His 2017
win capped a magical two days for his family, as his father, Mark, was
inducted into the NAA Hall of Fame Thursday night. Behind Rogers, Brian
Damewood, of Purcellville, Virginia, finished as runner-up, while Jerick
Miller, of Leon, Iowa, rounded out the top three as second runner-up
among a stout group of 15 men’s finalists.
Rose Bytnar finished second last year to her mother, Beth Rose, by
one-tenth of one point, and made the 2017 championship a
three-generation event as she brought her two-month-old daughter to the
competition and conference. Bytnar began competing in IAC in 2012 and
won the Florida bid-calling championship in 2015. She has grown up with
four female auctioneers in her family to guide and mentor her, which has
led to achievements such as being named the CAI Rose Award recipient in
2012. Chantel Kimball, CAI, of Eltopia, Washington, took runner-up, a
fantastic follow-up to a second runner-up showing in the 2016 IAC.
Morgan Hopson, CAI, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 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, Kendall Nisly, of Kirksville, Missouri, was
crowned winner of the 2017 International Junior Auctioneer Championship,
which features competitors ages 12-18 and helps cultivate and promote
the next generation of auction professional talent. Also during the IAC
competition, which was streamed live throughout the day on Facebook
Live, YouTube, and Twitter, the Chuck Cumberlin Sportsmanship, awarded
to the IAC competitor who shows the best sportsmanship, was given to
John Beechy, of Nappanee, Indiana.
The Bob Steffes Rising Star Award was given to Frances Fripp, BAS, of
Mississauga, Ontario (Canada). Fripp drove more than 850 miles round
trip the day and night before the IAC in order to help her sick auction
partner complete an auction before returning in time to compete.
Both the IAC and IJAC were conducted as part of the NAA’s 68th Annual
International Auctioneers Conference and Show, which took place in
Columbus this past week. IAC contestants must be 18 years of age or
older, a current NAA member, and registered for Conference and Show.