FRANKLIN, Tenn. -

Eric Autenrieth says ServNet’s participation in support of The Hourglass Foundation is two-fold.

Autenrieth, who is chairman of the board for ServNet, said that across the United States, ServNet auction locations make cash donations to the foundation’s scholarship program for every Flexco vehicle sold at auction. ServNet has joined with remarketing partner Flexco Fleet Services in support of The Hourglass Foundation.

The foundation’s scholarship program benefits community college and technical school students pursuing their education in mechanical fields.

In addition, representatives from the local auctions reach out to area high schools, two-year colleges and trade schools in their communities to make students aware of the scholarship program and also to show them opportunities for workplace experience at the auction.

The Hourglass Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Hourglass Management and its portfolio companies, which includes Flexco Fleet Services. Ron Shoemaker is chair of Hourglass Management.

Owners of the ServNet auctions are strongly committed to supporting the education and training of the next generation, Autenrieth said. ServNet has contributed to the NAAA Warren Young, Sr., Scholastic Foundation for many years and in 2016 founded its own scholarship program for children of ServNet auction employees.

“We admire the work that The Hourglass Foundation is doing to provide opportunities for young adults through scholarships and its focus on trade school and community college education,” Autenrieth said.

He continued, “Men and women with education in mechanical fields are a critical link in the chain of our auction operations, from condition report writers to technicians and managers in our mechanical, body and recon shops. We are excited to work in partnership with The Hourglass Foundation and Flexco to create opportunities for the next generation.”

In other news, ServNet has opened its 2020 Scholarship Program. ServNet designed the program to help its auction employees and their families pursue a higher education.

The ServNet Scholarship program is geared toward full-time ServNet auction employees, their children, stepchildren and grandchildren who plan to attend college or vocational school programs.

For aspiring undergraduate students in 2020, up to 10 awards totaling $20,000 are available. To students attending a four-year college or university, the awards will be given in increments of five awards of $2,500. Five awards of $1,500 will be given to students attending a two-year college or who are in vocational-technical school pursuing an auto-related degree.

The application deadline for this year’s Scholarship Awards is March 31 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.

“ServNet has for many years lent its support to higher education for members of the auction industry,” said Ryan Clark, owner of Greater Rockford Auto Auction and a member of ServNet’s board of directors, overseeing the Scholarship Program.

Clark said ServNet’s efforts were initially focused support of NAAA’s Warren Young Scholarship Program in the early 2000s.

“But we decided as a group that we wanted to broaden our support for training and education by offering scholarships each year to the sons and daughters of employees of ServNet auctions, and launched our own program in 2016,” Clark said.

He added, “As the leaders of family-owned businesses ourselves, we ServNet owners take a deep personal interest in our employees. 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.”

Employees and associates at ServNet auctions around the country have enthusiastically received ServNet’s scholarship program, Clark said, adding that several students have applied for — and been awarded — 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,” Ryan said.