To wrap up another year of providing the wholesale and retail community with weekly auction price updates, Black Book editorial director Ricky Beggs offered a special two-part series.

In the end-of-year “Used Car Market Report”, Beggs sits down with National Auto Auction Association president Ellie Johnson and president-elect Mike Browning to discuss this year’s highlights as well as what’s in store for 2015.

In Part I of the Black Book interview, the two NAAA executives focused on a variety of topics, starting on a more personal note: a bit of background on the NAAA leaders.

Starting with Johnson, the almost 30-year industry veteran began her career 28 years ago at what is now known as Manheim North Carolina. The facility, formerly known as Aycock Auto Auction, was built by Johnson’s late father, Kenneth Aycock.

Johnson explained she held a variety of roles, ranging from title checker to business manager. She was named general manager in 1997.  

Browning, on the other hand, said he has “been in cars ever since I got out of school.” Starting on the retail side of the business, Browning began his career in the auction industry in 2003. Having worked at both Manheim Mississippi and Manheim New Orleans, Browning was named GM at Manheim San Antonio just this year.

Beggs also touched on recent industry events the two had attended, such as Auto Remarketing’s Used Car Week Conferences.

When asked one about one thing that caught her attention while at UCW, Johnson said,  “The majority of the attendees were the remarketers, the auction’s customers, it was how involved they were in the meetings and the programs. They are there to learn and they want to know how they can better our industry.”

When asked about industry reaction to the recent announcement that the NAAA Convention will be joining forces with Used Car Week in 2016, Browning said excitement is high.

Browning continued, “The fact that we have taken some travel days out of our schedules and brought them together and brought our customers, the remarketers and the auctions together for one good week is very well received and a lot of excitement.”

For the new year, the two leaders have a lot of auction visits planned, they said.

Johnson said they will be focusing on the New England area, such as Connecticut, and might make it up as far as Maine.

Regarding what NAAA leadership expects to gain from such visits, Browning said, “I hope to fill my tool box. Every geographic location or segment has a little bit something different, and I hope to bring a little bit of that back to not only our auction, but to the industry, and maybe some best practices."

The remainder of the interview will be posted on Monday, Jan. 5. To view Part I, see the video above.