Roger Fields proves how support for charitable causes can begin, grow, and stay at home.

The general manager of Dealers Auto Auction of Huntsville, Alabama, has made a second career of supporting various community and health-related causes in his region and state. The longtime IARA supporter received the IARA Special Recognition Award on Aug. 18 during the annual IARA Summer Roundtable in Nashville.

“The award is in recognition of this person’s extraordinary support for charitable causes throughout their career, even before they joined the auto industry,” said IARA President Jeff Bescher, who detailed Fields’ contributions before announcing his name.

Fields worked for 15 years at a hospital in Huntsville before starting his own successful vehicle transport business. After four years in transport, Fields joined the sales team at Dealers Auto Auction, and through promotions, rose to become general manager.

Fields has been recognized as the Athens, Alabama Businessperson of the Year, and received the National Independent Auto Dealers Association’s Crystal Eagle Award and the Biggest Heart Award, as well as being inducted into the Alabama Independent Auto Dealers Hall of Fame.  

Bescher cited several examples of Fields’ charitable achievements:

• More than $100,000 raised for the North Alabama YMCA 

• Over $40,000 raised for Cruz for a Cure 

• Another $40,000 raised to support families impacted by Down Syndrome 

• $35,000 raised for brain cancer research  

• And even closer to home, $22,000 raised for the Huntsville Police Citizens Foundation, and another $22,000 to benefit the family of young Colton Hines born with multiple heart defects 

“There is no defect in the heart of this award recipient, who has a heart as big as the state of Alabama,” Bescher said.  

Upon receiving the award from Bescher and IARA executive director Tony Long, Field credited his “great team behind us at DAA” and thanked the IARA.

Not missing an opportunity, Fields mentioned an upcoming car sale fundraiser for a young girl and a young boy at a local hospital who will be getting their dream experiences, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, yet another charity effort near to Fields’ heart.