MAY 2021 ‘69 Road Runner sells for $42K MILITARY MISSIONS IN ACTION RECEIVES PROCEEDS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL AUTO AUCTION ASSOCIATION WWW.NAAA.COM WWW.NIADA.COM 2 | NAAA ON THE BLOCK | MAY 2021 www.naaa.com IN THIS ISSUE ON THE BLOCK MAGAZINE VOL. 8 NO. 3 Departments President’s Message President Picard welcomes all to start anew at the NAAA Reconnection Event in Chicago. THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE 04 NATIONAL AUTO AUCTION ASSOCIATION Cover Story Dealership remodeling contest raises $43K at the Greenboro Auto Auction 06 Palace for a worthy cause. Employee Profile Faces Behind the Block featuring ADESA San Antonio’s General Manager. 08 read us online www.naaa.com • www.niada.com Member Notes Click on ads to link directly to their websites. Auction Edge, Sr. Account Manager reflects on his auction roots. 09 previous issues Associate Member Spotlight Beginning to end technology with RunBuggy gets the job done. 10 Xcira flagship simulcast program expands into fine arts and livestock. Auction Community Two auctions provide their facilities for community mass March 2021 January 2021 11 vaccination centers. Dealers Auction Xchange fosters care and donations to foster families. Akron Auto Auction hosts an Olympic-style staff competition to raise funds and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. Louisiana’s 1st Choice Auto Auction answers the call to give back. Committee Focus November 2020 September 2020 Connecting, building relationships and listening is a component for success On the Block Wants To Hear From You. 17 according to Education and Training Committee member Toni Williams. Tell Us What You Think! On the Block encourages its readers to send comments, opinions and suggestions about Auction News the publication. The Xtreme Spring Sale is back at Manheim Pennsylvania. Letters can be emailed to [email protected]. One year later after a tornado, Manheim Nashville shares its comeback. Include your full name, address and phone 17 number. We may be unable to publish some Manheim announces promotions of General and Auction Managers. submissions and may edit submissions for length Nearly $100 Million in 2021 investments are made at Manheim. and clarity. This is a great opportunity to hear back from our readers on what you think about the articles and what topics you would like to see covered in future issues. Visit us on Facebook & LinkedIn www.naaa.com MAY 2021 | NAAA ON THE BLOCK | 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Getting Back to Getting Together As someone who loves the great outdoors, I’m always happy when spring arrives to get into the open air, filled with the freshness of blooming flowers, budding trees, and growing grass. And this year, I’m sure we all share the desire to emerge from our COVID caves to (safely, of course) enjoy the season’s renewal and reconnecting with life. Beginning with this May issue of On The Block, you’ll notice several new features that will introduce you to some of the National Auto Auction Association’s members. Through these regular columns, you’ll meet those who work in various jobs behind the block in an auc- tion employee profile, learn about the volunteers who serve on NAAA’s various committees and discover some of the businesses that comprise our many associate members. I believe making these connections is important, especially during the pandemic era’s social distancing. Because more than anything else, our industry is built on — and still depends on — relationships. Whether yesterday, today, or tomorrow, building strong bonds with our colleagues, clients, employees, and vendors is the constant in changing times that allows us to continue to progress and succeed. After nearly 30 years in this business, I still love it because of the people who are part of it. It’s why I enthusiastically took on my new role with Cox Automotive to strengthen our Julie Picard industry partnerships. It’s why I feel strongly about finding ways to retain and cultivate NAAA President the personal connections among NAAA members, even if it means as president conducting virtual auction visits. And that’s why I’m excited to announce that NAAA will return to host an annual gathering this fall in the Windy City! The NAAA Reconnection Event will be held September 28-30 at the Chicago Hilton. Pro Football Hall of Famer, ABC Dancing with the Stars winner, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Emmitt Smith will give the keynote speech. In addition to conducting the business of the association, this occasion will have plenty of time for socializing and networking to renew and re-engage with industry leaders, experts, peers, and friends. We feel returning to an annual gathering is essential to maintaining the continuity of our ritual of coming together for 73 years and restoring some normality in this time of disruption and disorder in daily life. So mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. I look forward to this time when we can get out from behind our screens and get back to getting together in person! 