Jim's Blog: The Show Goes On - Tire Review Magazine

In a few days we will be trekking off to Vegas for the annual SEMA Show. Thousands of others will be doing the same, all with different ideas on what they will encounter at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the other venues.

So many rumors and thoughts have floated around the show, that one has to wonder about the significance of it all.

All I can say is before passing judgment, you need to be there.

Last year attendance was down. A lot. But the preponderance of exhibitors we spoke with were happy with the traffic at the show. No, it didn’t have numbers. But it had quality. Fewer attendees meant more time to talk, and more often with people in a position to buy. A few years ago, when one could barely get down an aisle, it was hard to believe that any business could get done.

Will this year’s absence of all the “big boys” impact attendance? Hard to tell. We’ll see when we get there, but there are far more reasons to attend SEMA and the other shows than just visiting multi-million dollars booths. I doubt attendance would sag as a result of the pull-back, though I’m not offering any predictions.

Well, other than this:

The 2009 edition of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week – SEMA, APPEX and NACE combined – will be a watershed event. Exhibitors, show operators, associations and attendees will all be assessing AAIW 2009 – from every angle – and decisions will be formulated.

Where will it all go from there? Much like the show, we’ll just have to see.

If you’re at SEMA, hope to see to you. If not, you can keep up with the action on our Web site and through our e-newsletter.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."