Stanley Auctions Contribute $75,000 to NAAA Scholarship Fund

When you talk to Henry Stanley about the importance of higher education and the desire of “giving back to the community,” two things you’ll find striking: his commitment to the industry and its employees, and his enthusiasm about education. Henry Stanley and his wife Patty own two thriving auctions – Indiana and Carolina, and are partners with Keith Lelux at Charleston Auto Auction – and while their locations continue to grow and serve the industry, Henry and Patty aren’t slowing down in their dedication to the NAAA either. Not bad for a man who went to work right out of High School. 

“I didn’t go to college. It just wasn’t on the radar,” Henry recalls. In the early 60’s, Henry became involved in the industry and became a member of NAAA in 1969. And though it wasn’t something that Henry was able to do, he feels that everyone should have the choice to go to college and continue their education. 

It was while the Stanleys were co-chairing the 2004 NAAA convention committee that they got the ball rolling for the formation of the NAAA Scholarship Foundation. Along with Barbara and Jim Wheatley, who had past fundraising experience, they coordinated the first events which basically was a silent and regular auction—to start. Today, the Warren Young Sr. Scholastic Foundation is a thriving NAAA institution, in no small part from the generosity, commitment and enthusiasm of Henry and Patty Stanley. And, in addition to the hard work toward establishing the foundation, they have just donated $75,000, with $25,000 coming from each of their three auctions. 

“I’ve always felt education is important. Plus, we have always felt that the Auction industry is as much about ‘family’ as it is about anything else,” Henry said. "I thought, ‘we’ve been very fortunate…successful…we couldn’t have done all this without the dedication and help of our employees,’ so I called Keith Lelux, my partner at Charleston Auto Auction, and Erick Autenrieth, my manager at Indiana  Auto Auction, and both  were very open to the idea of donating to the Scholarship Foundation. So, without hesitation, they said, 'Yes!' and each donated the $25,000 for the naming rights of the three scholarships.” 

The financial awards range from $2,000 per zone for a two-year tech school, to $4,000 per zone to a regular four-year college. The awards are made through stringent guidelines set forth by Scholarship America, a third-party funding group that reviews and recommends the awards. 

The NAAA Warren Young Sr. Scholastic Foundation program assists all full-time employees, their children, and grandchildren who plan to continue education in college or vocational school programs. Scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at an accredited institution of the student’s choice. But it is through the generosity of people like Henry and Patty and their teams that the Scholastic Foundation has become such an excellent example of association involvement, and a way to reward employees and their families.

As Patty said, “one of the reasons I think we have been such a successful industry is that there is a lot of networking and a true feeling of family – we have 2nd and 3rd generations coming through our industry now…and both Henry and I feel that donating time and money to the Scholarship Foundation is a way to give back to the industry.”

Reprinted Courtesy of NAAA Foundation News, Summer 2008

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