All posts by Tricia Wiltjer

Bob Howe Wins the Michigan Ringman Championship!

Bob Howe Wins the Michigan Ringman Championship!

Mount Pleasant, Michigan – Auctioneer Bob Howe was awarded the honor of 2019 Michigan Ringman Champion on January 31, 2019 at the Michigan Auctioneers Association Annual Conference in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. 5 Contestants competed for the coveted title. Contestants were judged by a panel of 5 accomplished Michigan & International Auctioneer Champions. They were judged on 4 categories: Crowd/Buyer Interaction, Performance, Relaying Bids and Communication with their Auctioneer, and Appearance/Presence. Also taking home honors were Mathias Donat of Saline, 1st Runner Up, and Kelly Merryman of Fremont, 2nd Runner Up.

Bob Howe graduated from Central Michigan University, with his Bachelor’s Degree in 1968 and Master’s Degree in 1971. He graduated from the Missouri Auction School in 1977 and held his first auction in September of that same year.

He has conducted thousands of auctions and owned three auction companies starting with Brother Bob’s Auction Service, then Heritage Action Firm which he sold in the late 90’s and finally Epic Auctions and Estate Sales which he sold in July of 2018.

He has been a consecutive member of the MAA since 1977. He has served the industry by serving as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Auctioneers Association twice in his career, one long stint in the late 70’s and 80’s and then again recently. In addition, he completed his CAI designation in 1988 and thereafter served on the CAI Board of Governors.

This was Bob’s very first time competing in the Michigan Ringman Championship and he said while waiting in the wings for his turn that he just wanted to go out and have fun. Looking at the results, it appears that he did just that.

Bob is semi-retired and always looking to assist any auctioneer or auction company in any way that he can. He lives in East Lansing, Michigan with his wife Sheila who is also an auctioneer, ring person, clerk and cashier.

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Established in 1951, the Michigan Auctioneers Association is dedicated to the enhancement of Michigan’s Auction Industry through education, promotion, advocacy and networking. The MAA is the professional association for auctioneers in Michigan, continuing to be one of the leaders in the industry, and is proving to continue in that direction in the future.  The Michigan Auctioneers Association is the largest representation of auctioneers in Michigan, providing a forum for networking, sharing ideas and experiences.  For more information about the Michigan Auctioneers Association and the auction industry in Michigan, log onto www.FindMichiganAuctions.com.

Billy Peyton, GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Champion

25-YEAR-OLD AUCTIONEER, BILLY PEYTON WINS PRESTIGIOUS
GOTOAUCTION.COM MIDWEST AUCTIONEER CHAMPIONSHIP

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – Professional auctioneer, Billy Peyton from Preble County, Ohio took top honors at the highly anticipated GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship. The GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship saw a field of 25 top quality auctioneers from around the Midwest competing for the title of the Grand Champion of the coveted auctioneer championship. The championship was held in conjunction with the Midwest Auctioneers Roundup which is hosted by the Michigan Auctioneers Association.

The highly esteemed auctioneer championship saw five finalists starring Justin Croy, Wade Baer, Dan Troyer and Elmer Yoder, who earned 2nd place in the competition. All finalists received a plaque commemorating their achievement and a cash prize.

The Champion, Billy Peyton is a proud member of the Ohio Auctioneers Association, the Michigan Auctioneers Association, and the National Auctioneers Association. The highly talented auctioneer is no stranger to top placements in major auctioneer championships. Peyton won the 2017 Ohio Auctioneers Association Junior Auctioneer Championship. In two consecutive years, Peyton was ranked in the Top 15 finalists in the 2017 and 2018 International Auctioneers Championship. Then he appeared in the 2018 World Automobile Auctioneers Championship coming in as a finalist in that competitive contest. When not selling automobiles and equipment, Billy is part of his fiancées cattle/grain farming operation of over 800 acres.

Upon receiving the GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship purse of $2,500 and the championship award, Peyton was visibly taken aback “Wow. I can’t believe it. Wow.” Taking a few moments to compose himself, he said, “There is one person I really want to thank…..and that’s God. I want to thank God for blessing me to be an auctioneer and letting me do this. I’ve been wanting to be an auctioneer since I was five years old. I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Ever since I went to that first auction, I was hooked and I’ve made my dream come true and became an auctioneer.” Peyton went on to thank his beautiful fiancé, Katie Bratton for her unwavering support, his parents, the Michigan Auctioneers Association, GoToAuction.com and dozens of others that were pivotal in his early successes as a professional auctioneer.

One of the judges commented, “This was a really difficult championship to judge based on the overwhelming amount of talent. We were looking at accomplished auctioneers that compete on the national level. However, it was many of the lesser known names that do not compete in similar contests that kept this competition especially tight. In the end, Peyton amassed the most points.”

The GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship was broadcasted live to a worldwide audience. “This is an unique competition in the sense their isn’t much in the way of rules – other than they must wear a hat, any kind of hat and sell what they are selling within a two minute time frame. Contestants are scored exclusively on their real-world auction chant – and man, do they put on an authentic show!” Said GoToAuction.com co-founder and Marketing Director, Kenny Lindsay, CAI.

MAA MEMBERS RANK HIGH IN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (July 20, 2018) – Emerging from an overall field of 77 competitors, Barrett Bray, of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Emily Wears Kroul, of Solon, Iowa, were crowned as winners of the Men’s and Women’s National Auctioneers Association 31st International Auctioneer Championship, which took place Friday at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.

Bray, AMM, BAS, and Wears Kroul, CAI, ATS, BAS, received a $5,000 cash award, trophy and championship ring for their winning efforts through the preliminary bid-calling round, an interview round consisting of three questions, and a final round of bid-calling that included the top 15 men and seven women. In the two divisions, 62 men and 15 women competed for the right to be known as one of the best auction professionals in the world.

For Bray, the championship comes in his very first NAA IAC competition. The lack of event experience didn’t slow him down, however, as he handled each on-stage moment with veteran composure from start to finish. A first-generation NAA auction professional, Bray launched his own company, Bray Auctions, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is also the current Oklahoma state auction champion.

Behind Bray, Eli Troyer, of Beach City, Ohio, finished as runner-up, and Jay Cash, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, rounded out the top three as second runner-up among a stout group of 15 men’s finalists.

A former champion in Iowa (2009), Colorado (2012), and Wyoming (2014), Wears is a second-generation NAA auction professional. She works full time in the family business, Wears Auctioneering, with her dad, Brent, and handles all online auctions as well as onsite auctions on weekends. Emily is an auctioneer on A&E’s reality show “Storage Wars”.

Morgan Hopson, CAI, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took runner-up, a strong follow-up to a second runner-up showing in the 2017 NAA IAC. Laura Mantle, CAI, CAS, was second runner-up to complete the top three and put the wraps on a fiercely competitive women’s field including seven finalists.

Earlier in the evening, Cotton Booker, of Colfax, Washington, was crowned winner of the 2018 International Junior Auctioneer Championship, which features competitors ages 12-18 and helps cultivate and promote the next generation of auction professional talent. Booker’s immediate family is affiliated with Booker Auction Company in Eltopia, Washington. His father, C.D. “Butch” Booker, is the owner of KINCAID Real Estate. In Colfax. Butch won the International Auctioneer Championship Men’s Division title in 2008, which makes them the first father/son duo to collectively hold IAC and IJAC titles. (IAC began in 1988, IJAC began in 2007.)

Also during the IAC competition, which was streamed live throughout the day on Facebook Live (with a reach of just under 25,000 who saw it or stopped by the feed) and YouTube, the Chuck Cumberlin Sportsmanship, awarded to the IAC competitor who shows the best sportsmanship, was given to Jerick Miller, of Cambridge, Ohio. The Bob Steffes Rising Star Award was given to Katie Imholte Gabriel, BAS, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Both the 2018 NAA IAC and 2018 NAA IJAC were conducted as part of the NAA’s 69th Annual International Auctioneers Conference and Show, which took place in Jacksonville in July. IAC contestants must be 18 years of age or older, a current NAA member, and registered for Conference and Show.

Clayton Neal, Michigan Auctioneer Champion 2018

 

Clayton Neal, Michigan Auctioneer Champion 2018

Frankenmuth, Michigan – Clayton Neal of Tiffin, Ohio won the title, Michigan Auctioneer Champion at the Michigan Auctioneer Championship.  The Championship was held on February 1 at the Michigan Auctioneers Association Annual Conference held at the Bavarian Inn located in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  17 Contestants competed for the coveted title.  The 5 Finalists were Ridge Bollheimer (Clarklake, Mich.), Grant Cole (Beulah, Mich), Clayton Neal (Tiffin, Ohio), Billy Peyton (Middletown, Ohio), and Dan Troyer (Dalton, Ohio).  For winning the title, Clayton received a championship ring, trophy, and entry into the International Auctioneer Championship in July in Jacksonville, Florida.

Also taking home honors were Billy Peyton and Grant Cole. Peyton was the 1st runner up and Cole was the 2nd runner up.

