Auction Academy held its Spring Session in late April, when the Third and Fourth Class Groups met as one large assembly for a series of events in the Baltimore area.

The Session began with presentations by Todd August of Avis/Budget Remarketing and Frank Hackett, CEO of the National Auto Auction Association (NAAA).  The next day the group traveled to NADA Headquarters in McLean, VA for a condensed and focused version of NADA Dealer Academy. The discussions were led by Michael Hayes, NADA instructor and former NAAA Executive Director, who walked the group through an intensive training session titled, "Through the Eyes of the Dealer," which covered numerous aspects of franchise dealer operations.

That evening, the group was hosted for dinner in Annapolis, MD by BSC America Chairman Raymond Nichols, and BSC America Companies (including Bel Air and Tallahassee Auto Auctions) Vice President, Michelle Nichols as well as members of the staff of Bel Air Auto Auction. Mr. Nichols reviewed with the group the history of his family’s involvement in banking and asset management, explaining how those business activities led to the family’s acquisitions of Bel Air and Tallahassee Auto Auctions as well as BSC America’s Specialty Sale Operations and asset liquidations.

The following morning the group toured BSC’s Bel Air Auto Auction and met with additional members of the auction staff.

“We cannot thank the Nichols family enough for their hospitality and the time they spent with the two Class Groups from Auction Academy in their hometown of Annapolis,” said Richard Curtis, Academy President. “We spent a wonderful evening in a beautiful setting directly across from the US Naval Academy, an occasion made even more memorable by the information and insights that Ray Nichols shared with all of us. The tour of Bel Air Auto Auction was a tremendous learning experience as well, as the group was able to observe the operations of one of the country’s leading auction facilities.”

Added David Pendergraft of DAA Northwest, who attended the combined session as a member of the Auction Academy’s Fourth Class Group:  “The training offered by Auction Academy is a tremendous benefit to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge and understanding of the auto auction business, whether they’re new to the  industry or a seasoned veteran. No other program provides the opportunity to intimately learn from our industry’s key executives, offer in-depth operational walkthroughs with auction pioneers like Mr. Ray Nichols, or help build lifetime connections with other auction leaders. The value of the education Auction Academy provides is priceless, to both the individuals undergoing the training and by extension to the companies for which they work.”

Moving into the third quarter of the year, Auction Academy’s Third and Fourth Class Groups will meet in individual sessions.  Class 4 will convene in Spokane, Washington from July 13th through 16th, as they are hosted by DAA Northwest in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of its renowned Rock & Roll Sale.  Class 3 will meet later in the summer at Brasher’s Salt Lake Auto Auction, August 27th through 29th.

Auction Academy has recently introduced a new Seminar Series, designed as intensive single-day sessions focused on a specific discipline related to remarketing and the auto auction industry. The first of these events, a Digital Managers Session, is scheduled for July 27th and 28th in Chicago.

Said Auction Academy CEO, Pierre Pons, “We had been discussing for some time the need in our industry for shorter, more focused sessions that bring together managers from specific disciplines, in contrast to the regular two-year Academy program which takes a broader approach, covering many topics and areas. The response to this initial Digital Managers Session has been overwhelming; not only did the session quickly sell out, but now stands at 30% more participants than we had originally anticipated. I look forward to the interaction of representatives from some 30 independent auctions on this session’s very timely focus to Internet Remarketing and its impact on our industry.”

The Auction Academy is a continuing education program developed by TPC Management Company (TPC) for professionals in the auto auction industry. It’s core program provides a two-year training and development experience for automotive auction professionals, structured like an Executive MBA program. The Academy plans to also continue the shorter single-day concentrated sessions that will be topic or discipline specific. With faculty drawn from expert practitioners around the country, Auction Academy’s programs are designed to enhance essential skill sets, promote best practices and yield better auction performance. The curriculum includes site visits, field trips and work with industry experts in all areas of auction operations.

For additional information about Auction Academy, contact Richard Curtis by email:  rcurtis@auctionacademy.net, or by telephone: (615) 591-0316; or visit the web site at www.auctionacademy.net.