The Auction Advocate

National Auction Association’s Taven Wohlford sits down with the 2025 International Auctioneer Championship Champions Abbey Schmid and Tanner Roberts for a conversation centered around the journey to auctioneering’s biggest stage. From growing up in the industry to handling the pressure of IAC Friday, Abbey and Tanner share insights on preparation, mentorship, authenticity, competition nerves, and...

The National Auction Association's Certified Auctioneers Institute turns 50 years old in 2026, and on this episode of The Auction Advocate , we’re taking a deep dive into the program that has helped shape leaders across the auction industry. Host Taven Wohlford sits down with John Schultz, CAI, AMM, and Taylor Kent, CAI, members of the 2025 graduating class, to talk through the full CAI exper...

National Auction Association's Marketing & Digital Media Manager and host of The Auction Advocate, Taven Wohlford, sits down with two women whose work spans fundraising, estates, livestock, real estate, and state leadership. Carol Miller, CAI, BAS, and Suzannah Underwood, BAS, bring different paths and perspectives together in a conversation about building credibility, finding your niche,...

National Auction Association’s Marketing & Digital Media Manager and host of The Auction Advocate, Taven Wohlford, talks with three leaders at the center of the NAA Marketing Competition: Susan Campbell from the American Marketing Association of Kansas City, 2025 Campaign of the Year winner Braden McCurdy CAI, AARE, AMM, and Marketing Competition Task Force Chair John John Genovese CAI, AMM, B...

National Auction Association's Marketing & Digital Media Manager and your host for The Auction Advocate, Taven Wohlford, sits down with Mike Jones, CAI, BAS, GPPA, to talk about his work leading America’s Auction Academy and World Wide College of Auctioneering — two auction schools shaping tomorrow’s auction professionals. Then, 2024 and 2025 International Junior Auctioneer Champions Cale...

National Auction Association's Public Relations & Marketing Specialist and your host for The Auction Advocate, Taven Wohlford, speaks with newly installed NAA CEO Allison Mazzei. Covering everything from her business background to her NAA priorities to her love for the Muppets, get to know Allison in a whole new way!

National Auction Association's Public Relations & Marketing Specialist and your host for The Auction Advocate, Taven Wohlford, speaks with newly installed NAA President Morgan Hopson, CAI, and Vice President Mike Fisher, CAI, AARE, AMM, BAS, CES, GPPA, about their shared vision for the auction industry's future as it begins today.  Thank you to BidPath for sponsoring a portion of thi...

National Auction Association's Taven Wohlford sits down with the 2024 International Auctioneer Championship Champions Marcela Davila Diez-Gutierrez, CAI, and Shane McCarrell, CAI, AARE, BAS, CES, live at the NAA's 76th annual Conference & Show. Attendees of this live recording offered up questions for our champions, who were able to share insights on what it takes to take your IAC ga...

Time to shine those belt buckles and Git-R-Done! National Auction Association's Taven Wohlford speaks with Trey Morris, CAI, BAS, CAS, about his time with Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. Then, Wade Leist, 2024 Livestock Marketing Association World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, sits down to talk about the world of livestock auctions.

Happy holidays! National Auction Association's Taven Wohlford speaks with Freddie Silveria, CAI, BAS, and Reggie Rivers, BAS, about the journeys that led them to their current success in auctioneering. 

We all start somewhere! National Auction Association's Taven Wohlford speaks with Carrie Cunningham, BAS, and Seth Weiner, CAI, BAS, about the journeys that led them to their current success in auctioneering. 

National Auction Association Communications Coordinator Taven Wohlford speaks with the newly installed NAA President John Schultz, AMM, and Vice President Morgan Hopson, CAI, about their shared vision for the auction industry's future as it begins today.

NAA Communications Coordinator and Host, Taven Wohlford; 2023 International Auctioneer Championship champions Haile Behr, BAS; and Brian Damewood help answer common questions amongst IAC competitors and share their experiences on what brought success to their championship runs.

