Pierre Pons
ppons@tpcmgt.com | (615) 591-7579
Pierre Pons is President of TPC Management Company. Pons’ 30 plus year automotive industry career includes:
- Vehicle remarketing assignments with commercial lessors, US Fleet Leasing and Wheels, Inc.
- Sales Executive management and remarketing administration with ADT Automotive
- Executive management positions with Greater Auction Group and BSCAmerica Automotive Services.
- CEO ServNet Auctions
In 1996, Pons founded TPC Management which serves various automotive industry segments including: auctions, automotive finance, insurance, investment firms, vehicle manufacturers, corporate fleets, commercial lessors, third-party servicers, and IT/e-commerce providers. Areas of specialization include:
- Executive search for management positions across the spectrum of automotive industry segments
- Project based consulting related to wholesale vehicle portfolio remarketing strategies
- Advisory roles in acquisitions/divestitures
In addition to his consulting work, Pons is also an active presenter at automotive industry events and is active in a variety of trade associations such as the National Auto Auction Association (NAAA). Pons served as a board member for the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA) for several terms and chaired the group's Ethics Committee.
Pons is also the Founder/CEO of Auction Academy, the premiere continuing education program for auto auction industry professionals.
Pons has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Florida and an MBA from the Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt University. He is based at TPC’s Nashville, TN headquarters.
Pauline Astrum Pons
papons@tpcmgt.com | (615) 504-3603
Pauline Pons is Vice President and Co-founder of TPC Management Company and the Auction Academy. Pons’ 30 plus year automotive industry career includes:
- Auto Dealership accounting with the Hecker Automotive Enterprises, a Minneapolis, MN based automotive conglomerate
- Executive administration with Walden Leasing, a Minneapolis, MN based auto leasing company
- Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO of the Greater Auction Group, an Orlando, FL based national auto auction group
- Executive Management positions with BSC America Automotive Services
- Corporate Services for ServNet Auctions
In 1996 Pons co-founded TPC Management which serves various automotive industry segments providing Management Consulting, Corporate Administration, Mergers/Acquisitions Advisory and Executive Recruiting services in both project-based and long term engagements. Pons also co-founded the Auction Academy, a continuing education program for professionals in the commercial auto auction industry.
Prior and after founding TPC, Pons held positions in Medical Office Management, and started a large Floral Design Boutique serving the Nashville, TN market.
Pons graduated from South St. Paul High School and has degrees in both Accounting and Medical Office Management. She also attended both O’More College of Design in Franklin, TN and Belmont University in Nashville, TN studying fashion design, fine art and photography.
Pons resides in Franklin, TN a suburb of Nashville with her husband, Pierre Pons.
Jiles Wanna
jwanna@tpcmgt.com | (615) 591-7861
Jiles Wanna is Vice President of Client Services with TPC Management Company having joined the company in 2004. His focus is on Business Development assignments both, for the firm and specifically in the Auction Services Division on behalf of Independent Auto Auction clients. He is also a primary contributor to TPC’s Jumprope/CRM (Customer Relations Management) product.
Previous to TPC, Wanna had over 10 years’ experience in National Account Sales with Goodyear Tire. He is CAR Certified, completing the Vehicle Remarketing Industry Certification through the IARA/ Northwood University program as well as completing Manheim’s Condition Report Writer Certification. Wanna has over 11 years of experience in the automotive industry. He holds an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Business from Columbia State College.
Wanna is based at TPC’s headquarters offices in Franklin, TN. Wanna also serves as Senior Administrator for Auction Academy, the industry’s top training and development program.
Penny Wanna
pwanna@tpcmgt.com | (615) 591-4544
Penny Wanna holds dual roles as Vice President of Administration for TPC Management Company and President of Auction Academy (Founded by TPC Mgt.). Her TPC Management responsibilities range from due diligence management in acquisitions/divestitures, accounting, and project management to conference and event strategies for its many clients and associated companies, including, Auction Academy and Interstate Automotive Services.
She has been an active member of the Auto Auction industry since 2004 and proudly holds several Industry Certifications: IARA Certified Automotive Remarketer, IARA Audit & Compliance, NAAA Safety, and NAAA Data Privacy. Wanna serves as one of the Directors on the IARA Executive Board, Co-Chair of the IARA Education Committee, and holds committee positions for IAG Education, NAAA Education, and NAAA New Members Ambassadors. Simultaneously to her time with TPC Mgt and Auction Academy, she spent 12 years working with the ServNet group as their VP of Admin between the years of 2011-2018.
