The National Auctioneers Assoc. (NAA) held its annual conference at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel and the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville where the food, weather and hospitality were all Southern and much to our liking.

We also liked the “short” three-and-a-half-hour drive from our home in Rainbow City, Ala., to the convention site in downtown “Music City,” where the musicians are always plentiful and playing.
We took some of the kids and we had great fun and a fine time visiting with many of our friends from around the country and enjoying much of what the convention and Nashville offered. Some of my convention notes follow.

NAA’s annual business meeting was conducted on Thursday and the election for new officers and directors was held. Here are the results of the voting:

Bill Sheridan of Mason, Mich., finished his stint as chairman of the board of directors. Sheridan has ably served NAA and the auction industry throughout his career and his able leadership is not ending. It will merely be redirected as the board utilizes his talent in other ways to advance the interests of auctioneers and auction-goers alike in this rapidly evolving marketplace.

I can’t believe the presidency of Tommy Williams of Bixby, Okla., has come to a close. Where did that year go so fast? Williams did an excellent job in helping to steer NAA’s boat and good progress was made in a number of areas during his time at the helm. Williams has now assumed the role of chairman of the board and he will continue to favor NAA with his leadership skills and always positive personality.

Randy Wells of Post Falls, Idaho, was elected the new president of the NAA. Wells is another very able auctioneer and leader and he will make substantial contributions to the association and industry over the 12 months.

Scott Musser of Kennewick, Wash., was elected president-elect of NAA. Musser comes from a family of well-respected auctioneers and he will do a fine job for the association in his new role in anticipation of becoming NAA’s next president in July 2009.

Mark Rogers of Mount Airy, N.C., was elected vice president of NAA. This puts him in line to become president-elect next July and then move up to become the association’s president in 2010 – exactly 10 years after his daddy, Bracky Rogers, another outstanding auctioneer and leader, was elected NAA’s president at the millennium convention in Norfolk, Va.

Both father and son are terrific gentlemen who have made substantial contributions to NAA over many years and they will continue to do so.

Four new directors were added to the current eight members who are serving on the association’s board. The new directors are J. J. Dower of Lafollette, Tenn., Dennis Jackson of Indianapolis, Randy Burdette of Alderson, W.Va., and Shawn Terrel of Smithville, Mo.
Several awards were given to members for their outstanding contributions to the association and auctioneering. Here are the most significant:

NAA began inducting selected members into its Hall of Fame in 1961 to pay tribute to the very best auctioneers. This honor is reserved for auctioneers of long standing who have ably served both the association and the auction industry. This year, four inductees were recognized with NAA’s highest honor.

They are John Roebuck of Memphis, Tenn., Randy Ruhter of Hastings, Neb., Gary Ryther of Excelsior Springs, Mo., and the late Wayne Stewart of Audubon, Iowa. The inductees were individually honored at the President’s Gala on Saturday evening.

A past treasurer of NAA was recognized with the President’s Award of Distinction this year. This award was created in 2002 by NAA’s board and it is annually given to honor members “whose conduct has distinguished the profession or the association in the past two years.” This year’s recipient was Kurt Kiefer of Fergus Falls, Minn.
NAA also held its International Ringman’s Championship. When the last “Yes!” and “Yip!” had been hollered, Alex Belcher of Buncomb, Ill., had claimed the crown.

The International Junior Auctioneer Championship competition is open to youths between the ages of 12-21. This year’s winner was Jacob Barth, 14, of Ephrata, Wash. Barth is a freshman at Quincy High School and obviously has a bright future at the auction block.
This year’s International Auctioneer Championship was once again hotly contested by some of the best bid-callers to ever chant. When the last bid was called, the new International Auctioneer Champion in the men’s division was C. D. “Butch” Booker of Colfax, Wash.
In the women’s division, Jodi L. Sweeney of Waukon, Iowa, took home the top prize.

Both auctioneers received a cash prize of $10,000 and they will now represent NAA as industry spokespeople throughout the coming year.

Congratulations to all of NAA’s new officers, directors, honorees and winners. Their substantial talent and many contributions add much to the quality of the auction industry.

A major portion of every NAA conventions is education and numerous good seminars were offered. I presented six hours of legal seminars this year and I’ll tell you something about them, beginning next week.

Steve Proffitt is general counsel of J.P. King Auction Co., Inc., online at www.jpking.com

He is also an auctioneer and instructor at both Reppert School of Auctioneering in Auburn, Ind., and Mendenhall School of Auctioneering in High Point, N.C. He welcomes questions from readers about auctions and auctioneering. Readers’ communications may be reprinted in whole or part.

Proffitt will answer selected questions but cannot provide personal answers. His answers do not represent legal advice or the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Please submit questions to sproffitt@jpking.com