Clayton is a first generation auctioneer licensed in Ohio.  He is a full time Realtor selling residential, commercial, recreational and agricultural real estate.  He also sells livestock, farm machinery, antiques, estates and benefit auctions.  In 2013, he graduated from The Reppert School of Auctioneering located in Indianapolis, IN.  Clayton was also named the 2014 Ohio Junior Division Champion.  Clayton is a member of the Michigan and Ohio Auctioneers Associations, as well as the National Auctioneers Association.  He is just a short distance from the Michigan border with the ability to work both in Ohio and Michigan.

His journey started this past June with encouragement from the 2017 Michigan Auctioneer Champion, Eli Troyer.  In those 9 months leading up the Michigan Auctioneer Championship, Clayton focused on positive encouragement and the dream of being a full time auctioneer.  The amount of personal growth during this time was instrumental in providing both maturity and a new positive outlook on our mission here on Earth.

Aside from the auction business, Clayton is a Senior at Tiffin University graduating in May with a Business Management Degree.  He also breeds and trains English setters.  “I am honored to have been named the 2018 Michigan Auctioneer Champion and I look forward to representing the MAA in the International Auctioneer Championship in Jacksonville, Florida in July.”

 

MAA Limited Edition Legends Trading Cards! Order before they are gone!

MAA Limited Edition Legends Trading Cards! Order before they are gone!

The Michigan Auctioneers Association unveiled a series of trading cards, similar to those involving baseball and other sports, depicting a 74-card set of ‘Legends’ trading cards which honors select both past and present auctioneers that have not only excelled in the auction profession but those that have been pivotal to the success of the Michigan Auctioneers Association.

Those include but not limited to; past Presidents of the MAA, MAA Auctioneer and Professional Ringmen Champions, Hall of Fame inductees along with those that were deemed as instrumental to the Michigan auction industry bsy committee.

The auction industry, which dates back thousands of years, remains the first and one of the remaining examples of the free enterprise system where products, prices and services are determined by the market. The professional auctioneer is a facilitator of this process which makes them an important pillar in their community.

“These trading cards are one way to illustrate the importance that the auctioneer is to the community. It also pays tribute to those that have made a considerable impact with the Michigan Auctioneers Association,” said Michigan Auctioneers Association’s Executive Director, Tricia Wiltjer.

Michigan Auctioneers Association’s President, Chuck Ranney said, “When the trading cards were initially unveiled at the National Auctioneers Association convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan they sold out within minutes.  When the general public learned of these cards, the demand for them was pretty overwhelming. We decided at that point to put them into a final production to help satisfy the demand.”

The limited print Michigan Auctioneers Association ‘The Legends’ trading cards can be purchased as a set of two series for $26.50 postage paid by contacting the Michigan Auctioneers Association at (616) 785-8288 or email: info@msaa.org

 

The ‘Legends’ Series 1

1.       Barney Barnhart 20. Thomas H. Wiltjer *
2.       Garth Wilber* 21. Wayne Blair
3.       Dick Brodie 22. Ben Glardon
4.       Doug Heuker* 23. Jerry Helmer
5.       Dan Burns 24. Brian Braun
6.       C.B. Smith * 25. Rick Montgomery
7.       Mike Furlo 26. Hib Kuiper *
8.       Gwyn Besner 27. Tim Narhi
9.       Don Diesing * 28. Scott Miedema
10.   John Glassman * 29. Sid Miedema
11.   Red Merritt * 30. Dan Van Belzen
12.   Ed Belcher * 31. Art Smith
13.   Lloyd Braun * 32. Lee Smittendorf
14.   Peter Gehres 33. Tink Brown *
15.   Kenny Lindsay 34. Leon Casey
16.   Bill Sheridan 35. Cal Casey
17.   David Helmer 36. Tye Casey
18.   Ray Krakowski 37. Wade Leist
19.   Tricia Wiltjer

 

The ‘Legends’ Series 2

      38. Stan Perkins * 57. Beth Rose
      39. William O. Coats * 58. Dan Samson
      40. Herb Albrecht 59. Jonathan Kraft
      41. Brent Belcher 60. Joseph C. Schmitt III
      42. Laura Mantle 61. Mike Bliss
      43. Bob VanSickle 62. Darin Hower
      44. Bob Howe 63. Jerry P. Cole
      45. Brad Stoecker 64. Noah Smith
      46. Ed King * 65. Tim Bos
      47. Doug Sheridan 66. Steve Stanton *
      48. Willis Yoder 67. Kevin Belcher
      49. Leroy Yoder 68. David Albrecht
      50. Steve Reeser * 69. Becky Lawrence
      51. William Podell * 70. GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneers Roundup
      52. Jim Sykora * 71. 1957 National Auctioneers Association Convention in Lansing
      53. John Beechy 72. 1999 National Auctioneers Association Convention in Grand Rapids
      54. Jimmy Lambert 73. 2016 National Auctioneers Association Convention in Grand Rapids
      55. Henry Detweiler 74. Michigan Auctioneers Association Name and Logo Change
      56. Jason Lamoreaux * Denotes that Auctioneer is Deceased

Proof Sheets of each set shown below:

  

Sara Rose Bytnar Wins International Auctioneer Championship!

