Friday, Jan. 17, 2014,

Auction Academy, a continuing education program for auto industry professionals, held a joint class session in Detroit that featured visits to Flint Auto Auction and General Motors World Headquarters.

The session included both current class groups — the Managers Group and the Next Generation/Sons and Daughters Group — for a combined total of 32 students, to close out the academy’s 2013 calendar year.

“We had all been looking forward to the Detroit session and it proved to be every bit as valuable as we had anticipated,” said Richard Curtis, president of Auction Academy. “All participants had an opportunity for great exposure in each segment of the joint session.”

Developed by TPC Management Co., the academy is structured like an Executive MBA program, with tracks for both the next generation and current auction leaders designed to enhance skill sets and promote best practices.

The final session of the year included a discussion with Bill Williams, co-owner of Flint Auto Auction, and a hands-on tour of Flint operations. 

The group also heard from Joe White, automotive editor for the Wall Street Journal, who shared insights from his attendance at auto shows worldwide.  

The class visited General Motors’ World Headquarters offices for a presentation by Dan Kennedy, manager of remarketing for General Motors Fleet & Commercial, on manufacturer remarketing programs, and toured ONSTAR operations offices.

Keith Whann of WhannTech presented to the group on auto auction technologies, followed by a tour at Ford’s Rouge Plant, hosted by Scott Kolb, CAI, CAR and United Road executives. 

“It was a pleasure to host Auction Academy in Detroit, and there is certainly no better factory tour in the country than the one provided by Ford at the legendary Rouge manufacturing plant where the best-selling F150 truck is assembled,” Kolb said.  

United Road is a sponsor of Auction Academy.  

Rounding out the session were presentations by Pierre Pons of TPC Management on leadership, and by Doug Holland of Direct Auction Services on OSHA safety standards.

Auction Academy’s February session is planned for the Managers Group in Birmingham, Ala., hosted by Auction Insurance Agency, and in March, the academy’s first graduating class, the Sons and Daughters Group, will graduate at the CAR/IARA/NAAA conference in Las Vegas.