WAVERLY, N.Y. -

Jim Horton, general manager at State Line Auto Auction, recently celebrated his 25th year with the Waverly, N.Y., company. A quarter century that Horton says has “flown by.”

"It sounds like a cliché, but it seems like only yesterday when I started my first day of work at the auction," said Horton.

"I can’t believe how fast the time has flown by. But, here I am a quarter of a century later and loving every minute of it," he added.

Horton joined three other long-time State Line employees, Keith Corneby, Connie Foley and Jim Terwilliger, in the auction’s “25-Year Club,” and State Line Auto Auction owner Jeff Barber honored Horton with a ceremony recognizing his achievement in mid April.

"I can’t say enough about what Jim has meant to State Line. He has handled our commercial account business for many, many years with great courtesy and professionalism to our many customers, both buyers and consignors," said Barber.

"In today’s environment, and especially in our service-based business, ‘it all comes down to people’, and Jim is one of our people who makes our long-term success possible. Although we have a beautiful modern facility with all of the latest and greatest technology, we wouldn’t have grown to be ‘New York’s Largest Auto Auction’ without Jim and our other great people,” he added.

Horton’s first experience in the auction business came in the early ’80’s as a customer. At the time, Horton was working as a district manager for a truck rental/leasing car company. He apparently had just begun researching auctions for remarketing his off-lease and rental units when his secretary called to say that Barber was on the line, waiting to talk to him.

"It’s amazing how things work out," said Horton. "I was looking for an auction, and Jeff Barber showed up, he couldn’t have arrived at a better time!"

"Jeff has a knack for doing just that,” he added.

Horton spent the next 18 months learning everything he could about the auction business from the customer’s side and then at Barber’s request, made a move to work for State Line. Soon after moving to the "auction side" of the business, Horton was promoted to State Line’s marketing manager.

"I really didn’t know what a marketing manager did, but it was an offer that was too good to refuse," remembers Horton. "I had come to admire Jeff tremendously as a businessman and as a friend and would do anything Jeff asked."

Horton moved up from marketing manager to general manager in the mid ‘90’s and says it’s the “family atmosphere” that keeps auction customers coming back.

"After 25 years, I still get the same great reports from our customers about the auction," said Horton. “Our dealers tell us that they like coming here because they feel like they’re part of the family. It’s that family atmosphere that impresses me the most, and makes working here a tremendous experience week after week, year after year. I’m ready to start the next 25."

To mark the general manager’s 25th year at the auction, he received a month’s paid vacation.

"My biggest challenge is to get Jim to take his ‘month off’," Barber said. "Our other 25-year members —Connie, Keith, and Jimmy T. — all took a month of vacation when they reached this milestone. Jim is so far resisting the four week break, but I’m trying to twist his arm, and I hope I succeed!"