The association says the industry contributes nearly $383 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.25 million jobs nationally and generates nearly $53 billion in parts sales annually.

Tagged: Emerald City Hot Rods

SEMA Names 2026 Visionary 8 Emerging Aftermarket Leaders