Now in its fourth year, the SEMA News 35 Under 35 roster has become a much-anticipated annual feature. In the following pages, we are again pleased to present 35 young trendsetters who are bringing exciting new ideas and renewed enthusiasm to every segment of the automotive specialty-equipment industry.
In order to land on our 35 Under 35 list, honorees must first be nominated by one or more industry peers. Pouring through the nominations, SEMA News looks for candidates who are already making a significant industry impact through their leadership within their organization or business. Entrepreneurship, commitment, insight, innovation, integrity, responsibility, demonstrated skill, involvement and success within the marketplace weigh heavily in our decision-making.
The selection process is never easy, and this year we received a record number of nominations, making a final list that much tougher to compose. In one way or another, every nominee is a winner. In the end, however, only 35 can make our special feature.
We believe you’ll agree that the honorees we’ve selected for 2015 have bright futures ahead of them as they fix their gazes on new horizons that will continue to grow and change the aftermarket in fresh new ways. However, as different as their approaches may be at times, every “old schooler” is still likely recognize in these young people the same passion and innovation that has grounded our industry from the beginning. Yes, they’re going places, and the journey promises to be exciting for all of us.
Troy Spackman, 31
Owner/Fabricator, Legacy Innovations
With 10 employees aged 26 to 40, Troy Spackman specializes in custom vehicles at Legacy Innovations. His one-stop shop builds cars that compete at the highest levels, with honors including a Goodguys’ Gold Bar, a Detroit Autorama first place award, finalist for Street Machine of the Year and a SEMA Best GM Vehicle award, to name a few. People who know Troy say he displays excellent leadership abilities in project planning and business evolution, and he has proven his ability to manage all facets of the business.
“A quality job done correctly the first time is worth the initial perceived increased investment,” he said, “and fewer high-quality modifications hold more value than higher-quantity alterations with lower quality. Performance and quality are key components to success in today’s aftermarket industries. Technology, trends and tastes will all change, but the feeling you get when a show-goer or stranger does a double-take while you’re passing by—that will never change. The challenge, then, is to provide that experience for customers in a mutually beneficial and realistic manner.”
In his briefcase: “I have come to the realization that a handheld with Internet is a necessity. Remote email access, searching the Internet and GPS are excellent resources. I still find that I tend to use pen and paper when I’m at my facility or, more importantly, my good ideas end up on the side of a box in Sharpie.”
