ATLANTA – Cotton Edwards has been named general manager of Clanton’s Auto Auction in Darlington, S.C. Edwards succeeds Ray Clanton, whose family founded the auction and who will be serving as a consultant to the company until his retirement at the end of the year. Edwards most recently served as regional vice president of operations/Southeast for Manheim’s auto body repair business and was previously general manager of Statesville Auto Auction in Statesville, N.C.

Edwards joined Manheim in July 1993 when the company acquired Statesville Auto Auction, where had worked for 10 years in a variety of management positions. In January 1994, he was promoted to general manager at Statesville. In July 2003 he joined the corporate staff as general manager of special operations, a position he held until spring 2004 when he was named regional vice president of operations/Southeast of Manheim’s auto body repair operation.

Clanton joined Manheim in 1991 when the company purchased Clanton’s Auto Auction from General Electric Capital and has served as general manager of the facility ever since. He had been working at the auction since his father, J.C. Clanton, Sr., founded the facility in January 1943. For the first seven years, he held a variety of positions throughout the facility. Upon graduating from college in 1950, he began managing different areas of the company. In addition, he served as operator of the facility for a number of years.