In part to help the organization make the transition for its annual convention to be a part of Used Car Week, the National Auto Auction Association announced the appointment of two staff members to new positions in a reorganization of its management structure.

NAAA explained the change, effective immediately, will streamline operations and enhance internal communications for greater efficiency in producing meetings for the organization, which represents 328 member auctions and 100 associate members from a wide range of industry related fields.

Sue Saris was promoted to administrative manager from executive assistant. A 21-year veteran with NAAA, Saris will be responsible for the planning and implementation of NAAA’s conferences and seminars as well as continuing to manage the office along with NAAA’s initiative to host combined events with strategic partners in the industry.

Tricia Heon has been named operations manager after serving three years as NAAA’s legislative and information manager. While encompassing her previous government liaison, advocacy and leadership education duties, NAAA indicated Heon’s new role will involve working with industry partners to expand training and events for all association meetings and sponsorship development to enrich event programming.

The staff restructuring follows the departure of NAAA meetings and events manager Tom Dozier, who has accepted a position with another trade organization.

“We appreciate the contributions Tom made during his five years here that helped expand the networking and training opportunities for our membership with more webinars, educational sessions and speakers, which will continue under our new team,” NAAA chief executive officer Frank Hackett said. “But as we focus on joint events that provide those attending greater value in a single forum, we can reduce the duplication of staff effort by sharing the management tasks with our partners.”

Hackett noted that in 2010, NAAA’s co-sponsor agreement to unite its former Quad Zone spring meeting with the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) has been a success and grown to become a major industry event.

And in November 2016, NAAA will hold its inaugural combined annual convention with the National Remarketing Conference during Used Car Week. Cherokee Automotive Group — the parent of Auto Remarketing, Auto Remarketing Canada, SubPrime Auto Finance News and BHPH Report — and NAAA have already begun working closely together laying the groundwork for the event at the Red Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

This year’s Used Car Week also is being held at the Red Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Preliminary details about the National Remarketing Conference along with the CPO Forum, the SubPrime Forum and the Re3 Conference all can be found at www.usedcarweek.biz.