Two independent auctions collected accolades from a consignor that specializes in originating contracts within the subprime credit space.

Consumer Portfolio Services announced its 2017 auction award winners during a private ceremony at the CAR Conference earlier this month in Las Vegas.

This year’s CPS Top Gun Award as the finance company’s Auction of the Year was awarded to 166 Auto Auction from Springfield, Mo. To qualify for this award, the finance company indicated the auction must finish the year in the top 5 for large CPS volume sales in retention, then go through the voting process of the entire internal and external CPS remarketing teams.

CPS became partners with 166 AA in late 2014 and since then, 166 AA has gone on to receive the Operational Excellence Award in 2015 and the CPS Heavy Hammer Award in 2016 prior to earning the 2017 CPS Top Gun Award.

Ace Tetlow, assistant general manager at 166 AA, said, “The team at 166 Auto Auction is honored to receive this award and grateful for the partnership we have with CPS, truly a great company to partner with at the auction level.”

The 2017 CPS Heavy Hammer Award for highest sales retention went to KCI-Kansas City Independent Auto Auction of Kansas City, Mo. The Heavy Hammer Award is awarded to one CPS partner auction in the nation who achieved the highest sales retention for the entire year.

This was KCI’s first CPS auction award after coming extremely close on many other occasions.

“It’s an honor for our KCI team to achieve this award from CPS,” said Jennifer Leocardi, who is vice president of national sales for McConkey Auction Group. “All year long, we’re discussing and implementing ways to continue to build the best market for CPS vehicles, and we have obviously set the bar high.”

CPS remarketing manager Mike Scott added, “We are extremely proud to honor our top performing auctions each year through the auction award/recognition program.

“For the 2017 awards, we saw some familiar faces at the ceremony along with many auctions earning their first CPS award,” Scott went on to say. “The competition the program creates for the auctions is terrific and to watch the auctions compete throughout the year, inquiring about how they stack up to their competition, is a testament to the commitment these auctions have to the success of CPS in the remarketing world.”