In March of 2020, as it became apparent that the COVID-19 Virus was becoming a disruptive force in the world and was declared a pandemic; NAA leadership took immediate steps to reevaluate our budget and make adjustments to how we conducted the business of the National Auctioneers Association. As part of that process, the Board and staff investigated numerous ways to trim our budget, remain fiscally solvent and continue to provide the valuable services our members expect.
After careful review and numerous suggested cuts in all segments of the budget, coupled with conservative projections of how revenues would be affected, we still faced a significant deficit. The Executive Committee reviewed and discussed the suggested changes and developed a strategy for moving forward. We decided to request that the Foundation underwrite the entire education budget for 2020.
As the NAA Executive Committee liaison to Foundation, I was charged with making that request. As should be the case, Trustees inquired as to the necessity of the funds and asked for assurances that the NAA board was making all reasonable and possible cuts. I conveyed that the NAA board understood that this was not a request that we could make on an ongoing basis.
With strong support of the Foundation Board of Trustees, the Foundation granted the request to underwrite NAA education programs for 2020. This infusion of cash allowed NAA leadership the flexibility it needed to move forward with essential programs and services, without sustaining major losses.
The Board of Trustees made an outstanding commitment to the advancement of the auction profession. All its members can take pride in knowing that they assisted in the preservation of the voice of the auction profession. Even without considering the support routinely provided by the Foundation, this one act, from my perspective, makes it a worthy cause to receive my support for many years to come.
—Tim Mast, CAI, AARE, past NAA president