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COMMEMORATIVE MESSAGES

A lthough we had to make the hard decision to cancel our 72nd Annual Convention this year because

of the coronavirus pandemic, it didn’t diminish us as an organization. The National Auto Auction
Association has always been much, much more than just a yearly meeting.
Our association is about people who come together, giving their time and various talents to protect, enrich,
and advance our industry because they care. They develop policies, create programs, and tackle problems,
foremost with the best interests of our members at heart. We also manage to have some fun too.

NAAA is about leadership and teamwork at all levels every day. No matter the challenges we’ve faced
over the decades, we don’t hesitate to band together, regardless of our friendly competition, to act quickly
in meeting the needs of our membership. It has been inspiring to have experienced this personally these
last months in our efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of our businesses, employees, customers,
communities, and their families in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The character of NAAA is well illustrated in these pages. That’s why I’m happy and proud to close my year
as president with this publication commemorating our past and celebrating our achievements. You’ll see that
throughout the history of NAAA, we have always strived to improve, to succeed, to be better than before.
LAURA TAYLOR And we haven’t lost that momentum from the past. Our people and the core values we share of respect,
commitment, and cooperation ensures we have the strength and resiliency to thrive in the years ahead.
2020 NAAA President

“It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species
that survives is the one that is able to adapt and adjust best to the changing environment in which it finds itself.”
—Charles Darwin, “Origin of Species,” 1859
I f there’s any truth to that famous quote, the auto auction industry is proving it now! “Adapt or die” may
well sum up our circumstance in 2020 and, more importantly, it’s demonstrated that the digital future we all
thought was years away, is here now — whether we’re ready for it or not.
When faced with how to conduct business during a global pandemic, online was the only option we had.
And guess what? Just as we’ve done throughout our industry’s history, we’re adapting and moving forward.
At the same time, we’re rightly reluctant to give up the traditional benefits of a live, in-lane auto auction —
things like being able to see, hear, touch, and even smell a car for yourself before buying it.
And here’s another thing the digitization of our auctions can’t replace: the camaraderie and undeniable energy
experienced in the lanes. More than anything else, our industry is built on — and still depends on — relation- julie picard
ships. Whether yesterday, today, or tomorrow, building strong bonds with our colleagues, clients, employees, 2020 NAAA President-Elect
and vendors is the constant in changing times that allows us to continue to progress and succeed.

After nearly 30 years in this business, I still love it because of the people who are part of it. It’s why I was so
excited to take on my new role with Cox Automotive to lead and strengthen our industry partnerships. It’s why I feel so strongly about finding ways
to retain and cultivate the personal connections in our business even as we find ourselves spending more time in front of a screen. That’s also why
I’ve enjoyed working together with my colleagues on NAAA’s leadership team and look forward to serving its members as president.
It’s challenging to start shifting our focus to 2021 when everything around us is uncertain. And while none of us can predict the future, here’s one
sure thing: the automotive industry is absolutely essential to our economy and everything about life as we know it. The role of the auction in the
automotive ecosystem is critical and will continue to evolve in a post-pandemic world. There’s no better group of people to lead the way than
members of NAAA and there’s no one else I’d rather be with on this journey.

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