May 15, 2013—The Special Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has inducted four new members into the SEMA Hall of Fame, the organization announced on Tuesday.
George Barris, Eric Grant, Wade Kawasaki and Joe Schubeck will be honored during the SEMA Installation Banquet and Gala Fundraiser, to be held on July 26 in Pomona, Calif.
Barris is a veteran vehicle customizer, known for his celebrity creations including the Batmobile, Munster Koach, KITT from “Nightrider” and the Dukes of Hazard’s General Lee.
As a former SEMA executive director, Grant was instrumental in advocating for the SEMA industry and solving a number of industry compliance issues. He also worked closely with SEMA on clean air and emissions issues as a representative of the California Air Resources Board.
Kawasaki has served several terms on the SEMA board of directors, and is a past chairman for the SEMA Show Committee, Governance Committee, International Task Force, and Audit Review Committee. He also helped create the SEMA Political Action Committee and the SEMA Young Executives Network.
He was previously named the 1996 SEMA Young Executive of the Year, the 2003 SEMA Chairman’s Service Award, and the 2007 SEMA Person of the Year.
A former top-fuel racer in the 1960s, Schubeck is the founder of Lakewood Industries, a racing products manufacturer. Schubeck is a former SEMA board member and served on the first SEMA Safety Committee.
For more information about the SEMA Hall of Fame, visit sema.org/hof.
