Elections have Consequences
As our Texas primary election comes up, make sure and vote. Check the candidates out & see what they stand for. I would encourage you to vote Biblical values.
Texas Values has a list of candidates they support. You can also go to ivoterguide.com.
The Fellowship of Christian Auctioneers International (FCAI) is encouraging everyone to renew their dues.
We minister to auctioneers & their families as well as deployed troops. Thanks to everyone who has already renewed.
In Romans 12:5 scripture states “For we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
In Matthew 9:12 & 13 scripture states “But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick 13 But go, ye and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
The Rancher’s Code
Give everything you’ve got in everything you do.
You’re only as good as your word, so never go back on it.
Stand up for what’s right, even if you’re the only one standing.
Honor our nation, and the men and women who protect it.
Serve as a steward of the land, because the Lord ain’t makin’ any more of it.
Give thanks every day for what you have and the people who got you there.
The person next to you is more important than anything on your mobile.
Never post anything online you would not say to someone’s face.
Respect the opinions of others, even if you do not agree with them.
When you get knocked down, get back up.
By Cattle Max
Prayer Requests
Tommie McDonald, Tyler, Tx
Jack Van Hauen, Keller, TX
Ryan Lystad, Terry & Lou Ann Water’s son in law, Aledo, TX
Bob Mitchell, Terrell, TX
Brenda Kaddatz, Hillsboro, TX
Kyle Michell- Terrell, TX
Sandy Dunning- Plano, TX
Yvonne Jones- Gainesville, TX
Renee Jones, Gainesville, TX
Lou Ann Young- Olton, TX
Stan Young’s mother - Olton, TX
Teresa Murihead, Hubbard, TX
Brett Thomas, Mt. Pleasant, TX
Jeff Dunning Sr., Health -Carrollton, TX
Valerie Grimm- Houston, TX
Kelly Pinkey Hendrex, Farmersville, Tx
Doug Bradford, Carrolton, TX
Praise Reports
America’s Auction Academy raised funds for FCAI at their January auction school.
Next auction school is May 31-June 7, 2024
I assisted Texas Values with an auction in Houston. The honored guest was Coach Kennedy who went to the Supreme Court. He won his case which allows him to pray on the football field after a game.
Newborn calf was born in January when it was 12 degrees.
People that have gone to be with Lord
Sheryl Bates Jones Mother- Sue Darcey
TDLR
I recently had to deal with a complaint at TDLR. The complaint was resolved. Todd Kercheval assisted me.
If you need assistance with a TDLR, you can contact Todd or me.
Please renew your FCAI membership if you have not renewed.
Support Our Veterans
Let us know if you have any deployed troops. We send packages to them.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:57
Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go, - Joshua 1:19
If you would like to be on the FCAI e-mail or text list, send your e-mail address or cell phone number.
Check our website Facebook for praise reports, prayer requests, thank you notes, and obituaries. You can send contributions to FCAI, visit our website, or call 254-582-3000 with a credit card. Our address is: 535 HCR 4223, Hillsboro, Tx 76645. For online donations please visit;//www.fcai.org All donations are tax deductible.
Let us be thankful for all of the blessings God has given us especially for salvation.
May God Bless you.
Alvin Kaddatz
1st Qtr 2024 President's Message: Jarod Hamm
I hope this article finds everyone doing well and recovered from the holidays and ready to go again in 2024!! Crazy to think that this is already my last article as the current president. Time flies when we’re having fun!!
As some of you know, I am still going through my phone list and membership list to reach out to past and current members that we haven’t seen in a while!! It has been fun getting to catch up with some of you that I have not talked to in quite some time. I hope that you all will help me in reaching out to members that you know of as well to help build our membership to support our industry. Please take time out of your schedule, to make a phone call. That phone call might possibly be the next little push that person needs to make them want to come and join and be a part of our wonderful association.
I know we talked last year about late nights during the convention and we are working on adjusting time schedules to help with that! Instead of a “President’s Welcoming Party” on Thursday evening, we will have a social hour to congregate, intermingle and catch up, and then we will let the KIDS HAVE SOME FUN! Children on stage was a tremendous hit last year! I love family and nothing makes me happier than encouraging and sparking even the tiniest bit of interest of this industry into our kiddos. I want to encourage any child that is interested to come “auction” an item or two! We will close the evening after the children’s auction with our ANNUAL FUN AUCTION to raise funds for our association! IT IS A GREAT TIME, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND!
COMPETITION TIME! I’m not making any promises to an early night on Friday night! Even with an earlier start time, I am hoping that we have so many contestants that we still run late!! It’s just one weekend a year that we all get to spend together, so I hope we can all pull together, push through another late night and give these contestants the attention they deserve!! So many contestants come from all areas of the state and from all different disciplines of our industry, and I hope you will be there right alongside the rest of us to give them plenty of encouragement and support!!
We have many longtime sponsors at our convention and we are certainly grateful for each and every one of them!! Please help promote our industry, and allow us to recognize and promote your brand! If you would like to be a sponsor at the upcoming event, please feel free to reach out to Stacy or myself!
