FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
PRI - John Kilroy, 949/499-5413
SEMA - Della Domingo, 909/978-6723
PRI ANNOUNCES TRANSITION AND SALE TO SEMA
John Kilroy, with 21 years' experience at PRI as editor, associate publisher and vice president, continues to lead PRI.
SEMA plans to maintain hardcore racing identity and heritage of PRI Trade Show and PRI Magazine.
PRI founder Steve Lewis to focus on son's racing career.
Performance Racing Industry (
PRI), producers of the motorsports business magazine and trade show, finalized plans to be purchased by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). The transaction is set to close in late March 2012.
With 20-plus years of publishing and management experience at PRI, John Kilroy will serve as Vice President/General Manager of PRI and assume day-to-day operations for the group. All the operations, employees and offices will remain intact at PRI's current location in Laguna Beach, California.
"Steve Lewis launched the PRI concept a quarter-of-a-century ago, as an organization totally dedicated solely to the racing industry," said Kilroy. "It was Steve's dream that PRI continue to serve the racing community, and to ‘nest' PRI with an organization that clearly understands PRI's heritage and the role we play in how the racing industry conducts business. We are pleased to have found that strategic partner in SEMA."
Lewis, founder and current CEO of PRI, will now be able to dedicate his time and energy to pursue his lifelong passion for motorsports which includes management of his Nine Racing midget team and supporting the racing career of his son Michael, 2011 Formula 3 Italia Rookie of the Year.
"We carefully considered all our options, and
SEMA was the obvious choice to carry on the legacy of the PRI brand," said Lewis. "SEMA is financially sound and has an experienced management team. They bring a long-term outlook to the table, as well as exceptional insight into the trade show business overall. I have no doubt that the PRI brand will continue to deliver value to the racing community, and I know John Kilroy and the current management group will keep the basic business themes that have been established as they continue to work out of the current location here in Laguna Beach that has housed the PRI family for all these years," he said.
Many current and past SEMA Board of Directors have been involved with PRI through the years as exhibitors and advertisers and bring a keen understanding of how the two organizations complement each other.
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Staff Reporter:
Powerandplay.com PerformanceParts.com
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