Pittsburgh, PA – July 26, 2024 – The National Auction Association (NAA) proudly announces Marcela Dávila Diez Gutierrez as the winner of the Women’s Division at the 2024 International Auctioneer Championship (IAC). This prestigious event, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, showcases the artistry and skill of auctioneering, bringing together top talent from around the globe.
Marcela Dávila, a graduate of the World Wide College of Auctioneering, emerged victorious in the women’s division of the IAC. Reflecting on her journey, Marcela shared, “My favorite aspect of competing in the IAC throughout the years was by far the close friendships I was able to build, and the networking achieved; I am sure those relationships will last for a lifetime. It was also because of the community built in competition that I was able to find mentors that helped me grow and better myself as a professional, as well as get valuable work opportunities after every single IAC.”
Marcela’s involvement in the auction industry began in 2012 as a ringman at ADESA Mexico. By 2016, she was working the lane as an auctioneer and quickly rose to become the head auctioneer of ADESA Mexico in 2017. Her career highlights include receiving the Bob Steffes Rising Star of the Year award at the 2019 IAC in New Orleans, winning Reserve Champion in the 2021 IAC in Minneapolis, and being the second runner-up at the 2023 IAC in Oklahoma City.
In 2021, Marcela moved to the USA, where she diversified her contract work, including ringing, running software, and selling in Native American Art, heavy equipment, and benefit auctions. She also created Lucerna Auction in Mexico, expanding the Benefit and commercial auction market in her home country.
Looking ahead to her role as the IAC Champion, Marcela is excited about being an ambassador for the NAA and the auction industry. “I am extremely excited about being an ambassador for the NAA and the industry that I love so much in this upcoming year. Among other things, I look forward to seeing the International Community continue to grow within the NAA; I feel like the worldwide presence of the Association will help us create a stronger voice as a global profession and aid auctioneers around the world to better build their businesses in their own countries like I did.”
Marcela’s journey with the NAA began in 2017 when she joined the association right after auction school. Her first membership was sponsored by a classmate, Scotty Gibbs, after hearing a positive endorsement from then NAA President Scott Shuman. “I started to see the impact the NAA had on my career right after attending the 2018 Benefit Auction Specialist class at Pre-Conference in Jacksonville,” Marcela explained. “The networking from that class was huge, as well as the knowledge that allowed me to start applying the Benefit Auction methodology learned at the NAA in my own country, where auctions are not as common.”
Marcela’s dedication to the auction industry and her continuous involvement in the NAA have significantly shaped her career. She emphasized the importance of the community and the opportunities it provided, stating, “Participating at the IAC every single year helped me improve my chant greatly, challenged my ability to be on stage, and pushed me to get better at public speaking. This exposure allowed me to build a powerful network of professionals I could call when I had questions about the industry and meaningful friendships that I have been able to rely on throughout the years.”