Jayme Moore presented an idea last year of adding an “All Around” award to our contest. We find this to be a great idea, and we will provide more information on this award soon! Scott Swenson also pitched an idea of a “support page” on our social media site to give auctioneers a place amongst the group to reach out to peers when looking for help in any area of our industry (whether that be needing an auctioneer to fill in, needing someone to come clerk for you, or for seeking advice from fellow peers). Stacy has already started working on this, and I will have more to share on this topic at the convention!
Americas Auction Academy just had their first class of the year, and they are scheduled to have another class before convention time. We hope to have numerous first-time attendees at the convention this year. I encourage you all to make them feel welcome, encourage them to return, and show them the advantages they have with endless networking opportunities amongst their peers. We were all in their shoes at one point, so let’s help promote their eagerness and welcome them into our extended family!
In closing I cannot express how much I’m looking forward to attending the convention in June!! It has been quite the privilege to serve as your president. Having the opportunity to serve with this board and former board members has truly been an honor!! The TAA is in great hands for years to come!! As always, if there is anything I can do for you, or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me anytime! I look forward to seeing each of you June 13-16th in Frisco!!
4th Qtr 2023 President's Message: Jarod Hamm
As we round out the end of another year and prepare for the holidays, I hope that you and your families are doing great and ready to enjoy some deserved downtime!
I am already looking forward to another great convention and contest, and your TAA board is still hard at it to ensure that we continue to improve our efforts in promoting our industry.
We try to make changes, year in and year out, to keep our association ahead of the curve. If you have any questions or concerns or topics that need to be addressed, please feel free to reach out to me and we can discuss those issues and bring those issues to the attention of the board. Your concerns are important!
Please expect a phone call from myself if you have not attended the convention in current years past. My goal is to continue growing our membership and making sure the TAA continues to hold a family atmosphere. I have had many mentors in my life and I’m grateful for them all, so please help me in reaching out to someone that is new or hasn’t attended our convention as an effort to help them in their ventures. I have spoken to a few past members on the phone in hopes of their return, but with your help we can reach many more!! Please continue to encourage potential and existing members to stay active in the TAA!
I spoke with one of last year’s contestants recently and he had taken a few years off prior to returning in 2023. All he could talk about is how the atmosphere of the convention lit a fire under him while mingling with members and peers and people that are passionate about our profession. It is my hope that we can all experience this same feeling in years to come!
The scholarship committee is looking to revamp the scholarship criteria, and we will be posting that information in our next newsletter as well. Please be on the lookout! If you have a senior or someone of eligibility, please encourage them to pursue applying for TAA scholarships including endowment scholarships!!
As always, if there is anything I can do for you or you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. And from my family to yours, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Sincerely,
Jarod Hamm
TAA President
3rd Qtr 2023 President's Message: Jarod Hamm
I hope this message finds everyone doing well and having an exceptional year! The board met on September 10thand is already hard at it planning the 2024 convention in Frisco, Texas!
We are going to work on starting the preliminary round of the contest a little earlier to try and ensure that we are finished earlier as well. I’ll be honest with you though, I hope we have enough competitors to carry us just as late as years past! As I said at convention, this is a great problem to have!
We have already spoken with several potential speakers/judges, and we plan on confirming these as early as possible. I am also pleased to tell you that we put a convention planning committee in place to hopefully give our membership an idea of when and where we will be having our annual conventions for three to five years out.
The board also received many compliments on the kids selling at the fun auction. The auction contest committee is also gathering a plan to not only keep these children on stage, but to hopefully grow their interests and give these kids something to look forward to every year as well!
Lots of great things are already taking place within the board, and we plan to continue this trend! We have reached out to a few potential new sponsors and I encourage any of you that know of someone interested in a sponsorship to reach out to them or me to follow up. We have had numerous sponsorships throughout the years and would love to continue to recognize them throughout the convention, and to offer opportunities to network and promote their business within our industry!
As some of you know I have been reaching out to members that I haven’t seen in a while, or don’t see on a regular basis, to try and draw them back into the association. This association has been around for numerous years. I don’t know everyone, and I sure don’t want to miss anyone. Please reach out to someone you haven’t seen in a while and invite them back, or reach out to me and I will be sure to reach out to them as well! I truly enjoy mingling with our auction family at convention time! I sincerely hope you will plan to join us June 13-16, 2024 in Frisco, Texas for another GREAT TAA convention!
Sincerely,
Jarod Hamm
TAA President
2nd Qtr 2023 President's Message: Jarod Hamm
As I reflect on this past convention, I cannot help but think about the time I spent mingling with other auctioneers that I am proud to call friends and family! I hope you all feel the same way. We had a great attendance, great contest, great speakers, and lots of great networking opportunities. As I mentioned at the banquet, I would like for each single one of us to reach out to an inactive member, or a potential new member, and persuade them to join us in 2024. Let’s slowly start building our membership back up and show others how as an association we can help each other to grow professionally as a team.
I know you’ve all heard me talk about mentors and what they mean to me. Honestly….my most memorable mentors (several who are members today) have merely led by example. We can all strive to be mentors to help build great auctioneers and a great association. The board is already strategizing topics and speakers for next year’s convention. If you have anything you would like to see implemented, please feel free to reach out to one of us to hopefully work some of those items into the lineup.