4 | NAAA ON THE BLOCK | MAY 2021 www.naaa.com COVER STORY When the pandemic slowed the pace of work in his dealerships, John Hiester filled his Time to Remodel mechanics’ hours with a competition to fix up 14 classic cars for a charity auction. The team members from John Hiester Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Sanford who produced the winning 1969 Plymouth Road Runner take a moment to pose for a photo. From left to right: Harold Holt, technician; Leroy Soule, technician and shop foreman; Gibb Lum, service manager; and John Hiester, owner of Hiester Automotive Group. The four North Carolina car dealerships of Hiester Automotive Group Hiester realized the challenge was to find something that would not just occupy always bustled with business, keeping the service technicians hustling their time but that would be an interesting project where they could employ from when the doors opened to closing time. Then came COVID-19. their professional skills and take pride in the product. His solution? An old vehicle remodeling contest and charity auction with the dealerships competing As the pandemic grew without relief in sight, impacting the nation’s against each other to raise money for nonprofit organizations. economy and slowing the dealerships’ usual fast-paced workload to a crawl, the mechanics came to owner John Hiester concerned about the “I knew all the mechanics loved classic cars but they never had time to potential loss of hours or even jobs. He listened and told them he’d find work on them because they’re always busy with our customers,” Hiester more work for them. (Continued on page 7) The 1969 Plymouth Road Runner, which won the online Fan Vote for the Count’s Kulture and Hiester Automotive Restoration Challenge, sold for $42,000. That money was donated by the Hiester Cares Foundation directly to Military Missions in Action, the non-profit chosen by the winning team. 6 | NAAA ON THE BLOCK | MAY 2021 www.naaa.com COVER STORY says. “I thought this would be a great way to provide some work while having fun doing it and doing something good for the community.” So he purchased 14 road-worn, weather-beat- en sets of wheels to divide among the deal- ership teams — a 1975 Chevrolet Camaro, 1972 Dodge Dart, 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger, 1969 Plymouth Road Runner, 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, 1978 Jeep J10 Golden Eagle, 1978 Jeep CJ5, 1965 Chevrolet C10, 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 1972 Chevrolet C10, 1984 Chevrolet K10 4x4, 1970 Dodge D100 pickup, 1988 Dodge Ramcharger, and 1991 Chevrolet K1500. And from there the automotive group’s intramural match began to snowball. Hearing about the friendly competition’s charity goal, Ally Financial volunteered to help promote it by asking YouTuber Danny Koker, host of the History (L to R): Gibb Lum, Service Manager, Hiester CDJR of Sanford, John Hiester, President & CEO of Hiester Automotive Group, Harold Holt, service technician, First Motor Cars in Texas representative who bought the winning vehicle, Leroy Soule, service technician and shop foreman, Russ Williams, Channel’s popular Counting Cars show, to enlist Senior Account Director, Ally Bank, Mike Dorman, President of Military Missions in Action, Tina Dorman, wife of Mike Dorman, Jeff Jenkins, Executive his support. He agreed to post regular videos Director, Ally Bank, and Matt Arnold, Senior Vice President of Southeast Region, Ally Bank. following the project’s progress and highlighting each of the finished vehicles. His audience of gearheads and auto aficionados narrowed down the field over the weeks to the top $ seven vehicles before casting a final vote to name the winner. ’69 Road Runner sells for 42,000 to First Motor Cars in Texas. The team of Leroy Soule and Harold Holt from the group’s smallest dealership, Hiester Chrysler Dodge, Jeep, Ram in Sanford, NC, earned the honor of the best remodel job with their work restoring the 1969 Plymouth John Hiester added the $1,000 prize he won as one of the day’s five draw- Road Runner. Now it was time to find out what it would bring on the block ing winners to the charitable proceeds, for a total donation of $43,000 to for the team’s charity of choice — Military Missions in Action, a nonprofit Military Missions in Action. dedicated to assisting veterans with disabilities, members of the U.S. Armed “We always like to help charities and help out in the community any way Forces, and their families. we can, so we appreciate the opportunity to be involved in this project,” To handle the sale of the winner, along with its 13 competitors, North says Greensboro Auto Auction General Manager Jerry Barker.