The National Auto Auction Association recognized Auctioneer of the Year Award winners last week at Charleston Auto Auction during an event that also included a visit from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.

Receiving the awards on Friday were Billy Carver and Bennie Smoak.

The award is named after Bernie Hart, who was the executive director of NAAA for more than 30 years before retiring in 1988.

Smoak has auctioneered at a litany of sites that includes Charleston Auto Auction, Summerville Auto Auction, Manheim North Carolina, Darlington Auto Auction, Statesville Auto Auction, Carolina Auto Auction, Greenville Auto Auction, Mayo Auto Auction, Grand Strand Auto Auction, Mid State Auto Auction, Atlanta Auto Auction, Airport Auto Auction, Fredricksburg Auto Auction and Greensboro Auto Auction.

Carver has been auctioneering since 1979, working at such facilities as Charleston Auto Auction, Rawls Auto Auction, Darlington Auto Auction and Spartanburg Auto Auction.

Additionally, Charleston Auto Auction, alongside the Carolinas Independent Automobile Dealers Association, hosted Gov. McMaster on Friday. McMaster toured the auction and addressed attendees of the event, which included various auction industry leaders like NAAA chief executive officer Tricia Heon and XLerate Group CEO Cam Hitchcock.