SEMA Future Leaders Network - FLN

09/01/2026

Last chance! Know a young professional making a difference in the automotive aftermarket? Nominate them for the 2026 FLN Professional of the Year or FLN Vanguard Award by Friday, Sept. 4.

Help recognize the future leaders whose leadership, mentorship and commitment are making a lasting impact on the aftermarket.

Award winners will be announced and celebrated at the 2026 SEMA Show. Submit your nomination today at www.sema.org/cn-awards.

08/28/2026

Fuel Your Future! 🏎️

SEMA is partnering with Blueprint Engines to host an education seminar and networking event in Kearney, Neb., Sept. 25-26. 🤝

Built for shop owners & employees, builders, and automotive professionals, this new regional event will allow attendees to tour the Blueprint Engines warehouse, attend education seminars, and network with industry peers. 🏁

Don't miss out on this event, sign up now!

https://www.sema.org/event/fuel-your-future-regional-education-series-attendee

08/27/2026

Check this webinar out! Let's help bring awareness to careers in our great industry. Share it with students and automotive programs in your network.

🚗 Webinar for Students & Emerging Professionals: Beyond the Vehicle - Careers in the Aftermarket
At many colleges and universities, the aftermarket is rarely discussed as a career path. This session will help close that awareness gap by exploring available career opportunities in engineering, technology, marketing, business, supply chain management and more.
🛠️ Work in the industry? Help shape the next generation of industry professionals! Share this webinar with students, educators and industry contacts who support automotive education programs.
Registration link: https://brnw.ch/21x5gat

08/20/2026

FLN has named Hannah Pennington, Manager of Mayhem at FLATED, as the network’s newest spotlight member! 👏

It’s the people and the diversity of the industry that keep Hannah in the automotive aftermarket.

“You’ve got people behind everything from rebuilding old-school engines to inventing new tech like self-driving cars—all from different backgrounds, making it happen. There’s really a home for everyone in this space.”

The best advice Hannah has received is: Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never make it out alive.

On a Saturday, you can find Hannah enjoying Montana’s outdoors—at a high alpine lake in the summer or snowboarding at her local mountain in the winter.

📰 Read more: https://www.sema.org/news-media/enews/2026/34/fln-member-spotlight-hannah-pennington-flated

08/19/2026

Ready for a leadership role but don't which steps to take next? 🎯

Join FLN's virtual Lunch and Learn next month to hear from aftermarket professionals who successfully transitioned into leadership roles.

You'll learn:
✅ How to successfully step into a leadership role
✅ Real-world advice from industry leaders who have made the transition
✅ How leaders think and how to apply those principles within your organization
✅ Ways to expand your professional network with fellow FLN members

👉 Register today: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5017854357506/WN_e4IX6lqTSoqTkgSRKIuyOA #/registration

08/18/2026

Looking for the next great addition to your team? Meet them in Detroit. 👏

On Saturday, September 26, automotive industry companies will have the opportunity to connect with talented students from more than a dozen local universities and trade schools at the ETTN Career Fair.

Whether you’re recruiting for internships, entry-level positions or future opportunities, this is your chance to meet the next generation of automotive professionals—all in one afternoon.

📅 Saturday, September 26 | 1–4 p.m.
📍 SEMA Garage Detroit | Plymouth, MI
✅ Complimentary for SEMA member companies
💼 Company tables available, but space is limited

Visit and use the link in their bio to register your company.

Questions? Contact Justin Starkey at [email protected].

08/13/2026

FLN was proud to present Jordan Mosher of Diode Dynamics with its Professional of the Year Award and Colby McLaughlin of Trim Illusion Holdings with its Vanguard Award at the 2025 SEMA Show. 🏆

We are currently seeking nominations for the 2026 awards and encourage you to nominate deserving candidates.

The Professional of the Year Award recognizes an emerging leader who has made a positive impact on the automotive industry, while the Vanguard Award honors an individual who has positively influenced and supported the career development of a young executive within the industry. 🎉

Winners will be announced and celebrated during the 2026 SEMA Show.

Let's recognize excellence together! Nominate before the Friday, Sept. 4 deadline:
https://fs29.formsite.com/SEMAEvents/VolunteerAwardNomination/fill?id17=fln

08/12/2026

Meet the people helping drive the future of the automotive aftermarket. 👋🏁

We’re passing the phone around the SEMA Future Leaders Network Select Committee — a group of passionate industry professionals committed to creating opportunities, building connections and helping the next generation of automotive leaders grow.

From networking events and Lunch & Learns and everything in between, this crew works behind the scenes to keep FLN moving forward. 💪

Ready to get involved, grow your network and make your mark on the industry?

Learn more about joining FLN at SEMA.org/FLN and Follow for upcoming events, professional development opportunities and more.

08/12/2026

🏁FLN community, your vote can help drive $100,000 toward families impacted by pediatric cancer!!

Jim Osborn, co-founder of the Austin Hatcher Foundation, is a finalist for The NASCAR Foundation’s 2026 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.

If Jim wins, the Austin Hatcher Foundation could receive $100,000 to support children and families facing pediatric cancer. 💚

🚨Here’s where we come in: Vote for Jim once a day, EVERY DAY through Sept. 6.

👉 Vote at https://www.nascarfoundation.org/bjfha-vote-2026/

📱Text VOTE to 423-243-3471 to receive daily reminders.

EVERY VOTE can help move Jim and the Austin Hatcher Foundation closer to $100K.

SEMA Cares is proud to support the Austin Hatcher Foundation and the incredible work they do for families. Let’s show them what the automotive community can do when we rally together.

Already voted today? Drop a 💚 in the comments and share this post to remind someone else.

08/06/2026

FLN named Stewart Webb, Owner and Founder of Xcalibur Media, as the network's newest spotlight member! 👏

The best advice that Stewart has received is: We all put our clothes on the same way.

"I had an old boss tell me that no matter where someone is in life, we’re all still people at the end of the day. That stuck with me, because it means you treat everyone with the same level of respect, regardless of their title, success or where they are on their journey," said Stewart.

"That mindset has shaped how I operate in this industry. It’s helped me build real relationships, stay grounded and create opportunities not just for myself, but for others coming up."

The people and the cool cars keep Stewart in the industry, and on a Saturday, you can find him at a local car meet, off-roading with the crew or browsing the marketplace for a new project rig.

📰 Read more: https://www.sema.org/news-media/enews/2026/32/fln-member-spotlight-stewart-webb-shares-advice-shaped-his-career