As leaders of many family-owned businesses, ServNet owners take a strong interest in their employees, says Greater Rockford Auto Auction owner Ryan Clark.

“ServNet’s scholarship program is a great way for us to encourage the members of our auction families and to help lay the groundwork for the next generation that follows,” Clark said in a news release.

Clark is a member of ServNet’s board of directors, overseeing the auction group’s scholarship program. ServNet established the program in 2016 as an ongoing initiative to help ServNet auction employees and their families pursue their higher-education dreams. During its spring owners meeting in April, ServNet announced the 2019 recipients of the group’s scholarship program.

ServNet started the program to help full-time ServNet auction employees, their children, stepchildren and grandchildren planning to pursue education in college or vocational school programs.

Dane Rogers, son of Lisa Simmons of DAA Northwest, is one of those students. Rogers, who received a $1,500 scholarship, will attend Spokane Community College in the fall, beginning a two-year training program as a hydraulic and pneumatic automation technician.

Clark said employees and associates at ServNet auctions around the country have enthusiastically supported ServNet's scholarship program. Clark also said several students have applied for and received the ServNet scholarship in multiple years.

“ServNet's scholarship program is both an important way to support the families who work so hard in our industry and to invest in our collective future,” Clark said.

Clark said the group awarded $18,000 in scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. The awards will be distributed in increments of six awards of $2,500 to students attending a four-year college or university, and two awards of $1,500 for students attending a two-year college.

In addition to Rogers, others receiving the scholarships are:

$1,500 scholarship for study at a two-year college

— Zoe Friedel (daughter of Jennifer Friedel of Bel Air Auto Auction) is a sophomore at Glendale Community College. She is pursuing coursework in preparation for her application for the nursing program. While in high school, she worked at Bel Air Auto Auction for two summers.

$2,500 scholarships for study at a 4-year college or university 

— Anne Dabroski (daughter of Joseph Dabroski, who works at State Line Auto Auction) is a senior at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pa., majoring in digital media. This year, she receives her third ServNet scholarship award, with previous awards in 2017 and 2018.

— Keith Dabroski is the second of Joseph Dabroski's children to receive a ServNet scholarship, and he begins his sophomore year at Grove City College just outside Pittsburgh. He is majoring in physics with a minor in astronomy.

— Kayleigh Elliott (daughter of Dan Elliott of DAA Northwest), is pursuing a degree in nursing and will attend Washington State University in the fall.

— Michaela Long, (daughter of Kelly Long of DAA Seattle), who attends Washington State University, is working toward degrees in psychology and exercise & nutrition physiology. She was a 2018 ServNet scholarship recipient.

— Margaret (Maggie) Roszko (daughter of Marsha Roszko of Bel Air Auto Auction) will start her junior year at Frostburg State University this fall. She is majoring in early childhood education.

— Max Willis (son of Greenville Auto Auction's general manager Billy Willis) is a Western Carolina University sophomore majoring in business.