CHICAGO -

The National Auto Auction Association revealed this year’s winner of the Bernie Hart Memorial Auctioneer Award. Taking home the honors is Col. Paul Behr.

Named in honor of Bernie Hart, who served as NAAA’s executive director for more than 30 years before retiring in 1988, the annual award recognizes the industry’s most visible person.

Behr has conducted more than 8,500 auctions during his ongoing 40-year career, calling bids for everything from autos and livestock to multimillion dollar real estate sales and charity benefits, according to NAAA.

He is also the president and owner of the World Wide College of Auctioneering, located in Mason City, Iowa, and the World Automobile Auctioneers Championship.

“Paul’s passion, stage presence and class raises auctioneering to an art form,” stated fellow bid caller Bob McConkey, owner and president of DAA Northwest and past NAAA president. “He’s the strongest ambassador we have, championing our industry through his college and contest, which emphasize the development of the profession — more important than ever in these challenging economic times.

“These worthwhile endeavors create a real brotherhood of auctioneers. His untiring and active devotion to educating and training future generations of auctioneers, as well as his wide-ranging experience, truly merits this tribute,” he added.

In addition to the NAAA award, Behr has received numerous honors during his long career, including the accolade of being one of only two people in auctioneering history to be a three-time World Champion Auctioneer — the other being Jeff Stokes, the 2005 recipient of the Bernie Hart award, NAAA reported.

Born and raised on a small farm near the town of Rockwell, Iowa, Behr joined the U.S. Marine Corps after his high school graduation. Following boot camp in San Diego and infantry training at Camp Pendleton, Behr served in the jungles and Que Son mountains of Vietnam.

When he returned from his tour of duty, the young veteran attended the Reisch Auction School in Mason City. He was the last auctioneer to be trained personally by legendary auctioneer Col. Joe Reisch.

In 1973 Behr began his bid-calling career at the South St. Paul stockyards, the largest in the world at that time, NAAA revealed. A year later he started selling vehicles at the Minneapolis Northstar Auto Auction while also conducting benefit auctions.

Then in 2001, he became owner and president of his current business and created his prestigious professional competition for auctioneers in 2005, the association said. He has served as president of the Minnesota State Auctioneers Association, on the Board of Governors of the Certified Auctioneers Institute, president of the World Automobile Auctioneers Professional Association and on the board of directors for the National Auctioneers Association.

Today, Behr resides in Denver, with fiancee Suzanne McCarty, where he is active in his church and enjoys horseback riding and traveling.