Pyle Takes Over as NAAA President After 22 years as a member of the National Auto Auction Association, Charlotte Pyle was excited to take on the role of president during the 2011 convention in Chicago in September.
Pyle, who owns Mountain State Auto Auction along with her husband, Joe, said Joe and his father were instrumental in getting her involved in the industry. “My background to the auction world began in the antique estate business. My husband Joe is an auctioneer and operated a business liquidating antiques and household furnishings for families that lost a loved one or just wanted to downsize,” she told Auto Remarketing. “His father owned a late-model used-car dealership and attended auto auctions. He introduced Joe to a gentleman in Fairmont, W. Va., who operated a small two-lane facility that had just lost their auctioneer. At the time, we were dating, so I rode along with him just to see what it was about, having never attended an auto auction. “The third week into this job, the clerk didn’t show up so they put me on the block with Joe. We continued working this auction for a few years together, which opened more doors for Joe in the auto arena.” Eventually, that auction closed. Seeing the need for a facility in West Virginia, Pyle and her husband opened a two-lane auction. The couple joined NAAA to expand their auction business from dealer-only to also include fleet/lease. “As any good auction owner does, we cased the [NAAA convention] halls and receptions for a few targeted representatives,” she recalled. “Having found one from Tupperware, we approached him. … After giving the normal sales pitch, the gentleman said, ‘Put your card in my coat pocket, and I will send you some cars. My hands are greasy, and I don’t want to ruin your card from eating these finger foods.’ “As we walked away, we were thinking there is no way in the world that will ever come to fruition. The very next week we got our first pickups from Tupperware and had a wonderful working relationship with that company. Don’t we all wish it were that easy today!” Pyle quickly became involved in NAAA, taking on a leadership role – with a little help from her friend, Barbara Wheatley. During Pyle’s second trip to the convention, Wheatley asked her to take notes for the Independent Committee since Wheatley was also scheduled to attend another meeting at the same time. “After the meeting, I met her in the hall and tried to give her the notes,” Pyle recalled with a grin. “She sweetly asked me to present them at the national board meeting. After my presentation, the meeting came to an end and Barbara said, ‘Charlotte, that was a wonderful job. You are now the independent secretary and will need to do this for every meeting. Congratulations!’ I still laugh at the way my sweet Southern belle connived me.” Pyle has served on a variety of NAAA committees over the years, but the assignment closest to her heart was co-chairing the Independent Auction Group for 10 years. In addition, she was on the founding committee of the scholarship foundation, convention committee, the mentor program and has served as president and board chair of the Southern Zone. BY JENNIFER REED
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Jennifer Reed is Auto Group Editor for Auto Remarketing 101846iaa_DealersEdge_HP_Vertical_PRINT_16DEC10.indd 1
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