WAVERLY, NY – Lot Operations Manager Durward “Dur” Schwartzhoff recently celebrated an anniversary to remember at State Line Auto Auction. This year marked Dur’s 20th year with auction, an occasion marked by his induction into State Line’s “20-Year Club”, an exclusive group that now includes ten members who have spent two or more decades working at the auction facility in Waverly, New York.

Schwartzhoff first met auction owner Jeff Barber in early 1989 after answering an ad in the paper following a cross-country trip to New York from Colorado on Super Bowl Sunday. A week later, he reported for work in the recon shop, and has never looked back. He spent approximately eight years in recon, including several years as recon manager, before moving outdoors to manage lot operations.

“It’s a big job, keeping track of all the vehicles that come through here every week,” explains Schwartzhoff, who oversees a crew of about 80 drivers on sale day. “We run eight lanes every Friday, and a GM Factory sale every other Thursday. I make sure all the vehicles are marked and moved, whether they’re heading for the body shop, the recon shop, or to their spots for sale day.”

“The work doesn’t stop rain or shine, and we’ve never cancelled a sale,” Schwartzhoff notes proudly, remembering that not even the famous blizzard of ’94 stopped the crew from holding a sale. “Jeff was out of town at an auction meeting, and there was three feet of snow on the ground and piled on the cars. We were frantic trying to move the cars from the lot to the auction arena, but we did it!”

“I can’t imagine a better place to work than State Line Auto Auction,” said Schwartzhoff. “I thoroughly enjoy the people I work with, both the auction staff and the dealers who come for the sale, and it seems that you learn something new every day. The work is challenging, sometimes exciting, and always rewarding. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll be here in 2029 to mark my 40th anniversary!”