Executives
from
the
Petersen
Automotive
Museum,
SEMA,
Ford,
Yamaha,
Chevron,
and
Toyota
will
discuss
the
future
of
automotive
fuel
technologies
on
Thursday,
August
15.
The
event
will
be
part
of
Monterey
Car
Week
and
will
take
place
at
Concours
Village
in
Pebble
Beach,
CA.
Richard
Varner
will
moderate
the
panel
focusing
on
low
and
zero-emissions
vehicle
technologies
in
the
U.S.

Richard
Varner,
Chairman
of
the
Board
for
the
Petersen
Automotive
Museum,
will
moderate
the
panel.
With
a
career
spanning
four
decades
in
the
petroleum
industry’s
midstream
sector,
Varner
is
also
a
founding
partner
of
MotoAmerica
motorcycle
road
racing
championship.
His
extensive
experience
makes
him
a
key
figure
in
this
discussion.

Mike
Spagnola,
President
and
CEO
of
SEMA
since
2022,
brings
over
40
years
of
experience
in
the
specialty
auto
parts
industry.
His
background
includes
more
than
20
years
of
product
development
and
project
vehicle
work.
Spagnola’s
insights
into
specialty
equipment
will
be
valuable
to
the
conversation.

Jim
Baumbick
serves
as
Vice
President
of
Product
Development
Operations
and
Quality
at
Ford
Motor
Company.
He
oversees
all
Ford
Blue
internal
combustion
engine
products
and
collaborates
closely
with
Doug
Field
on
broader
vehicle
development.
Baumbick’s
role
is
crucial
for
understanding
Ford’s
approach
to
future
automotive
technologies.

Ben
Speciale
is
President
of
Yamaha
U.S.
Marine
Business
Unit.
He
manages
all
U.S.-based
marine
activities
and
subsidiaries
while
serving
as
Chief
Sales
and
Marketing
Officer
for
Marine
Engines
and
Boat
Power
Systems
(BPS).
Speciale’s
expertise
in
marine
technology
adds
a
unique
perspective
to
the
panel.

Andy
Walz,
President
of
Chevron’s
Americas
Products,
optimizes
Chevron’s
fuels,
base
oils,
and
lubricants
supply
chains
across
North
and
Latin
America.
He
also
oversees
marketing
and
sales
for
Chevron
and
Texaco
fuel
brands.
Walz’s
role
highlights
the
importance
of
efficient
fuel
supply
chains
in
future
automotive
technologies.

Cooper
Ericksen
is
Senior
Vice
President
of
Product,
Battery
Electric
Vehicles
(BEVs),
and
Mobility
Planning
and
Strategy
for
Toyota
Motor
North
America
(TMNA).
He
handles
planning
and
strategy
for
all
vehicles
sold
in
North
America,
including
BEV
development.
Ericksen’s
focus
on
electric
vehicles
is
essential
for
discussing
sustainable
automotive
solutions.

Event
Details

The
discussion
will
occur
on
Thursday,
August
15
at
10
a.m.
PST
during
Monterey
Car
Week
at
Concours
Village
across
from
the
driving
range
on
Forest
Lake
and
Stevenson
in
Pebble
Beach,
CA
93953.
This
event
aims
to
explore
current
developments
in
low
and
zero-emissions
vehicle
technologies
within
the
U.S.

The
panel
promises
to
provide
valuable
insights
into
how
different
sectors
are
approaching
sustainable
automotive
solutions.
Attendees
can
expect
to
hear
about
advancements
from
various
perspectives
within
the
industry.

This
gathering
offers
an
opportunity
for
media
representatives
to
gain
firsthand
knowledge
from
leading
experts
in
automotive
fuel
technologies.
The
event
underscores
a
collaborative
effort
towards
achieving
lower
emissions
in
vehicles.

The
discussion
is
expected
to
cover
various
aspects
such
as
product
development
operations,
marketing
strategies
for
new
technologies,
and
optimizing
supply
chains
for
better
efficiency.
Each
participant
brings
a
wealth
of
knowledge
that
will
contribute
to
a
comprehensive
understanding
of
future
trends.

The
event
concludes
with
an
emphasis
on
collaboration
among
different
sectors
to
drive
innovation
in
automotive
fuel
technologies.
This
collective
effort
aims
to
pave
the
way
for
more
sustainable
transportation
solutions
globally.

Please
RSVP
in
advance
by
contacting
Diana
Brennan
at
[email protected]
or
calling
707-334-98222
to
confirm
attendance
at
this
significant
event
during
Monterey
Car
Week.