THE HAWKEYE AUCTIONEER

Quarterly E-Newsletter

SUMMER 2024

Inside This Issue:

• Letter to Members - Corey D. Fraise
• Iowa Bid Calling Championship Advertising Opportunity
• IAA at the Iowa State Fair - Katie Gadbow
• Judges for the 2024 Iowa State Fair Champion Bid Calling Contest
• Iowa FFA Association Bid Calling Championship - Rod Backes
• Thank You to Our IAA Sponsors
• Industry Calendar
• Officers & Board Members

View past newsletters on the IAA website:

https://iowaauctioneers.org/news/

Dear Members,

As we commemorate our 75th year as the Iowa Auctioneers Association, it's with great pleasure that I share the progress and accomplishments we've achieved thus far in 2024. This milestone year is not only a testament to our rich history but also a testament to the dedication and passion of our members in advancing the auctioneering profession.



**Collaboration with Iowa FFA for Student Bid Calling Contest**

In lieu of the Corn Classic traditionally held during the Beef Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, we're thrilled to announce our partnership with Iowa FFA to establish an Iowa FFA student bid calling contest. Modeled after successful initiatives in other states, this competition aims to provide valuable opportunities for young students interested in pursuing careers in auctioneering. We'll need the support of volunteers and mentors to ensure the success of this endeavor, so stay tuned for ways to get involved.

**Iowa Auctioneers Annual Scholarship**

In our ongoing commitment to supporting our members and their families, our Board of Directors is actively working to establish an annual scholarship program. This initiative aims to provide financial assistance to students pursuing post-secondary education, regardless of their chosen career path. Scholarships will be available to any student who has a family member currently affiliated with the Iowa Auctioneers Association. Whether they're pursuing a degree at a college, university, or trade school, eligible students are encouraged to apply. To ensure transparency and fairness, we're forming an auxiliary board separate from the Board of Directors. This auxiliary board will review applications and select deserving recipients. If you or a spouse of a member are interested in serving on the scholarship auxiliary board, please reach out to any Board Director.

**Preparation for the 2025 Iowa Auctioneers Convention**

Looking ahead, our focus is on preparing for the 2025 Iowa Auctioneers Convention, scheduled to take place at the Sheraton West Des Moines from January 30th to February 1st. We're excited to announce John Schultz as one of the keynote speakers for this event, promising insightful discussions, and valuable learning opportunities for all attendees.

**Upcoming Events**

Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Iowa State Fair Bid Calling Championship in August. Your support for our contestants and the Iowa Auctioneers Association is invaluable, and we look forward to seeing many of you there.

As we reflect on our journey thus far, I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your continued support, dedication, and enthusiasm. It's your unwavering commitment that fuels the success of our association, and I'm honored to serve as your president.

Sincerely,

Corey D. Fraise

Fraise Auction & Real Estate

IAA President

Hello fellow auctioneers! I hope you are all in the midst of a fantastic auction year! Just want to give you a heads up on an opportunity to have your name on the stage during this years Iowa Bid Calling Championship at the Iowa State Fair.

Since we are in the industry, the Board has decided to host an online auction of three advertising opportunities located on the main stage of this year’s competition. This will be for a table covering or banner to be placed on the front of the table and prominently displayed behind the competitors. 

Scan the QR code to take you to the online bidding link and read the details and bid often. All proceeds from the online auction will help offset the costs associated with hosting this event now that the proceeds go to the Blue Ribbon Foundation.

Contact your Board with any questions!

Link: Iowa Bid Calling Championship

Iowa State Fair 2024 is quickly approaching! The IAA is excited to once again take the Bill Riley Stage for our Bid Calling Competition. This year 6 finalists will take the stage to do their interview and show off their best auction chant. As the auction world continues to change and encompass so many new components, we are excited to share the tradition, excitement and results that are known historically in relation to the live auction chant to the Iowa State Fair Crowd.

This year following the competition we will again open up the stage to all IAA members to take the mic. We will also be inviting the public to get up there and sell items via the auction method of marketing. This was a huge hit last year! We have teamed up with the Blue Ribbon Foundation again this year. Last year we were able to make a donation on behalf of our membership and hope to do it again this year. 

