2008 International Auctioneers Championship Winners - C.D. "Butch" Booker and Jodi L. Sweeney
For Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Longly
(913) 541-8084 ext. 31
clongly@auctioneers.org
2008 International Auctioneers Championship Winners
C.D. "Butch" Booker and Jodi L. Sweeney
June 11, 2008, Nashville, TN – C.D. "Butch" Booker of Colfax, Washington and Jodi L. Sweeney of Waukon, Iowa were announced the winners of the 2008 International Auctioneers Championship at the 59th International Auctioneers Conference and Show in Nashville, Tennessee.
This year's competition had seventy-four men and twenty-two women compete for the coveted title. Each champion received a cash prize of $10,000, a trophy and will now represent the National Auctioneers Association as its spokespeople throughout the year. The competitors were judged on their presentation, chant, voice quality, body language and other elements of effective auctioneering. There was also an interview segment of the competition that participants were judged on.
C.D. "Butch" Booker
Second generation auctioneer C.D. "Butch" Booker is all too familiar with the IAC competition. Since 1993, Butch has competed in every IAC competition and has 8 trophies to show for it. This year, Butch will proudly add the IAC Championship trophy to his collection of four first runner-up and four second runner-up IAC trophies. The owner of Kincaid Real Estate Company in Colfax, Washington, Butch is also an active auctioneer in his family auction business, Booker Auction Company. Butch has conducted over 2,500 auctions in 16 states. Mr. Booker specializes in industrial and farm machinery, real estate and purebred livestock auctions.
Upon being awarded his trophy, Butch invited his son, Cotton, to the stage to assist him in the IAC Champion auction. With his son standing by his side, Butch said, "When I was a little boy, my friends father's played catch or fished with them. My dad took me to auctions. My son does the same with me. Auctions are our life. It's what we do for a living. It's what we love".
Butch and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Colfax, Washington and have a 6 year old son, Cotton. Butch is the son of the late NAA Hall of Famer D.L. Booker and Colleen Booker.
Jodi L. Sweeney
Third generation auctioneer Jodi L. Sweeney was born to be an auctioneer. At the age of 21 years, Jodi L. Sweeney is an impressive auctioneer. Raised in the auction house, Jodi started helping with the family auctions at the age of six and began selling at age nineteen. Jodi specializes in farm machinery, real estate and antique auctions. She holds a real estate salesperson license in the state of Iowa. In August of 2007, Jodi was the first female to win the Iowa Auctioneers Association State Bid Calling Contest.
"This year's competition was filled with an excellent field of competitors," said Jodi Sweeney. "I was shocked and amazed to have won this year's competition and I am truly honored to be this year's champion."
Jodi is currently completing her last year of college and will graduate in May. Jodi is a member of the Iowa Auctioneers Association and lifetime member of the NAA.
IAC Men's Division Winner - C.D. "Butch" Booker, Colfax, Washington
First Runner-Up - Joseph M. Mast, Millersburg, Ohio
Second Runner-Up - Eli Detweiler Jr., CAI, Ruffin, North Carolina
IAC Women's Division Winner - Jodi L. Sweeney, Waukon, Iowa
First Runner-Up - Patti Baldini-Martin, CAI, CES, Hendersonville, Tennessee
Second Runner-Up - Terri Walker, CAI, BAS, CES, Memphis, Tennessee
Men's Division Finalists:
CD "Butch" Booker - Colfax, WA
Eli Detweiler Jr., CAI - Ruffin, NC
Casey Enlow - Sapulpa, OK
Richard (TJ) Freije - Clayton, IN
Jerry E. King, CAI - Fletcher, NC
Joey Thomas Martin - Pelzer, SC
Joseph M. Mast - Millersburg, OH
Craig Meier - Ennis, TX
Russ Moravec - David City, NE
Trev Moravec - David City, NE
Troy Orr - Jamestown, ND
Kyle Shobe - Lewistown, MT
Heath Spracklen - Pana, IL
Andrew White - Ashland, OH
Mark Younger - Maryville, MO
Women's Division Finalists:
Patti Baldini, CAI, CES - Hendersonville, TN
Gwen C. Bryant, CAI, AARE, CES - Florence, SC
Angie S. Meier - Ennis, TX
Jodi L. Sweeney - Waukon, IA
Donna Tuttle - Mio, MI
Terri Walker, CAI, BAS, CES - Memphis, TN
Lynne Zink, CAI, CES, CAGA - Bel Air, MD
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About the NAA
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) represents the interests of almost 5,000 auctioneers in the United States, Canada and across the world. Founded in 1949, the mission of the NAA is to promote the auction method of marketing and enhancing the professionalism of its members. In 2007, the auction industry grew by 5.3% with over $270 billion in goods and services sold at live auction. To learn more about Auctioneers, auctions and the NAA visit: www.auctioneers.org.