Franklin, TN — Auction Academy has announced that enrollment for its newest class group – Class 8 – is complete. Now in its 12th year, Auction Academy is a leadership training program for professionals in the vehicle remarketing industry. It will launch Class 8 with a three-day meeting, August 17-19, in its home base of Nashville, Tennessee.
Says Penny Wanna, Academy President, “We are excited to meet in Nashville to launch o
ur next group of 30 students on their two-year journey. The curriculum includes quarterly meetings, alternating with digital/zoom sessions. Both formats include training led by experts in the remarketing field from all over the country.”
Class 8’s schedule in August leads off with a tour of the Nissan Manufacturing Plant, followed by the group’s opening session at Manheim’s Nashville Auto Auction. The group will participate in training sessions led by Charlie Vogelheim of Auction Academy, Eric Stevens of Littler Labor & Employment Law Solutions, Jeff Thomas and Rich Hardin of OVE, Dave Blake of DAA Seattle, and Lisa Franz of Big Valley Auto Auction.
“We are delighted to return to Manheim Nashville to begin the program for our newest Class Group,” says Academy co-founder and CEO Pierre Pons. “Long-time General Manager Sam Chapel will host the group and lead them on a tour of a very impressive facility as he introduces them to this auction’s top-notch team.”
Auction Academy marks a first with the enrollment of a commercial consignor in Class Group 8: Reshard Taylor, who has been in the Auto Finance Servicing industry since 2007. He started with PAR North America, based in Indianapolis, IN, where he held various roles within Repo and Remarketing operations. Before joining Exeter Finance in 2019 as a Regional Auction Manager, Reshard held a similar role with Santander Consumer USA/Chrysler Capital.
“Over our many years of industry training, Brent Huisman, Senior Vice President for Exeter Finance, has been a huge contributor to the Academy, presenting details of his remarketing program and processes to each Class Group,” explains Pons. “We are thrilled that he sees value in the training and development to the point of enrolling a key member of his remarketing staff.”
Added Huisman, “It has been my pleasure to work with Pierre, Penny and the Academy team over many years as the various Class Groups have met for training in Dallas. Getting an opportunity, now, to enroll one of our key managers will add a new dimension of understanding to industry processes and culture. It’s a show of our commitment to the auto auction process and the industry at large.”
Says Wanna, “Both Brent Huisman and his colleague Stephanie Compton, VP of Asset Remarketing at Exeter Finance, have been great supporters of Auction Academy for many years. It is wonderful to see the evidence of their commitment in the enrollment of the first Commercial Consignor in our next Class Group.”
“Over the years I have heard many Consignors refer to the auctions as Partners,” notes Pons. “But Exeter Finance under Brent and Stephanie’s leadership really exemplifies its commitment to that industry relationship.”
Exeter Finance LLC is an indirect auto finance company headquartered in Irving, Texas. Founded in 2006, the company underwrites, purchases, services, and securitizes retail installment contracts from U.S. automobile dealers. Exeter works with more than 12,000 dealers and over 500,000 customers nationwide providing indirect financing for both new and used vehicles. The company has a serviced finance portfolio of $8.5 billion. For more information, visit www.exeterfinance.com.