Mark your calendars for August 13th at 9AM. We would love to see all of the members come out and support the contestants!

This year's contestants are:

Chantz Davidson

Sonny Jensen

Tony Wisely

Tyler Weaver

Dylan Webb

Quest Flesner

Link: BIO ON CONTESTANTS TO COME SOON

Katie Gadbow

IAA One Year Director

Chris Schwartz is the President of K-BID Online Auctions based out of Medina, MN. The site hosts more than 5,000 online auctions per year and has a network of 165+ auction companies throughout the Upper Midwest. Chris has been in the auction industry since 2010 and has experience in all facets of the auction process and a great appreciation for bid calling.

Ken Auge is a native Iowan born and raised in Fort Madison. He and his wife, Christen, have raised their family in Des Moines. Ken has been the host of the Star 102.5 Radio Morning Show since 1999 and has served as the station's Program Director since 2019.

Matthew Bullock founded the Matthew Bullock Auction Gallery in 2010 in Ottawa Illinois. It is the premier auction house that provides robust and comprehensive solutions to market their client’s collections to the global market. They host live and online auctions up to 120 times per year specializing in antiquities, fine art, ephemera, jewelry & timepieces, militaria, numismatics, pop culture collectibles, and sports memorabilia. Matthew is a recognized member of the National Auctioneer Association and Illinois State Auctioneers Association.

Jeff Pittman lives in Northwest Missouri and has conducted auctions throughout Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas. He attended the Missouri Auction School in 1996 and started Pittman Auction Service LLC. He has conducted a wide variety of auctions that include Live, Online, Simulcast, Real Estate, Firearms, Personal property, Government surplus, Bankruptcy, Farm equipment, Charitable events, Livestock, and various other types of auctions. In January 2014, he partnered with West Central Auction Company out of Harrisonville, MO, and they now have three locations in Missouri offering online auctions that reach the world wide. He continues to work as a contract auctioneer for other companies as well. Jeff is a 2017 graduate of the Certified Auctioneers Institute, one of the highest degrees of education an auctioneer can hold. He also holds an Auction Marketing Management designation. He is an active member of the Missouri Professional Auctioneers Association where he has served as Director, Vice president, President, and Past president. As well as an active member of the National Auction Association. He is also a licensed Realtor with West Central Real Estate Company.

Peter Cownie is Executive Director of the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2008-2018. He serves on the Drake University Board of Trustees, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Board of Directors, as well as many other boards and committees. Peter has received recognition as the 2012 Best Elected Official of the Year by City View, 2015 Legislator of the Year by the Iowa Restaurant Association and is a member of the Dowling Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Peter received his Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Policy from Drake University with Honors in 2008. Peter is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and is married to his high school sweetheart, Mary. Mary and Peter have three sons.

Hello everyone!

We are excited to announce a new event on the horizon. The former Iowa Corn Classic Bid Calling Championship, which took place at the Iowa Beef Expo in February, is set to become an event for the Iowa FFA Association students. After discussions with the Iowa FFA directors, we have received their blessing to move forward. We plan to feature this event again at the Iowa Beef Expo, and they are eager to host it at their convention, working on securing a better position for it during their event. There is a ton of information we have gathered and will be working on releasing this information to the association once we feel we are ready.

To make this event a success, we will need a significant number of volunteers to help, as well as mentors or bid calling instructors across the state of Iowa. If you want to be an integral part of this initiative, please let us know as soon as possible, and we will bring you up to speed. Consider stepping up to help these young men and women potentially become the next generation of Iowa auctioneers. We plan to use the same districts as the FFA of Iowa to maintain uniformity with their programs, and you will mentor the young adults from your respective district.

As professional auctioneers, we all have a passion for helping others. This is a fantastic opportunity to give back to our industry and inspire the next generation of auctioneers. There are many moving pieces right now, but knowing that you are interested in helping will be a tremendous boost to our board and staff as we move forward with this exciting opportunity. Your current Board, along with Paul McCartan and Jim Huff (Iowa Corn Classic), will be leading this project.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Rod Backes at 319.269.7110, as he will have most of the answers for now. We look forward to hearing from you!

Rod Backes

Backes Commercial Auctioneers

IAA Vice President