MITCH WILLIAMS IS THE 2001 SEMA PERSON OF THE YEAR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Rosemarie Kitchin, rosemariek@sema.org 909/396-0289, ext. 104 Kim Milman, kmilman@jmprpublicrelations.com 8l8/992-4353 MITCH WILLIAMS IS THE 2001 SEMA PERSON OF THE YEAR LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2001) -- Mitch Williams, president and COO of Hella, Inc., received the 2001 SEMA Person of the Year at the association’s Industry Awards Reception and Banquet in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 1. In presenting the prestigious industry award to Williams, Doug Mergenthaler, the 2000 recipient and treasurer of the association, said, “Expanding our industry’s reach by creating new markets is a benefit to the entire industry. This year’s Person of the Year headed up efforts to penetrate foreign markets, developing the popularity for America-made specialty products in other countries. He made the SEMA International Task Force work.” Williams also worked to develop policies and procedures to improve product quality measurement, helping SEMA members qualify for OEM sales. Williams entered the automotive industry in 1976 as coordinator of performance activities for S.E.V. Corp. which marketed the Cibie and Marchal lighting lines. In 1985, he left S.E.V. (now Valeo) and CJR, a redistributing company which he partially owned, to join Hella as its eastern regional sales manager. Three years later, he became the company’s youngest president at age 32. Active in the Auto International Association (AIA), Williams was elected to the SEMA board of directors in 1998, and re-elected in 2000. The SEMA Person of the Year award honors an industry person for outstanding contributions to the industry during the last year. SEMA’s Hall of Fame honors industry leaders for long-term consistent contributions to the industry. SEMA has awarded its Person of the Year honor to individual leaders since 1969. Besides Mergenthaler, recent recipients include Jeff Thompson, SEMA Chairman Nate Shelton, former SEMA Chairman Ron Coleman, and Amy Faulk. SEMA represents the $24.86 billion specialty automotive industry. The trade association is composed of nearly 4,800 member companies, and is the authoritative source of research data, trends and market growth information for automakers and the specialty auto products industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, safety, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger cars, minivans, pickups, SUVs and recreational vehicles. It's a specialty market as old as the automobile and as new as cutting-edge technology. For more information, please contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765; call 909/396-0289; or visit www.sema.org or www.enjoythedrive.com . If you do not wish to receive e-mail from SEMA, please reply to this message and tell us to delete you from the list.