Certified Estate Specialist (CES)

Monday-Wednesday, December 8-10, 2025 at Designation Academy in Las Vegas, NV*

Being successful in estate services is more than knowing how to sell; it is providing a service to families and estate stakeholders. Understanding the emotional and legal challenges of estates and transitions is key to identifying and solving problems for your client. In this course you will learn to recognize the various needs of your client, the comprehensive and complex process of estate liquidation, how to market and sell the assets, and how you can best profit from providing exemplary estate and transitional services. You’ll walk away able to communicate the value of your full-service offerings and increase your recurring clientele.

Upon completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Create and maintain a business of estate services
2. Discover ways to prospect, attain and grow your estate business
3. Identify opportunities in estate and transitional situations
4. Identify what the family and stakeholders may be going through regarding the estate process
5. Describe the probate processes and how to communicate with attorneys and paralegals
6. Identify how transitional services can be more profitable as additional revenue streams
7. Determine the full value of your service and structure a proposal to meet client needs
8. Book and conduct estate and downsizing liquidations
9. Describe the value of networking and utilizing available resources and partnerships

Who should invest in attending CES?

• New auction professionals looking to break into the auction industry with success
• Auction professionals who want to use personal property to get the real estate

Requirements to Earn the Designation

• Be a member of the NAA
• Register and attend all 24 hours of the CES designation class.
• Once earned, to maintain the designation you must:
  • Be a member of the NAA
  • Pay the annual designation fee of $35 by October 31
  • Complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every three years

What's in it for me?

Earning any designation demonstrates your commitment to continuing education both to the public and members of the industry. It also enables members to network with like-minded individuals in the classroom and through additional networking events, but here are some specific benefits of an a CES designation.

CES is designed to help professional auctioneers understand how to properly conduct and deal with the settling of estates. The course also educates professional auctioneers on working with family members and dealing with lawyers and accountants. Knowing you have spent the time and effort to earn this designation will comfort families and prove that you have their best interests in mind.

Instructors

• Jack L. Christy, Jr., CAI, ATS, BAS, GPPA | Christys of Indiana, Inc.
• Mike Fisher, CAI, AARE, AMM, BAS, CES, GPPA | Redfield Group Auctions
• Jarrod Hines, CAI, CES | Entrusted Auctions / Farmer Auctions
• Shane Eugene McCarrell, CAI, CES | Shane Mccarrell Inc.
• Justin Vondenhuevel, CAI, AARE, CES | Vondenhuevel Auctioneers
• David P. Whitley, CAI, CES | Rocky Mountain Estate Brokers, Inc. / Whitley Auction

*Cancellations must be made at least 30 days prior to the course to receive a refund, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations made less than 30 days prior will be entitled to a 50% refund of registration fees. No refunds less than two week prior. Substitutions are encouraged.