ServNet Introduces 2008 Board of Directors

As ServNet enters its 20^th year, leadership responsibilities fall on the shoulders of its 2008 Board of Directors. Deftly juggling duties as auction principals, industry leaders and ServNet board members, these six will provide the focus for ServNet as it enters its third decade as the industry’s premier network of independent auto auctions.

Bob McConkey

Owner of DAA Northwest in Spokane Washington, Bob McConkey, Jr. has over 25 years of wholesale auto auction experience. He began his career at the South Seattle Auto Auction, which was originally owned and operated by the McConkey family, working his way through the ranks holding the positions of fleet/lease manager, recon manager, sales manager and general manager.  When the South Seattle Auction was sold to General Electric Capital, Bob was retained by GE Capital to serve as general manager of the Southern California Auto Auction in Fontana, California. Under his direction, the facility doubled in size in just three years, becoming the world’s largest volume auction in 1988.

In 1992 Bob and his business partner founded DAA Northwest in 1992.  Built originally on 7 acres, the auction is now an 8-lane 90-acre facility consigning 1500 to 1800 units per week. He can be found auctioneering in the lanes every Thursday and is considered by many to be one of the finest automobile auctioneers in the West.

Bob is currently the President-Elect of the National Auto Auction Association.  He is past President of the Western Auto Auction Association, has served on the NAAA Board of Directors and is active on a number of NAAA committees.

Keith Lelux

Keith Lelux has worked in the auction industry since 1995, when he went to work for Henry and Patty Stanley as general manager of ServNet’s Carolina Auto Auction. In 1999, he joined with a group of Wall Street Investors to roll out the Canadian Auction Group, with the purchase of five auctions. Over the next three years, he saw the group grow to 13 auctions prior to its sale to ADESA Corporation in June of 2000. Shortly thereafter, he partnered again with Henry and Patty Stanley to develop a Greenfield site in Charleston, South Carolina. Opened in the Fall of 2001, the Charleston Auto Auction has experienced tremendous growth, expanding its office building lot and auction lanes to accommodate its growing customer base and consignments. Lelux noted that the auction is currently building two additional auction lanes, bringing the total to six by Spring 2008. 

In addition to overseeing his own rapidly growing business, Lelux has also been an active member of the National Auto Auction Association. He has served on NAAA’s Dealer Affairs Committee, Independent Auction Committee and Marketing Committee, and in the Fall of 2008 will serve as President of NAAA’s Southern Zone.

Jeff Brasher

Jeff Brasher is a third-generation auction owner, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Frank Brasher who founded the first Brasher Auction in Salt Lake City in 1949, and his father, Jay Brasher remains involved in the business today.  His formal career started at age eight, when he spent his summers sweeping the detail and body shops.  By the time he was 14, he was painting cars in the body shop.  After college and serving a two-year mission for the LDS Church in Venezuela, Jeff returned to the Salt Lake Auto Auction, managing the body and paint shops, working in dealer sales and managing the finance and flooring department.

After the Brasher family purchased the Reno Auto Auction in 2001, Jeff moved to Nevada to head the operation and oversee its move into an all-new facility in 2003.  He served as President of the NAAA Western Zone in 2007, has served on numerous committees for the Association, and sits on the Board of Directors.

Bruce Beam

Raised in Coffeyvill, Kansas, Bruce Beam graduated from Kansas State University with dual degrees in finance and economics. After graduation, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to work as a loan officer for a large credit union before moving on to a national furniture rental chain as its credit manager.  In 1992, he entered the auction world, going to work for Dealers Auto Auction of Oklahoma City as the office manager. After five years he was appointed assistant general manager and in 1998 assumed responsibilities as General Manager.

John Luce

John Luce is another in a long line of family auction owners.  He and his partner, Bill Williams, Jr. represent the third generation to own and manage the Flint Auto Auction.  John began working as a sales representative at Flint Auto Auction in 1989.  After graduating from the University of Michigan, he worked briefly for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation before moving into the auction business as a sales representative at Flint Auto Auction in 1989. When his step-father James Williams offered him the job, he decided it was the right fit for him, since he loves people, cars and action. 

Like many of his colleagues, John has been active in the industry on both a location and national level.  John is past (and youngest ever) president of the Michigan Independent Automobile Dealers Association, and past member of the GM Remarketing Department advisory committee.

John Brasher
    John Brasher is president and co-owner of West Coast Auto Auctions, which operates wholesale auctions under the Brasher family name in Sacramento, Reno, Eugene and Portland. John is part of the third generation ownership of the company, which was founded in Salt Lake City in 1949. John literally grew up in the auction business. He began his auctioneer career at age nine, and has worked in nearly every aspect of the auction process, including cleaning crew, check-in, detail, body & paint, lot operations, sales, marketing, ringman and auctioneer.

After serving a mission for the LDS Church in the Netherlands, he graduated from BYU with a degree in Business, Marketing and Finance. John began his full-time auction career in Portland, Oregon, working at Brasher’s Cascade Auto Auction as dealer sales representative, and later as finance manager and fleet/lease manager. 

In 2001 John moved to Brasher’s Sacramento Auto Auction, where he served as National Accounts Manager for Brasher’s Sacramento, Cascade, Northwest and Reno Auto Auctions, before assuming duties as president of West Coast Auto Auctions in 2002.  He continues to auctioneer every week in Sacramento. John has served on several committees in the NAAA and currently serves as co-chair of the NAAA Public Affairs Committee. He also serves on the board of directors for AuctionPipeline.

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