SEMA's MacGillivray Heads East

“The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated,” said Peter MacGillivray, loosely quoting Mark Twain. MacGillivray, vice president of events and communications for the Specialty Equipment Market Assn., was responding to industry speculation about his change in title and location.

The Massachusetts native and former SEMA vice president of marketing and communications said he moved to the Boston bedroom community Newton, Mass., about a month ago because his wife got a job offer there that she couldn't refuse. They kept their Los Angeles-area home, though, and he will continue to spend time at SEMA's West Coast headquarters too.

Meanwhile, former association Marketing Director Tom Myroniak has been promoted to vice president of marketing and member relations.

“With this shift,” MacGillivray said, “my direct responsibility for marketing not only SEMA Show, but all the association's services, have shifted to Tom. That void (in my duties) is filled with some new responsibilities I have overseeing our international efforts.”

He added that SEMA's director of international relations now reports to him, which works out well, because that person is in the association's Washington, D.C., office.

“I will still have as much direct interaction with the show as always – maybe more,” MacGillivray said.

SEMA is watching several international markets, with particular emphasis on Latin America and Canada, he added. The association is already working with Europe, Japan and Australia.

As for China, MacGillivray said, “We're being very careful to monitor that market, because as soon as consumers start buying and having an interest in our industry, we want to make sure we're there to leverage it.”