March

As Another is Elected to Iowa Hall of Fame

Steffes Group was well represented at the state auctioneer conventions in January when one representative won North Dakota’s bid calling competition and another was elected to the Iowa Hall of Fame.

Scott Gillespie, who hangs his hat in Minnesota but also practices in North Dakota, emerged from the competition as the state’s bid calling champion, with Steffes Representative Terry Moe placing third. Gillespie hopes to compete in the National Auctioneers Association’s International Auctioneering Championship this Summer at the NAA’s annual Conference and Show. 

And as if that wasn’t enough, veteran Chris Richard was elected to the Iowa Auctioneers Hall of Fame. 

If the bid calling award is about a championship performance, the Hall of Fame election is more like a “Lifetime Achievement Award.” But in his case, Richard has been early to shine himself, having managed to achieve a Hall of Fame career by the age of 44. 

“I went to auction school when I was 12 years old, and back then, there were no online auctions or anything like that, so I’ve watched the industry evolve. The Hall of Fame is really a who’s who of very prominent auctioneers in Iowa, so it’s really humbling to be in that company,” said Richard.

“We’re happy for their success, but any of these guys will tell you it’s not about winning so much as being the best auctioneer you can be,” said President Scott Steffes. “We expect a lot of our people in terms of both development and performance, and these folks are great examples of the culture of excellence we seek to maintain.”

Gillespie echoed that refrain. “Each of us works to be the best we can be all our lives. I entered the contest, just as I’ve entered others, to learn more, and to develop my skills by pitting them against some of the best in the business,” he said. 

One of those “best in the business” competing against Scott Gillespie in North Dakota was his niece and goddaughter, Brooke Gillespie, who reached her first pinnacle a bit faster, being named Rookie of the Year in both Minnesota and Iowa and winning the nationwide International Junior Auctioneering Championship in 2016. 

Brooke, who works in the Steffes Group West Fargo office and works as a ringman in the company’s auctions, plans to compete in 2020 for the biggest bid calling prize, the International Auctioneering Championship, which will be held in San Diego.