NAA Communications Coordinator and Host, Taven Wohlford; Jason Deel, CAI, GPPA, CES; and Sara Rose Bytnar, CAI, AARE, delve into the crossroads of AI and the auction industry. Discover the revolution AI offers the auction industry, from how to differentiate yourself using AI and what programs to utilize.

NAA Communications Coordinator and Host, Taven Wohlford, speaks with Braden McCurdy, CAI, AARE, AMM; Jimmie Dean Coffey, CAI, AARE, AMM, BAS, CES, MPPA; and Morgan Hopson, CAI, about the ever-evolving real estate auction world. Discussions on potential buyer apprehension, the auction method of marketing for real estate, the outlook of the real estate auction industry, and so much more are all poin...

New NAA Communications Coordinator and Podcast Host, Taven Wohlford, speaks with the newly installed National Auction Association President Lance Walker, CAI, BAS, CES, and NAA Chair of the Board Sherman Hostetter, Jr., CAI, AARE, BAS, CES, GPPA, about their impact, trajectory and target of the past year and the future in the auction industry.

Hear directly from the 2022 International Auctioneer Champions Jerick Miller, and Chantel Kimball, CAI. We're talking about: Tips for competition Preparation Judging criteria Camaraderie Register for Conference & Show 2023: http://auctioneers.org/cs2023

The National Auctioneers Association's Erin Shipps, director of marketing and communications, chats with Brook Gillespie , AMM, content marketing lead at Steffes Group , and JD Miller , digital marketing executive with Jeff Martin Auctioneers , about current trends in auction marketing and the future of AI. 

In this episode of the Auction Advocate, Erin Shipps, director of marketing and communications for the National Auctioneers Association, speaks with two families about how they find success in their family-run auction businesses. Guests: Frank Imholte, CAI, AARE, CES Andy Imholte, AMM, BAS Joe Imholte Bryce Hansen, CAI Chase Hansen

An update on how Covid-19 changed the auction business, and the tips and tools for success nearly three years later. Erin Shipps, director of marketing and communications for the National Auctioneers Association brings back fan favorites Russ Hilk and Erik Rasmus to chat about: Client managed sales Quality bidders Problem solving Hiring and educating How to prepare sellers for the future

Every state has different auctioneer licensing requirements, from one end of the legislative pendulum to the other. Learn more about state licensing, challenges, advantages and what the future may hold. Guests include: Wade Baer, CAI, AMM (Ohio) Nick Bennett, CAI, AMM, BAS (Montana) Joe Gribbins, BAS, CES (Kentucky) Shane McCarrell, CES (Tennessee) Darron Meares, CAI, BAS, MPPA (South Carolina) Da...

In this episode, we're talking with newly installed National Auctioneers Association President Sherman Hostetter, Jr., CAI, AARE, BAS, CES, GPPA, and NAA Chair of the Board Beth Rose, CAI, AARE, AMM, about the past year in the auction industry and the exciting things to come!

National Auctioneers Association (NAA) Director of Marketing & Communications Erin Shipps touches base with leaders from the National Auto Auction Association (NAAA). Guests include Tricia Heon, CEO of NAAA; and, Charlotte Pyle, CAI, AARE, past president and current secretary of NAAA, as well as co-owner and auctioneer at Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction and Realty Service.  Topics: Big announceme...

In this episode, we've brought together marketing professionals from the most winningest companies in the 2022 NAA Auction Marketing Competition. Guests include Lindsay Doll, marketing director for McCurdy Real Estate & Auction ; Leslie Basinger, marketing team leader for Schrader Real Estate & Auction ; Nick DePasquale, director of marketing and special projects for Kaufman Realty &a...

Everyone has a story. Stories are powerful. But are you telling them right? How much more money could you raise for nonprofits by tweaking your storytelling just a bit? In this episode of the Auction Advocate, Lori L. Jacobwith, master storyteller and founder of Ignited Fundraising walks us through bigger and better stories. After spending an hour or so on the podcast with Erin I have to say, she...