Penny was honored in 2018 as a member of the “Women in Remarketing” class group and again honored with the prestigious NAAA Warren Young Fellowship award in 2021 for her countless volunteer work and commitment to the Remarketing Industry.
Prior to her association with TPC Management, Wanna spent ten years with Comcast in Minneapolis, MN as a report analyst for the company’s resource management department. She holds an Associates of Applied Science Degree from Columbia State College., where she graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, Penny joined the staff at TPC Management in 2004 as an Executive Assistant and Office Manager. She and her husband Jiles, who is Vice President of Client Services at TPC Management, have three children. They are based in Franklin, Tennessee.
Charlie Vogelheim
cvogelheim@tpcmgt.com | (949) 929-0716
40 years of automotive industry experience.
- Executive editor Kelley Blue Book – 20 years
- VP J.D. Power and Associates – recruited by Dave Power
- Executive editor InteliChoice – helped found and redeploy the company
- Education consultant and program development for NAAA and others
- Producer and Host of Motor Trend Audio – Award-winning podcast
Auto Industry Analyst and Editor – initiated several changes and updates to the Kelley Blue Book publications and data, creating relevant values and digital distribution.
Remarketing Proficient – decades of observation and participation in varied remarketing aspects including; used cars, rental, fleet, auctions, repossessions, and the development of residual values and Certified Pre-owned Vehicle programs.
Internet Pioneer – developed kbb.com and Chairman of the Automotive Internet Standards Committee and contributor to the development and implementation of the automotive sites at Microsoft, Google, AOL, Yahoo and e-Bay
Media Commentary and Observation – a regular media correspondent and automotive industry commentator for business and consumer news. Conference Host, MC and Moderator... created, produced and hosted the J.D. Power Internet Roundtable, the DrivingSales Executive Summit and Silicon Valley Reinvents the Wheel. MC for several conferences including CAR, AFSA, NVLA, NAF
Thought Leadership – continued development of best practices in remarketing and information transparency.
He will contribute to the continued success of TPC including current services, business development, industry and client relations. Faculty & Administrator for Auction Academy.
Dr. John R. Poteet
jpoteet@tpcmgt.com | (985) 215-2695
General Electric, 1980 – 1991
Cost Analyst, Space Systems Division, 1980 – 1983
Corporate Auditor, Corporate Finance Staff, 1983 – 1985
Senior Financial Analyst, Audit and Acquisitions, 1985 – 1986
Manager - Financial Planning and Analysis, Power Funding Corporation, 1986 – 1989
Manager – Finance and Office Operations, Newburgh Auto Auction, 1989 – 1991
Manheim Auctions, 1991 – 1994
Controller, Big H Auto Auction, 1991 – 1992
Assistant General Manager, Big H Auto Auction, 1992 – 1994
The Greater Group of Auctions, 1994 – 1996
General Manager, Greater New Orleans Auto Auction, 1994 – 1996
Manheim Auctions, 1996 – 1999
General Manager, Manheim New Orleans, 1996 – 1999
First Choice Auto Auctions, 1999 – 2023
Vice President and General Manager, 1999 – 2002
CEO and Managing partner, 2002 – 2022
EBlock Inc., 2022 – 2023
Director of Auction Strategy, 2022 – 2023
Southeastern Louisiana University – College of Business, 2012 – Present
Adjunct Professor, Management, 2012 - Present
Professor Capstone Course, EMBA, 2023 – Present
TPC Management/Auction Academy, 2023 – Present
Management Consultant/Instructor
Randall McCathren (Of Counsel)
rmccathren@tpcmgt.com | (615) 591-4544
Randall McCathren has more than 40 years’ experience in the auto finance, leasing and auction businesses. Randall is often cited as the most knowledgeable auto lease expert in the country having written the only 700-page treatise on auto leasing and financing, written the primary Federal Reserve Board’s federal leasing rules (Regulation M) and education materials, and been retained by more than 300 companies. He has implemented more than 70 lease programs for financial institutions across the country including Chase and USBank. Since remarketing off-lease vehicles is the primary determinant of a lease program’s profitability, Randall has worked in all aspects of remarketing and auction practices. He founded and has managed the Association of Consumer Vehicle Lessors, the trade association of all the major consumer auto leasing companies.
Additionally, Randall worked with TPC as the COO of Auction Academy for its first five years teaching auction managers the finer points of the success of other auctions around the country. Some of his experience includes:
Randall has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Applied Science, Magna cum Laude, Yale University and a JD from University of California, Berkeley School of Law where he was the Associate Editor of the California Law Review.
