67th 
Michigan Auctioneers Association
Annual Convention
& 
Michigan Auctioneer & Ringman Championship

Hundreds of professional auctioneers from across the Midwest including “The World’s Most Famous Auctioneer”, Leroy Van Dyke will travel to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan for the Michigan Auctioneers Association 67^th Annual Conference.  The conference will take place from January 29-31, 2020 at the Mt. Pleasant Comfort Inn and Suites.

Highlights of the conference include educational seminars conducted by esteemed auction professionals ranging from farm auctions to the future of the auction industry.  A President’s Banquet, Awards, Hall of Fame Induction, Scholarships and a benefit auction are also cornerstones of the conference. The most popular feature of the annual event is its competitions.   Each year, the Michigan Auctioneers Association hosts the Michigan Auctioneer Championship where dozens of skilled auctioneers participate in a lively competition for the coveted crown.  In addition, attendees will enjoy the Michigan Ringman Championship.

The star attraction and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to this year’s conference is the celebrity appearance of the man dubbed ‘The World’s Most Famous Auctioneer’, Leroy Van Dyke.  Van Dyke is known around the world as an entertainer, recording artist, radio and television star, actor, and veteran of the Nevada circuit.  He was catapulted into country music fame in 1956 with his composition "Auctioneer," which sold over 2.5 million copies.

In his 50 years-plus career, Van Dyke has recorded more than 500 songs, dozens of them making the charts. His record of "Walk on By" (1961) was named by Billboard magazine in 1994 as the biggest country single of all time, based on sales, plays and weeks in the charts. It stayed at number one in the U.S. Country chart for nineteen weeks, and in all, charted for 42 weeks, also reaching number five on the pop listings. It sold more than 1.5 million copies. Van Dyke was the opening act for Marilyn Monroe in Korea in 1953 and worked with President Ronald Reagan among numerous other celebrities.   He was inducted into the North American Country Music Association Hall of Fame, International Country Music Hall of Fame and the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame.

“Many do not realize that auctions are one of the oldest professions in history. They date back to the Pilgrim’s arrival on America’s Eastern Shores in the 1600s.” said Michigan Auctioneers Association Executive Director, Tricia Wiltjer. “Our auctioneer and ringman competitions happen on Thursday, January 30^th at 7:30 p.m. and the public is welcome to attend free of charge!    It’s good old fashioned fun with modern flair for the whole family.”

The 67^th Annual Michigan Auctioneers Association Conference runs from January 29th through January 31^st at the Mt. Pleasant Comfort Inn and Suites located at 2424 S. Mission St. Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.   Guests may attend the Michigan Auctioneer and Ringman Championship and Benefit Auction FREE of charge on Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. Additional information about the conference is available by visiting www.MSAA.org  or calling the MSAA headquarters at: (616) 785-8288  email: info@msaa.org

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Established in 1951, the Michigan State Auctioneers Association is dedicated to the enhancement of Michigan’s Auction Industry through education, promotion, advocacy and networking.  The MSAA is the professional association for auctioneers in Michigan, continuing to be one of the leaders in the industry, and is proving to continue in that direction in the future.  The Michigan State Auctioneers Association is the largest representation of auctioneers in Michigan, providing a forum for networking, sharing ideas and experiences.  For more information about the Michigan State Auctioneers Association and the auction industry in Michigan, log onto www.msaa.org.