Category Archives: Meet Our Auctioneers

Bradley Stoecker Wins 2025 Michigan Ringman Championship

Bradley Stoecker Wins 2025 Michigan Ringman Championship & Earns Top Honors in Michigan Auctioneer Championship

Mount Pleasant, MI – The Michigan Auctioneers Association proudly announces that a professional auctioneer from Leslie, Michigan, Bradley Stoecker, has been named the 2025 Michigan Ringman Champion at the Michigan Auctioneers Association (MAA) Annual Convention. Stoecker also demonstrated exceptional auctioneering skills by placing 2nd Runner-Up in the prestigious Michigan Auctioneer Championship.

The event occurred on Friday, January 31, 2025, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, where the state’s top auction professionals competed in two of the industry’s most respected contests. The Michigan Ringman Championship evaluates a ringman’s ability to work with the auctioneer, engage bidders, and maintain high energy throughout a live auction. Stoecker’s expert bid-spotting, crowd interaction, and ability to generate excitement earned him the championship title.

Additionally, in the Michigan Auctioneer Championship, which highlights the best bid callers in the state, Stoecker’s outstanding auctioneering skills, professionalism, and stage presence secured his position as 2nd Runner-Up among Michigan’s finest auction professionals. The competition featured 16 professional auctioneers from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

“This recognition is an incredible honor,” said Stoecker. “The Michigan Auctioneers Association brings together the best in the industry, and I’m grateful to be recognized among such talented professionals. Winning the Ringman Championship and placing in the Auctioneer Championship reaffirms my dedication to providing top-tier auction services.”

Bradley and his wife, Rachel, reside in Dimondale, Michigan, and together, they run Epic Auctions & Estate Sales (www.EpicAuctions.com), which is based in Leslie, Michigan. With decades of experience in the auction industry, Stoecker leads a team specializing in live and online real estate and personal property auctions, estate sales, and appraisals, serving clients across the state with professionalism and expertise.

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Established in 1951, the Michigan Auctioneers Association is dedicated to enhancing 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 and sharing ideas and experiences.  For more information about the Michigan Auctioneers Association and the auction industry in Michigan, log onto www.FindMichiganAuctions.com.

Colt Johnson, Michigan Auctioneer Champion 2025

Colt Johnson, Michigan Auctioneer Champion 2025

Mount Pleasant, Michigan – 26-year-old Colt Johnson from Farwell, Michigan, won the title of 2025 Michigan Auctioneer Champion at the 34th annual Michigan Auctioneer & Ringman Championships held at the Michigan Auctioneers Association convention in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

With hundreds in attendance and the five finalists on the stage, you could hear a pin drop before the Master of Ceremonies announced, “And your 2025 Michigan Auctioneer Champion is………..Colt Johnson!”  which was met with a thunderous ovation.   Johnson was stunned by the announcement and said in part, “This is truly an honor.  I don’t know what to say. I’ve been trying at this for five or six years.” Then he paused and said, “I can’t believe it yet.”  He added, “Thank you to my uncle John McConnell, my dad, Matt Johnson, and Scott Sykora, who have all been my backbone during this journey and great mentors.”  Later, he thanked his wife, Breanna for her “love and unconditional support.”

For winning the title, Johnson received a championship buckle, trophy, and entry into the International Auctioneer Championship in July 2025 in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Professional auctioneering is in Johnson’s DNA, as his late uncle, Darell Dunkle, became a well-respected auctioneer from 1965-2022.  When Johnson was a little boy, he vividly remembers attending the Clare County Livestock Auction with his father, Matt Johnson.   As fate would have it, now Colt Johnson is an auctioneer for the Clare County Livestock Auction and sells every Monday.

The 2016 Clare High School graduate attended the World-Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa at the tender age of 15.  Immediately upon graduating from auction school, he began working with Sykora Auction Service and is celebrating his 11th work anniversary with the prominent auction firm.   Johnson also works at the Clare County Livestock, which he says, “it is the highlight of my week”.  He enjoys all auctions, but his favorite types of auctions are farm equipment and cattle auctions.

 

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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.

Tim Bos Inducted into The Michigan Auctioneers Hall of Fame

Timothy G. Bos, MAA Hall of Fame Inductee 2025

One of the better-known and respected professional auctioneers in the state of Michigan, Timothy Bos with Bos Auctions & Appraisal Service and co-owner of the Jackson Antique Mall, was enshrined in the Michigan Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame.   The prestigious honor is bestowed after a rigorous qualification process and ultimately voted by the Hall of Fame committee.   Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is the highest recognition any auctioneer can receive in the auction industry. “Tim Bos has been and continues to be such an asset to the public with his wide range of expertise and talents. His reputation within the industry and community is impeccable, and his contributions to the Michigan Auctioneers Association is enormous.” Said Executive Director and Hall of Famer, Tricia Wiltjer.

Bos was a former semi-professional tennis player who later applied his athleticism to men’s figure skating, where he completed a certification program with the United States Figure Skating Association. He then coached a young man who finished 5th place in the Junior Olympics.

In 1984, he met Bonnie Kennedy, and the two embarked on a professional and personal journey. In 1987, he graduated from the Reppert School of Auctioneering in Decatur, Indiana.  In 1988, the Jackson Antique Mall was born, and 39 years later, the mall was recognized as a premier location in lower Michigan.

Over the years, Mr. Bos has made significant contributions to his community and has helped raise millions of dollars with various charitable organizations, including, but not limited to, Jackson High School, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, United Way, YMCA, Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce, America Red Cross, Jackson County Fair, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, and countless others.

He has received several awards, including 2012 Realtor of the Year, the 2016 Outstanding Service Award for Girl Scouts Heart of America, and the 2017 Ambassador Award from Jackson High School. Bos has been an instrumental asset to the Michigan Auctioneers Association, dedicating hundreds of hours to committee work and providing educational seminars. He was elected President of the organization in 2015.

Since 1951, thousands of auctioneers have become members of the Michigan Auctioneers Association, and only 45 members have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The MAA is honored that Timothy Bos will forever be remembered and treasured with the highest possible recognition any auctioneer can achieve.

Established in 1951, the Michigan Auctioneers Association is dedicated to enhancing 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 most significant representation of auctioneers in Michigan, providing a forum for networking, and sharing ideas and experiences.  For more information about the Michigan Auctioneers Association and the auction industry in Michigan, log onto www.FindMichiganAuctions.com.