AIMExpo Hosts First-Ever Panel Event

On Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m., AIMExpo attendees will witness — for the first time — four of the most highly respected powersports experts sharing powerful insights and answering dealers’ most pressing business questions, all from the same stage.

Experts include Garage Composites inimitable CEO Tony Gonzalez; the talented Pat Kennedy, from the highly respected Spader group; and fourth-generation retailer Gart Sutton, anchoring the group with over 42 years of powersports experience.

Moderating the panel will be longtime Harley-Davidson industry consultant and award-winning Dealernews columnist Mark Rodgers. “If you would have asked me last year if we would ever see this group together on one stage, I would have said ‘no way.’ But AIMExpo has pulled it off. Now, dealers will be exposed to profit-exploding insights like talent acquisition, digital retailing, navigating inventory challenges and — of course — thriving in a post-COVID world … from the best in the business.”

Rodgers continued, “What’s important to understand is these guys lead the top 20 powersports groups in the nation. If there’s a powersports dealership issue, these guys have seen it and know how to deal with it. And most importantly, their insights are data-driven, so their insights are provable. There may never again be this sort of concentrated industry brainpower assembled. For AIMExpo attendees, this may be the most important 90 minutes of your year.”

This panel is the latest addition to AIMExpo’s education platform, DISRUPTIVE THINKING. Two electrification panels were announced in December, and dirt racing legend Ricky Carmichael, the GOAT, was added as Thursday’s keynote speaker. To register to attend and learn more about the Powersports industry’s premier tradeshow, go to www.AIMExpoUSA.com.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.