WTC honoring Littlefield, Gosswein, Parker at SEMA Show

LAS VEGAS — The Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) will honor three industry stalwarts — Roy Littlefield, Stuart Gosswein and Greg Parker — on Nov. 1 during the WTC's membership reception at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Littlefield and Gosswein will receive WTC Lifetime Achievement Awards and Parker will be inducted into the WTC Hall of Fame. The reception is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the WTC's booth (No. 48179) in the South Hall/ground floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center, site of the SEMA Show.

Littlefield has served the Tire Industry Association (TIA) since 1979 in numerous roles including CEO, executive vice president and as a government affairs consultant. Beginning his career as director of government affairs for the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association and later the Tire Association of North America (predecessors of TIA), Littlefield dedicated his career to growing TIA's membership, supporting training programs for technicians and utilizing legislative influence to create awareness of industry areas of focus and creating positive change.

"Roy has been a stalwart leader in our industry and a fighter for the betterment of technicians for years," WTC Chair Todd Steen said. "…Roy sets the bar high for the selection of future nominees. He epitomizes service over self and will always be known as one of the greatest cheerleaders of our industry."

Gosswein dedicated four decades to serving SEMA by protecting the association's interests through government affairs initiatives. He retired in March 2022 to pursue his passion for art within the art community of Washington D.C.

He started in 1983 as regulatory affairs manager and eventually became senior director of federal government affairs. Specializing in regulatory issues for the automotive aftermarket, Gosswein also serves on the board of directors for the Off-Road Business Association.

"Stuart is known for dedication, insight and tenacity," Steen said. "Throughout Washington and SEMA, he has earned a reputation for getting a task done — no matter how difficult the job would be. A Lifetime Achievement Award is a small way to say thank you for giving four decades to the automotive aftermarket, but his service represents the countless wins and protections implemented for the industry.

Parker, national account sales and marketing director at Wegmann Automotive USA and chair of the WTC in 2017-19, started his auto aftermarket career 20 years ago as a marketing manager working for SEMA Hall of Famer, Donnie Eatherly, at P&E Distributors in Tennessee. With Eatherly's mentorship, Parker became engaged with SEMA's Young Executives Network, eventually becoming chairman in 2008.

He joined Perfect Equipment a marketing manager in 2011 and was promoted to marketing director in 2016.

He also has served on the SEMA Educational Task Force, SEMA Scholarship Committee and SEMA Cares initiatives before becoming the WTC chair in 2017.

Parker's induction into the WTC Hall of Fame is a testament to his passion for educating and creating a brighter future for SEMA members and the wheel and tire industry, the trade group said.

"I'm thankful for Greg's leadership in the WTC," Steen said. "His passion for all things automotive could never be questioned and he's never shy about asking the hard questions to push everyone to be better. His induction into our Hall of Fame places him in a class amongst those who have supported the growth of SEMA and prosperity of the WTC.

Registration for the WTC reception event may be completed at sema.org/event/wtc-reception-0.