Sara Rose Bytnar Wins
International Auctioneer Championship!

Third Generation Auctioneer Wins Women’s Title
One Year after Finishing Second to Her Mother

(Naples, FL – July 26, 2017) – Sara Rose Bytnar of Naples, Florida was recently crowned winner of the Women’s National Auctioneers Association (NAA) 30th Annual International Auctioneer Championship in Columbus, Ohio. The 31 year old Rose Bytnar, a third generation auctioneer, grew up with four female auctioneers in her family to guide and mentor her, to which she credits much of her success. She finished second last year to her mother, Beth Rose, by one-tenth of one point.

 

Twenty women competed for the right to be known as one of the best auction professionals in the world. Rose Bytnar, Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI), Accredited Auctioneer Real Estate (AARE), Auction Marketing Management (AMM), received a $5,000 cash award, trophy and championship ring. The contest included a preliminary bid-calling round, an interview round, and a final round of bid-calling that included seven women.

“I am honored to have won the auctioneer championship and be recognized by the world’s largest association dedicated to auction professionals,” said Bytnar. “My involvement with the NAA has provided an opportunity to network with the best auction professionals in the business and the educational opportunities to keep me at the top of my field.”

As part of her responsibilities as auction champion, Rose Bytnar will travel to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN later this year to conduct the annual NAA Toy Auction for patients and their siblings. All of the children leave as winners after bidding successfully on a toy to take home. The NAA formed its partnership with St. Jude in 1995 and has raised more than $5 million to support St. Jude.

Rose Bytnar focuses on luxury homes, commercial property and golf course real estate auctions in Ohio, Michigan and Florida for her family’s business, Beth Rose Real Estate and Auctions. She is also an auctioneer with Scott Robertson Auctioneers, one of the premier professional benefit auction companies in the United States.

Sara is joined in her year as champion with the Men’s Division Champion, Dustin Rogers, of Mt. Airy NC.

Eli Troyer Wins GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship

BIG YEAR GETS BIGGER FOR AUCTIONEER, ELI TROYER WHO WINS GOTOAUCTION.COM MIDWEST AUCTIONEER CHAMPIONSHIP

NEW BUFFALO, MICHIGAN – Professional auctioneer, Eli Troyer of Applecreek, Ohio took top honors at the highly anticipated GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship.

The GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship saw a field of 26 top quality auctioneers from around the Midwest competing for the title of the Grand Champion of the coveted auctioneer championship. The championship was held in conjunction with the Midwest Auctioneers Roundup which is hosted by the Michigan Auctioneers Association.

The highly esteemed auctioneer championship saw five finalists starring, John Beechy, Alex Belcher, Clayton Neal, Justin Croy and Eli Troyer. Justin Croy earned 2nd place in the competition.

Troyer is an Applecreek, Ohio based auctioneer employed by Kaufman Realty & Auctions where he is a full-time auctioneer and Realtor licensed in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The highly talented auctioneer is no stranger to winning championships. This past February, he was crowned the Champion of the 2017 Michigan Auctioneer Championship and won the 2016 Ohio Auctioneer Championship Junior Division.

Upon receiving the championship purse of $2,000 and the championship award, the emotional Troyer commented, “I want to thank God for giving me the ability to do the things I do. I want to thank my wife who is always there for me.” He added, “It’s been a big year for us. We just bought a house, got a baby on the way. Yeah. This is just awesome.”

One of the judges commented, “This was a really difficult championship to judge based on the overwhelming amount of talent.

We were looking at accomplished auctioneers that compete on the national level. However, it was many of the lesser known names that do not compete in similar contests that kept this competition especially tight. In the end, Troyer amassed the most points.”

Not to be outdone by the intense competition, the fan favorite of the evening was the kids auction. Aspiring young auctioneers from 4 years and up climbed up on stage to show off their budding talents.  Parents, grandparents, friends and family all supported these young auctioneers by bidding high and often on the items they auctioned, generating thunderous applause for each up and coming champion.

The GoToAuction.com Midwest Auctioneer Championship was broadcasted live on YouTube with an incredible amount of social media buzz leading up to the popular contest.   “Anyone in the world had the opportunity to see the stars shine on the big stage – and they were not disappointed. The contest generated a lot of fanfare.” Said GoToAuction.com Vice President and Marketing Director, Kenny Lindsay.