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.

Help Celebrate National Auctioneers Week & National Auctioneers Day on May 5, 2018!

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

The ‘Legends’ Series 2

Proof Sheets of each set shown below:

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.

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 2^nd 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.

Long time Michigan Auctioneers Association member, Scott Sykora in the news! #AuctionsWork

http://www.themorningsun.com/general-news/20160915/forest-hill-farm-auction-draws-bidders-window-shoppers

MAA Mother & Daughter Auctioneers Finish 1st & 2nd in International Auctioneer Championship – First Time in History

Beth Rose, CAI, AARE, (President of Beth Rose Real Estate & Auctions, Maumee, Ohio) was named winner of the National Auctioneers Association’s, International Auctioneers Championship, Women’s Division. Beth topped a field of 94 competitors to take the women’s division and her daughter Sara Rose-Bytnar, placed right behind her as 1st Runner Up. The International Auctioneer Championship was conducted as part of the National Auctioneers Association’s 67th annual International Auctioneers Conference & Show, which occurred in Grand Rapids, Michigan during July 19-23.

Ms. Rose received a $5,000 cash award, trophy and championship ring for her winning efforts. The competition featured a preliminary bid-calling round, an interview session consisting of three questions, and a final round of bid-calling that included the top 15 men and 7 women. In the two divisions, 74 men and 20 women competed for the right to be known as THE BEST auction professional in the world.

In addition to this prestigious title, Ms. Rose will serve as the National Auctioneers Association’s ambassador for the next 12 months. She will also be an ambassador for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and travel to Memphis, Tennessee in December to conduct a fund-raising auction for kids receiving treatment at St. Jude’s.

During the NAA Conference and Show, Beth Rose Real Estate & Auctions also received top recognition from the 2016 NAA/USA TODAY Marketing Competition Award as “Auction Marketing Campaign of the Year” for The Ridgeland Estate Luxury Auction.

Beth’s path to a successful auction career was paved by her father, David Rose. David started as a traditional real estate broker when Beth was born and had one of the largest Century 21 franchises in the country in the 1980’s. David then sold the successful Century 21 franchise to focus on selling real estate at auction. David mentored under some of the top auctioneers in the country to develop Rose Auction and Realty. David put his company on the map by educating the general public in Toledo, Ohio to utilize auctions as a first choice in selling real estate and assets. Rose Auction and Realty credits the likes of Marty Higgenbotham, Hugh Miller, Brent Semple, Walt Driggers, Merle Booker and the late Keith Bradley for leaving a lasting legacy and helping develop this now nationally recognized auction firm.

Unfortunately, David’s life was cut short at the age of 55 when he was diagnosed with non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. David had been preparing to enter his third and final year of CAI when he received the news. He was advised to get his affairs in order and was therefore unable to attend his final year of CAI. David’s CAI classmates had a phone brought into the classroom so that David was able to speak with the entire class and say his goodbyes. David received his CAI Designation as an Honorary Designee through the efforts of his CAI 1998 classmates. The relationships he made during his time at CAI helped carry on his legacy. Each year a newly designated CAI graduate is presented with “The Rose Award” in honor of David.

David passed within six weeks of his diagnosis. His abrupt passing happened when Beth was just 33 years old. “We never planned for this to happen at such a young age,” says Beth. “Because of the NAA, we were able to sustain our company’s growth and build on his legacy. I remember my dad always telling us that knowledge is power and it doesn’t matter how long you are in the business, we need to evolve constantly and to invest in yourself and always attend educational classes. And the NAA has provided us with all the vital tools, training, and mentorship we’ve needed to thrive as women in the auction industry.”

David’s legacy lives on through Beth and her three sisters who are also in the auction business, Pamela, Dawn and Karen Rose. David set his daughters up to be the ultimate sales women by making them all competitors. Beth always remembered her father saying, “Treat every appointment as if your sister is sitting in the driveway and you will get every deal.” This has made all four girls leaders in their marketplace and they still live by this philosophy. They compete to be at the top of their game. Though competitors in business, Beth is very close to all of her sisters, stating, “We may compete against each other in business, but we are best friends. It really works for us!”

