The Awards Honor Individuals and Companies for Their Outstanding Contributions to the Automotive Specialty Equipment Industry During the Past Year - Nominations Are Open Until Aug. 17

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has opened nominations for its prestigious SEMA Industry Awards at www.sema.org/awards. The nomination deadline is Monday, Aug. 17.

The SEMA Industry Awards are among the Association’s highest honors, recognizing individuals and companies that have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and leadership in the automotive aftermarket over a year-long period. The program recognizes honorees in five different categories: Channel Partner of the Year, Content Creator of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Person of the Year, and the Visionary 8.

“The SEMA Industry Awards recognize the people and companies that have not only fueled the aftermarket’s growth but also strengthened it through their passion, ingenuity, and service,” said SEMA Manager of Recognition Programs Joe Escobar. “By spotlighting those who have left a lasting mark, we aim to inspire others to raise the bar.”

Nominations are open for:

Channel Partner of the Year: Honors a sales channel partner for its outstanding service to the sales, distribution, retail, and/or e-commerce channel(s) of the industry. This includes maintaining proper inventories to service its respective channel and exceeding standards in providing suppliers with input and regular communication to help their products and programs succeed.
Content Creator of the Year: Honors a content creator for their outstanding contributions to the automotive culture and for creating a positive impact with automotive enthusiasts.
Manufacturer of the Year: Honors a manufacturing company for its outstanding industry contributions and innovations.
Person of the Year: Honors an individual for their outstanding contributions to SEMA and the broader automotive specialty-equipment market.
Visionary 8: Honors eight emerging leaders aged 35 and under who are on track to drive innovation and positive change in the automotive aftermarket. This award showcases up-and-coming talent, honors their accomplishments, and introduces them to their community.

2026 SEMA Show to Celebrate the Industry’s Best

The 2026 SEMA Show, held Nov. 3-6 in Las Vegas, will bring together automotive icons and next-gen disruptors to celebrate the past, present, and future of the aftermarket industry. The festivities shift into gear on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with the Kickoff Breakfast, where 15 products will be recognized with New Product Awards alongside top honors for Channel Partner of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, the highly anticipated Visionary 8 and SEMA’s Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year winner will be announced live at SEMA Central. The momentum will continue during the SEMA Industry Honors, celebrated at the iconic Fontainebleau. This red-carpet-style gathering brings together the industry’s biggest names to spotlight standout achievements, including Content Creator of the Year and Person of the Year.

Entries for Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year – a SEMA Industry Award that recognizes exceptional quality of engineering on a vehicle build – will open in August. Learn more at www.sema.org/awards.

ABOUT SEMA

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) serves as a leading voice for the worldwide car culture, representing over 7,000 member companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again. Business member benefits include product development resources, market research, networking, education, legislative advocacy, and more. The Association organizes the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and actively supports the career and business opportunities that the aftermarket generates. The industry contributes nearly $337 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.3 million jobs nationally, and generates nearly $53 billion in parts sales annually. For more information, visit www.sema.org.

Tagged: Person of the Year

Nominations Open for 2026 SEMA Industry Awards