Board Members

	Dan DeVane Chairman Mr. DeVane retired from the NC Department of Transportation where he served as the Chief Deputy Secretary/Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, he served 6 years as a County Commissioner in Hoke County and 11 years as a member of the NC House of Representatives serving parts of Hoke, Scotland, Moore, Robeson, and Cumberland Counties. He has been a licensed auctioneer since 1976 operating DeVane Realty & Auction. After retiring from DOT, he and his family have continued the auction business operating in the Fayetteville and surrounding areas. Mr. DeVane had previously served on the Board, initially in 2012. Mr. DeVane was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the Board in July 2020 and reappointed in July 2023.
	Melinda Q. Porter Vice Chair and Public Member Mrs. Porter is a Realtor/Broker with United Country Forbes Realty and Auctions. She grew up in Raeford, NC then moved to Plymouth, NC in 1986. In Plymouth she worked as a licensed Property & Casualty insurance agent for Seaboard Insurance Agency where she serviced existing policies, processed new customers and resolved claims for clients of the agency. In 1994 she left insurance and started working full time for Porter Properties & Mini Storage, a family owned business. Porter Properties has residential and commercial rentals and a 311 unit storage facility. They have been the local U-Haul dealers since October 1999. In 2017 she obtained a Real Estate License and first worked for Riverfront Realty then moved to United Country Forbes Realty and Auctions. She also holds the position of Music Director for First Christian Church in Plymouth, NC. She is currently serving her 3rd term on the Washington County Board of Elections. Mrs. Porter was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the Board in July of 2021 and reappointed in July 2024.
	John M. Harris Public Member Mr. Harris holds degrees from Appalachian State University in both History and Philosophy & Religion, as well as degrees in Finance and Economics from Winston-Salem State University. He earned his juris doctor degree from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. Mr. Harris has extensive business experience ranging from insurance sales and personal financial planning to founding and operating micro businesses, planning residential communities, and agriculturally based homesteads. Mr. Harris holds licenses to practice law both in North Carolina and in the District of Columbia, providing a wide range of legal services to businesses and individuals including Estate Planning, Real Estate Transactions, Contracts Formation and Review, Business Litigation, Criminal Defense, and Virtual Legal Support. His firm, J. Harris Legal, focuses on being a "Fractional General Counsel" offering "right sized" general counsel services to businesses that don't have a dedicated legal team or cannot afford to have an attorney on staff. Mr. Harris was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in August 2024.
	Buck Lattimore Member Mr. Lattimore is a North Carolina licensed Auctioneer and Real Estate Broker. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Wofford College and is also a graduate of the Mendenhall School of Auctioneering and the J.Y. Monk Real Estate School. He is an active member of the Auctioneers Association of North Carolina, where he has served on the Board of Directors and as an instructor for continuing education classes for auctioneers. Mr. Lattimore has more than 38 years of senior management experience. Before his retirement in 2009, he was Chairman of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He also worked as Deputy Commissioner of Insurance and was Vice President of George Shinn & Associates, where he helped the Charlotte NC company win the Charlotte Hornets NBA franchise. He served six years in a Mechanized Infantry Unit of the Army National Guard, and he is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Raleigh and Apex American Legion Post #124. Mr. Lattimore is a former NCDRC licensed North Carolina Superior Court Mediator. Mr. Lattimore was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the Board in July of 2019 and reappointed in July 2022.
	T. Kyle Swicegood Member Mr. Swicegood is a licensed real estate broker & auctioneer. He is a first-generation auctioneer and second-generation real estate broker. He is a graduate of Catawba College, and Reppert School of Auctioneering. He is an active member of the Auctioneers Association of NC, where he previously served on the Board of Directors. He has been a teacher for both the National and State level auctioneer programs. He holds the Certified Auctioneer designation as designated by the National Auction Association and the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) which is conferred upon commercial real estate leaders who have a proven record of success in the field of financial, market, and investment analysis. Mr. Swicegood is the 2012 North Carolina Bid Calling Grand Champion Auctioneer. He currently serves on the NAA Board of Directors, has previously served on the NAA Education Institute Board of Trustees, and is the past Chair for the Certified Auctioneers Institute. He is the president and lead auctioneer for the Swicegood Group, Inc. Mr. Swicegood was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the Board in July of 2021 and reappointed in July 2024.