Beth’s daughter, Sara Rose-Bytnar is also an accomplished auction professional. Sara is the managing partner of Beth Rose Real Estate and Auctions and lives in Naples, Florida. Beth and Sara have a special bond since Beth raised Sara as a single Mother. At a very young age, Sara knew the real estate and auction business from traveling with Beth on appointments and auctions. “Sara has made her voice and the business her own. She is an amazing businesswoman and I couldn’t be more proud to share the stage with her in the IAC Competition. It was the most rewarding experience any parent could ever imagine.” Sara was the 1st Runner Up in the IAC Competition and only lost by 0.1 point. “We are still in awe of how close we both were. Since we started competing together five years ago, our goal was for both of us to place first second, and this year we did it!”

The Michigan Auctioneers Association is fortunate to have both Beth and Sara as active and engaged MAA members. Beth and Sara are at nearly every MAA event and have shared their experience and knowledge by hosting numerous seminars for MAA members in the past. The MAA congratulates each for their outstanding performances during the 2016 NAA C&S and looks forward to having Beth Rose represent our industry for the upcoming year.

Junior Staggs of Puryear, Tennessee won the title, Super Summer Slam Down Bid Calling Champion on June 15 in Shipshewana, Indiana at the Midwest Auctioneers Roundup. 28 Auctioneers from 6 states competed in this highly competitive championship competition.

The “Slam Down” differs from other auctioneer competitions because it is all about Bid Calling. There is no interview and the rules are simple: “sell what you brought in two minutes, and you must wear a hat”. The “Slam Down” is becoming known throughout the Midwest as one of the most challenging and entertaining auctioneer competitions in the world. Competitors lay it all on the line as they call bids in a manner that is similar to an actual live auction setting. Many competitors enjoy this type of competition as they are not judged on anything other than how they sound.

This year’s competition was fierce. 5 Finalists were announced from the field of 28. The 2016 Finalists were John Beechy (Nappanee, Ind), Justin Croy (Plymouth, Ind), Frank “Ed” Leist (Petoskey, Mich), Jarron Miller (Huntington, Ind) and James “Junior” Staggs (Puryear, Tenn). The placings were then announced and were as follows: Justin Croy (5th), Jarron Miller (Tied for 3rd), John Beechy (Tied for 3rd), Frank “Ed” Leist (2nd), and James “Junior” Staggs (Champion). The top 5 finishers were awarded with trophies and cash prizes. All of the top 5 finishers were members of the Michigan Auctioneers Association.

Junior is no stranger to auctioneer championships. He is the current Kentucky State Champion Auctioneer, the 2014 Tennessee State Champion Auctioneer and the 2015 Southeast Region Champion Auctioneer. Junior is also a two time (2015, 2016) Mule Day Auctioneer Reserve Champion.

Junior is an Auctioneer/Affiliate Real Estate Broker with Doug Taylor Auction Service in Puryear, Tennessee. Although Junior didn’t grow up around auctions, he caught the “bug” when he worked as a “grunt” for his wife’s uncles firm. He attended Nashville Auction School in 2007 and was elected to class president. He has been licensed in real estate for over 4 years. Junior is also creative. He is the owner/founder of The Auctioneer Print, a poem written and produced about the Auctioneer.

Junior and his wife, Katie, live on a small farm in Puryear, Tennessee with their two daughters, Savannah Kate and Sophie Beth (both future auctioneers).

Special Thanks to Judges for the Super Summer Slam Down Bid Calling Championship: Chuck Haarer, Scott King, Dave Brooks, Bill Sheridan, Lee Smittendorf. Also, special thanks to John Narhi for handling the live feed and video. To view the 2016 Super Summer Slam in it’s entirety, visit www.FindMichiganAuctions.com or www.youtube.com/MichiganAuctioneers.