Auction Academy president Penny Wanna is leaving 2025 feeling energized about the executive development program.

The academy’s 14th year included the culmination of one class and the beginning of the next, as well as new sponsors and industry awards, all of which Auction Academy said reflects its “commitment to leadership development, innovation and collaboration” in the auto remarketing sector.

“This has been one of the most energizing periods in our program’s history,” Wanna said. “We are immensely proud of Class 8 and all their accomplishments and equally excited about the momentum Class 9 is generating. Our sponsors, industry presenters and host auctions have been, and continue to be, invaluable partners, and we thank them for their unwavering support.”

Auction Academy’s Class 8 completed its two-year program in April with a final session and graduation ceremony in San Diego, in conjunction with the CAR/ARA Spring Conference. The event included a gala attended by alumni, sponsors, industry associates, leaders and supporters to celebrate the accomplishments of the 30 students.

Auction Academy’s latest group, Class 9, opened in February with a first session in Nashville, Tenn., and reached its halfway point with an October meeting in Detroit, following meetings in Phoenix and Dallas.

Class 9 will reconvene in Birmingham in February with the AutoTec companies, and will meet in May in conjunction with a full-day workshop by NADA’s Michael Hayes in Baltimore, as well as in July at DAA Northwest’s Rock and Roll Sale in Spokane, Wash. Graduation will be held during the NAAA World Remarketing Convention, set for Sept. 28-Oct. 1 in Seattle.

Auction Academy added three new sponsors in 2025, bringing AuctionNet, RunBuggy and Pinnacle Remarketing, Powered by Location Services into the fold.

“Our sponsors are integral to Auction Academy’s success,” Wanna said. “Their generosity has enabled us to expand beyond our original vision. Support from our sponsors ensures we can continue to offer exceptional education, industry opportunities and engagement to our students.”

The year also included a pair of prestigious honors, including ARA’s its Excellence in Teamwork Award, presented during its Summer Roundtable, for the academy’s “rich contributions to the remarketing community.” In accepting the award, Wanna called it “especially meaningful, as it honors teams that model collaboration, innovation and shared success.”

Auction Academy founder and CEO Pierre Pons was presented with the NAAA Hall of Fame Award during the 2025 the World Remarketing Convention in Kansas City, Mo.

“Pierre’s contributions to the industry and his continued impact are seriously unmatched,” Wanna said. “This recognition is a testament to his leadership, dedication and passion for advancing automotive remarketing.”

Under Pons’ leadership, Auction Academy launched its first class in 2011 as a “next generation” program for the sons and daughters of longtime auction owners and has since expanded to include young leaders from across the auction industry.

“We could not be more proud of the incredible people who make up Auction Academy,” Wanna said. “Every class, every alum, every sponsor, every faculty presenter, every auction that has opened its doors to us, and every partner who has joined us along the way, is part of the foundation that allows us to serve this industry we care so deeply about.”