Auction Academy, the professional training program developed by TPC Management Company, reports that the 2016 academic year has seen the introduction of a number of robust training sessions and the graduation of its third class group.

In February, the Academy launched a full schedule of its new seminar series, beginning with a dealer sales session. About 30 dealer sales managers, from as many independent auctions, convened in the Nashville area for a day of intense presentations and discussions on the various aspects, opportunities, and challenges facing their dealer consignment business segment.

The Spring Session in May, also held in Nashville, included 35 digital/internet managers from independent auto auctions around the country, who met for presentations from and discussions about some of the industry’s leading online platforms and service providers, including OVE, Openlane, Smart Auction, Auction Edge, Xcira (whose product, OnLine Ringman, and EDGE Simulcast are used by many of the auctions), AutoIMS and Liquid Motors.

Auction Academy’s seminar series offers sessions once per quarter focusing different on specific disciplines within the auto auction business. 

“As with all of the Seminar Series Sessions, the real magic starts in the afternoon when the presenters depart and the attendees can openly and candidly talk among themselves,” said Randall McCathren, COO of Auction Academy.  “The conversations cover best practices, and the application of unique solutions from one auction to solve a problem at another.  It is by far the most dynamic setting I have ever seen for industry discussions.”

This spring Auction Academy also marked the graduation of class Group 3 during the CAR Conference in Las Vegas, following the completion of its two-year curriculum.

Class Group 4, the largest Auction Academy group to date, met in Birmingham, Alabama in February for a session hosted at the AutoTec corporate headquarters with field trips to both ABC Birmingham and ADESA Birmingham. Class Group 4 met again in May at State Line Auto Auction in Waverly, N.Y. for training that included in depth reviews from each of the auction’s department managers reviewing how each area of the business operates.

 In the second half of 2016, Auction Academy has scheduled two seminar series sessions in Nashville: the Fleet/Lease Managers’ session on Sept. 26-27 and the Compliance Session on Dec. 5-6. Also, Class 4 Group will head to in Dallas from August 24-26 for their seventh session hosted by America’s Auto Auction, and scheduled to also include presentations from American Honda Finance and Santander/Chrysler Credit. This group will graduate during their final session scheduled for Nov. 14-17 in Las Vegas, in conjunction with this year’s NRC/NAAA Conference