The TPC Management Co.’s continuing education program for auction professionals, Auction Academy, has hosted two successful classes in the first half of the year and has two more scheduled in the next two months.

The program, designed to enhance essential skills sets, promote best practices and yield better auction performance, will host a session for “Class 4” in Spokane, Wash., next week (Monday through Thursday). The fourth class of the year will be hosted by DAA Northwest in conjunction with its 20th Anniversary Rock & Roll Sale.

Meanwhile, a session for Class 3 will be hosted August 27 through August 29 at Brasher’s Salt Lake Auto Auction.

TPC recently wrapped up hosting both the Class 3 and Class 4 groups jointly in the Baltimore area at the end of April, beginning with presentations by Todd August of Avis/Budget Remarketing and Frank Hackett, the chief exetcutive officer of the National Auto Auction Association. The group then traveled to the NADA headquarters in McLean, Va., for a version of the NADA Dealer Academy before being hosted to dinner by BSC America executives and Bel Air Auto Auction staff members in Annapolis, Md.

David Pendergraft of DAA Northwest reflected on his experience at the combined session as a member of the Auction Academy’s Class 4 group.

“The training offered by Auction Academy is a tremendous benefit to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge and understanding of the auto auction business, whether they’re new to the industry or a seasoned veteran,” Pendergraft said. “No other program provides the opportunity to intimately learn from our industry’s key executives, offer in-depth operational walkthroughs with auction pioneers like Mr. Ray Nichols, or help build lifetime connections with other auction leaders. The value of the education Auction Academy provides is priceless, to both the individuals undergoing the training and by extension the companies for which they work.”

Auction Academy also plans to introduce a shorter, more intense Seminar Series to focus on a specific discipline related to remarketing and the auction industry. The first of these events, titled as Digital Managers Session, is scheduled for July 27 and 28 in Chicago.

“We had been discussing for some time the need in our industry for shorter, more focused sessions that bring together managers from specific disciplines, in contrast to the regular two-year Academy program which takes a broader approach, covering many topics and areas,” said Pierre Pons, the program’s chief executive officer. “The response to this initial Digital Managers Session has been overwhelming; not only did the session quickly sell out, but now stands at 30 percent more participants than we had originally anticipated. I look forward to the interaction of representatives from some 30 independent auctions on this session’s very timely focus to internet remarketing and its impact on our industry.”

For more information on Auction Academy, visit its site here.