Alexis Jacobs Inducted Into NAAA Hall of Fame
BOSTON, Mass. — A U.S. auto auction industry legend, Alexis Jacobs, was inducted into the National Auto Auction Association (NAAA) Hall of Fame during its 66th annual Convention and Exposition here this month.
Jacobs, owner and president of Columbus Fair Auto Auction (CFAA) in Obetz, Ohio, has been a leader in the industry and the association for nearly five decades, and holds many industry honors and awards in the remarketing industry and business community. KAR Auction Services CEO and Director James Hallett presented the “surprise” award.
The Hall of Fame Award, among the most prestigious the NAAA bestows, is presented annually to an auction executive and/or industry supporter, who consistently exemplifies the high standards of the NAAA Code of Ethics.
Jacobs was steeped in the auction business at the early age of 12 along side her father, William Jacobs, who founded the auction in 1959. Upon his untimely death in 1982, she took on oversight of day-to-day operations of CFAA, which has since grown into an 85-acre, 11-lane auto auction facility and nearby body shop and moves nearly 2,000 units on its Wednesday sale days ¬— nearly 200,000 vehicles annually.
“Alexis puts her all into absolutely everything she does,” Hallett said of his fellow auction executive and longtime friend. “She is a true inspiration to many in the industry, in the community, and to me personally.”
“Anyone who knows Alexis, knows that she loves cars, she loves the auction business and she loves people. She truly is one-of-a-kind and has created a lasting legacy in our industry.”
Jacobs’ long support of the remarketing industry and successes as a businessperson and entrepreneur have not gone unnoticed among her peers. She earned the 2011 NAAA Pioneer Award by the National Auto Auction Association. She is also the recipient of the Columbus Automobile Dealers Association’s 1996 Automotive Achievement Award, and in 1998 was inducted to the National Independent Automobile Dealers Associations’ “Ring of Honor.” CFAA, under her leadership, has earned its share of recognition, being a finalist for the 1995 Ernst & Young, Inc. Magazine Central Ohio “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, and has been ranked as one of the top 500 Women Owned Businesses by Working Woman Magazine, in both 1999 and 2000.
Jacobs' lust for life is evident in her recreational activities, which range from drag racing as a teen and competitive sports angling in more than 100 billfish tournaments. She landed a 730-pound, nearly 18-foot blue marlin during a tournament in the Bahamas.
Jacobs has always taken the time and made the effort to give back to both the industry she loves and the community. Her charitable efforts have provided support for youth and education, including causes like Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Charity Newsies. She has sat on the boards of the Salesian Boys and Girls Club of Columbus and the Ohio State University Foundation.
Her involvement with the NAAA spans nearly five decades and includes five years as Chair of the Legislative Committee before becoming only the association's second woman president in 1996. Jacobs is a champion of efforts to enhance member services and promote legislative initiatives that benefit the industry. She was also one of the founding members of ServNet.
“Alexis is passionate about everything she does and never settles for ‘good enough,’” Hallett noted. “An auction would not survive—and thrive—for six decades without an innovative leader who is willing to embrace change and adapt with the times.
“Alexis is simply a class-act human being. She is incredibly successful and driven, yet always remains gracious and incredibly humble. She is generous with her community, her employees, her family and her friends.”
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