NAA members staking claim as auction industry champions

By NAA Staff

Luck, it’s said, is the combination of preparation meeting opportunity. That certainly holds true for National Auctioneers Association members who recently have been “lucky” to win different recent auction industry championships.

Bobby D. Ehlert, BAS, of Phoenix, Arizona, won the 2015 World Automobile Auctioneers Championship held last month at Manheim Nevada in Las Vegas. In fact, Ehlert was one in a group of four NAA members to claim the top four spots at the event – a monumental testament to the bid-calling talent and ability to sell effectively in a live environment.

“What an honor to stand with my friends and auctioneer family on that stage!” Ehlert wrote in a Facebook comment following the event that featured a field of 75 competitors.

At the end of April, Logan Thomas, of Fort Worth, Texas, won the 2015 Texas State Auctioneers Championship.

They are far from the only NAA members to top their respective fields this year, and that drives home the point: NAA members at all levels – local, state or even in world competitions – are rising to the top.

Both Ehlert and Thomas are currently enrolled in the NAA’s Certified Auctioneers Institute – a three-year development program designed specifically for auction professionals. Among the seven designation programs NAA offers, CAI is considered the most highly revered among the industry. It convenes for one week each March on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington.

So, is it a coincidence that the level of talent capable of winning bid-calling championships is also attracted to the NAA and its offerings?

“Call it what you want, but we believe that auction professionals who dive into the NAA and take advantage of unparalleled industry education and invaluable networking opportunities are those focused on success for themselves and their clients,” said Curtis Kitchen, NAA Director of Communications. “What NAA offers can prepare its members for success in everything from competitions to everyday situations such as effectively competing on behalf of their buying and selling clients.”

Auctioneers.org

The day-to-day aspect is vital for someone who is looking for the right auction professional to handle their buying or selling needs – whether it is personal property, real estate, estate sales, benefit auctions, and more.

Through the NAA’s website at auctioneers.org, the general public can click “Find an NAA auction professional” at the top of the page. Searches can be narrowed by location, name, company, designation and specialty.

There is also a tab on the home page labeled “For Consumers” that explores how and why you should use an NAA member, takes a look at the NAA Code of Ethics, examines the history of auctions and provides a glossary of auction terms, and provides answers to some commonly asked questions.

For those in the auction industry, auctioneers.org and the NAA provides a gateway toward climbing up the ranks of their industry. For the public, the site provides the gateway for finding those auction professionals who are committed to their craft and clients – a true win-win.