Governor Whitmer’s social media footage at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s team filmed her opening the tailgate of a Detroit Lions-themed Ford F-150 at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show.
- Sam Clemmett, 41, took over the role from Rod Alberts, who stepped down after more than 30 years of fame as the show grew, including the Detroit show, which became an international show.
- The past decade has been tough for all auto shows, with manufacturers adjusting their marketing plans and budgets, forcing them to adjust, scale back, or even close, like the Geneva show in Switzerland.
Growing up, Sam Clemett dreamed of becoming the next Ernie Harwell or George Blaha, spending hours reading newspaper box scores of Detroit Tigers and Pistons games on a tape recorder, adding personal commentary to each game.
This will be great training for a future job in the broadcast industry after graduating from Michigan State University.
A talent for talking and storytelling are skills that I have put to frequent use over the past 20 months in my most recent job as Executive Director of the Detroit Automobile Dealers Association. It’s an influential role as the organization of 285 dealers hosts the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, which opens Jan. 14-25 at Huntington Place in Detroit.
Clemet, 41, took over the role from Rod Alberts, who stepped down after more than 30 years of fame as the show grew, including the Detroit show, which became an international show.
The past decade has been tough for all auto shows, with manufacturers adjusting their marketing plans and budgets, forcing them to adjust, scale back, or even close, like the Geneva show in Switzerland.
As Detroit shows continue to change, Clemet is trying to attract new audiences and attention. The Detroit Auto Show launched its “My Drive. My City. My Show” campaign last year and has been participating in events throughout the year.
The campaign was praised, and Clemett received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences this spring (he graduated from MSU in 2007 with a degree in broadcast journalism).
“Sam is visionary, proactive, and not afraid to go in new directions, which is why we hired him,” said Dave Arland of Arland Communications, adding that Clemet quickly became his “right-hand man.”
Paul Jacobs of local media company Jacobs Media, who has known Clemmett for many years, added: “Sam represents a generational shift. He has a broad understanding of media and marketing culture, and he presents it in a very compelling way. At the car show, he represents the whole next generation industry and where it’s going.”
Before the opening of the Huntington Place show in Detroit, I asked Clemmett a few questions (his answers have been edited for length).
Question: What was it like being in the driver’s seat at the Detroit show?
answer: It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime honor. I know what the Detroit Auto Show means to this city, this state, and the people who built this industry. It was the hardest job of my career, but also the most rewarding. Size, expectations, and history all raise the bar. At the same time, I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface of what this show will be.
Q: What have been your highlights and biggest challenges so far?
answer: The biggest highlight is collaboration. Putting together the 2026 show means welcoming new partners, new ideas and entirely new activities. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat around a table with people I would never normally be in the same room with. They came because they care so much about this show.
The biggest challenge is breaking down the perception of what a car show is or what people think a car show should be. The 2026 Detroit Auto Show isn’t trying to recreate the past. Here in the Motor City, we’re here to get you excited for what’s next.
Q: You have started broadcasting… Please tell us about that.
answer: I jumped into the world of broadcasting when I had the chance. My first job was as a radio reporter for WJBD in Salem, Illinois. From there, he moved to Pine City, Minn., where he was hired as news and sports director at WCMP/WXCX, where he built the news and sports department. I then spent several years in public radio, first at WBAA in West Lafayette (Indiana) on the campus of Purdue University, covering local news and Big Ten sports. That led to a role at WFYI in Indianapolis.
Q: So you moved on to a policy position, such as at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters?
answer: After WFYI, I worked in public relations for a year before joining Dave Arland and Arland Communications, which manages the Indiana Broadcasting Corporation. My role was to work with broadcasters across the state. It was my first real exposure to policy, government relations, and industry advocacy. And then it clicked. I was then hired as President and CEO of the Michigan Broadcasters Association in 2021. Focused on building the industry’s future, we launched the Great Lakes Broadcast and Sports Media Academy at Ford Field, led the award-winning “Be There” campaign, and helped revitalize broadcast industry recruiting.
Q: We’re working to expand the reach of the Detroit Auto Show…tell us a little about that.
answer: There’s too much competition for people’s attention for us to show up a few weeks before the event and say, “See you in January.” The Detroit Auto Show should be a year-round platform. Yes, we’re putting on a world-class show in January, but we’re also building momentum and connections with our community and industry. That’s where our “My Drive. My City. My Show” campaign is so impactful. This has allowed us to connect with people, especially new audiences and car enthusiasts.
Q: How do you think the show is evolving?
answer: For a long time, the Detroit Auto Show was primarily known as a media show. These days, it’s seen as a consumer show. I think the next era will be something different. content show. That means it can be the place where OEMs unveil their vehicles for the first time and make international news. But it’s also a place where people can hear from newsmakers and industry leaders about where mobility is headed, where content creators can engage with the industry and share their moments with a global audience, and where ideas can spread far beyond the show floor.
Contact Carol Kane clcain@cbs.com. She is a senior producer and host of “.michigan problem” airs Sundays at 5:30 a.m. on CBS Detroit and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on The CW Detroit 50. This week’s show features Huntington Place’s Brian Crowe, Becky Bixby and Douglas Trueblood, as well as Delta Dental’s Margaret Trimmer and Dr. Carla Jones. The show is also available to watch simultaneously on a list of two stations: Fubu, Pluto TV, YouTube TV, and Apple TV.
