SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. -

At its fourth annual Benefit Auction and Dinner earlier this month in San Clemente, Calif., the Active Auctioneers Foundation doled out awards honoring several leaders in the industry, including an award for Auction House of the Year.

The event also raised a record amount of money, with proceeds going to members of the auction community impacted by financial misfortune due to injury, illness or disease.

As for the awards, winners were as follows:

Auctioneer of the Year: Thomas Happel of San Clemente, Calif.
Ringman of the Year: Jacob Denault of Upland, Calif.
Outstanding Achievement: Tim Van Dam of Manheim Pennsylvania
Auction House of Year: Prime Auto Auction in Gardena, Calif.

The organization said there were close to 350 people attending the event, which it said was a record.

“Winning Auctioneer of the Year is a great honor that I humbly accept. The auction industry doesn't have many awards for auctioneers so winning one of the few is just amazing,” said Happel. “The winners before me are legends in our industry and all of them have played a major role in getting the industry to where it is today and all of us auctioneers truly appreciate that. I’ll do my best to continue in the same tradition they laid out before me.”

The foundation said Van Dam was unable to attend, but had this to say: “The AAF works hard to provide and care for others in challenging circumstances. I am proud to continue my support for an organization that touches so many people.”

Prime Auto Auction’s general manager, Lew Beshoff, said this of his auction winning: “Let me start by saying that this a wonderful event, to be able to meet so many industry people in a relaxed setting, with no mention of work. It is a joy.

“The cause is truly a worthy one, with many people in this industry being able to benefit from it … I was very honored to stand before my peers and be recognized to receive Auction House of the Year. This award goes to not just to me, but all the staff at Prime Auto Auction. They truly deserve it; every day, day in and day out, they get the job done and they do it extremely well. I thank the foundation and I thank my staff.”

According to the foundation, it is a 501c3 corporation that “exists solely to provide the auction community support with its primary focus on rehabilitation, education and interpretation.”

More information can be found by emailing the foundation’s board of directors at activeauctioneersfoundation@gmail.com.

 

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