GOVERNOR JAMES M . COX AWARD
Standing Strong in the Eye of a Storm
GOVERNOR JAMES M . COX AWARD WINNER SAM CHAPLE
On the night of March 3 , 2020 , Manheim Nashville ’ s general manager , Sam Chaple , watched the news in disbelief as a twister with winds in excess of 150 mph barreled down on the business he spent two decades building .
It would take more than a year to fully pick up the pieces from that devastating day . But Sam ’ s calmness — literally in the eye of a storm — helped the auction , its clients and its employees emerge even stronger . He demonstrated what it means to lead by example and bring out the best in others , earning one of Cox Enterprises ’ highest honors : the Governor James M . Cox Award .
A Force of Nature
Sam stayed up late to monitor the situation on local news and saw the tornado move over the auction property at about 1 a . m . He immediately jumped in his truck and drove the 13 miles from his house to the auction . Sam assessed the damage and could see the property had taken a direct hit . But in the darkness and pouring rain , he couldn ’ t make out the full extent of the destruction .
“ When the sun came out , that ’ s when you really saw the damage ,” Sam said . “ There was a pit in my stomach , knowing that we were definitely hurt .”
Five of the seven buildings on the property were demolished or heavily damaged . More than three-quarters of the roughly 15,000 cars on the lot were also banged up .
Still , he didn ’ t have to look hard to see the bright side . None of Manheim Nashville ’ s 618 team members had been harmed . The only employees on the property that night — three security guards — had crouched safely in an interior bathroom .
If the tornado had touched down during daytime , “ it would have been a major loss of life ,” Sam said . In the surrounding community , the same storm system killed 25 people and injured dozens more .
Brave and Bold
Team members were stunned to find the metal buildings that housed the 16-lane , 100,000-square-foot auction facility twisted , warped and dinged . Big sections of sheet metal were wrapped around trees like sheets of paper .
“ This is like a second home to all of us . So , to see the situation it was in after the tornado hit , it was a complete roller coaster of emotions ,” said Assistant General Manager Christina Flatt . “ But once you get past the initial shock and lots and lots of tears , then you start thinking , ‘ OK , how do we rebuild ?’ It never crossed my mind that we wouldn ’ t be back in business .”
Many employees were without power in their homes . They needed generators , bottled water and other basic supplies .
Sam , a 26-year veteran of Manheim , kept calm and kept everyone on track as they coordinated relief to employees while simultaneously assessing the damage and mapping a way forward .
“ The support Cox Enterprises gave us as leaders to make decisions and to be brave and bold was everything ,” Sam said . “ It gave me confidence knowing that sometime in 2021 , we ’ re going to be selling cars again with our lights on and smiles on our faces .”
4 SUMMER 2021