If you attended the conference this year, THANK YOU! And if you were unable to attend, please know that we missed you and we sure hope you will be able to join us again next year. It’s not too early to start planning, so please mark your calendar for June 13th-16th, 2024 in Frisco, Texas. It is sure to be a great time and I look forward to seeing you there.
Sincerely,
Jarod Hamm, TAA President
Pray and Then See Your Doctor
Pray and Then See Your Doctor
We have had several friends who have had serious health issues and did not go to the doctor. One of our friends was having chest pains and refused to go to the doctor. He went to be with the Lord a few days later after having a heart attack.
Our nephew, Stephen Fortner, is hospitalized in Lubbock. He got a leg infection and did go to the doctor. His friends decided to call an ambulance. He lost his right leg and left foot. Stephen said to thank you for the prayers.
One of our employees, Gary Claborn, had a problem with his hip. He didn’t want to go to the doctor. When he went, the doctor told him he would have lost his leg if he had waited any longer. He has had a successful hip replacement and is doing fine. Gary said thanks for the prayers and the cards you sent.
If something changes with our health, get to a doctor and get it checked out.
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18 vs 24.
I stopped on my way back from Clovis, New Mexico to see Lou Ann and Stan Young. They haven’t been able to make it to the conventions for several years. I met Stan’s mom. She is on the prayer list and has had health issues. Lou Ann is having heart and lung issues. We had a great visit. They said to thank you for the prayers, cards and emails.
The group Acts of Mercy is the group that Travis Kaddatz went with last June to minister to Ukrainian refugees. Acts of Mercy has sent people to Syria and Turkey to help with the earthquake victims. Keep them in your prayers.
We received this from Monti & Tracie Davis after the passing of Montie’s father.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and sending the care package including the devotional among other items. The Body of Christ is such a blessing in these moments.
Montie & Tracie Davis
Thomas Pascal "Tom" Taylor
(August 30, 1946 - January 22, 2023)
Tom Taylor, retired Air Force Veteran, passed away Sunday, January 22, 2023, in his home in Hondo, Texas. A great joke teller, he will be missed by all. He attended America’s Auction Academy. He enjoyed seeing everyone at the conventions. John Sisk called. He attended the funeral.
Our good friend & fellow auctioneer, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina has introduced a bill that will put an end to one disturbing social activism practice by government employees. The Old Glory Only Act (H.R.146) will officially prohibit the flying of flags other than the American flag over U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.
TDLR
I recently had to deal with a complaint at TDLR. The complaint was resolved. Todd Kercheval assisted me. If you need assistance with a TDLR, you can contact Todd or me. Please renew your FCAI membership if you have not renewed.
Support Our Veterans
Let us know if you have any deployed troops. We send packages to them.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.- 1 Corinthians 15:57
Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,- Joshua 1:19
If you would like to be on the FCAI e-mail or text list, send your e-mail address or cell phone number.
Check our website of Facebook for praise reports, prayer requests, thank you notes, and obituaries. You can send contributions to FCAI, visit our website, or call 254-582-3000 with a credit card. Our address is: 535 HCR 4223, Hillsboro, Tx 76645. For online donations, please visit www.fcai.org. All donations are tax deductible.
Heather Kaspar shared this with us. Her dad went to be with the Lord last year.
The Most Misunderstood Honest Man
By H.S. Kaspar
I lived and I loved.
I lost and won.
I pushed and I shoved,
And wasn’t always the best son
I tried and I hurt, And it was never enough.
But that didn’t stop me from being a flirt.
It also didn’t stop me from being tough.
What I’ve said is sure true.
It’s surely no lie.
But that didn’t mean
That I didn’t try.
It took me some time,
And a good lookin’ gal,
But I knew what I wanted,
& turned on a dime.
I quit drinkin’ and sinkin’
And I tried to live right.
I know at times I fell short,
But I gave it a heckuva fight.
I argued with God more than a time or two,
But it sure didn’t stop me from wearing a cross
on my neck and in my pocket too.
I could be shrewd and rude and obnoxious and drunk.
I could be ruthless and wreckless and run a suck.
I won’t deny it. The shoe fits.
But, I’m here to tell you; you don’t have to stay in the pits.
You can take all that ugly and turn it to good.
You can talk to the drunkard and take their keys when you should.
You can take you lessons and turn them to good,
For the downtrodden, the bruised, the lonely and rude.
You can encourage and mend and visit…
Treat every person as you should.
I’ve sat with the man without Christmas gifts for his son.
I’ve enjoyed the company of those, where addiction has won.
I’ve called the father of a kid having a rough night.
I’ve pulled kids from a ditch when something didn’t go right.
I’ve encouraged those trying, and not getting nowhere.
I’ve asked for forgiveness, when I was too much to bear.
I smiled and I talked and I took the time,
To let you know you were noticed and all was all right.
I’ve said it for years and it’s still true today.
I’m the most misunderstood honest man…that fact will stay.
May God Bless You,
Alvin Kaddatz
1st Qtr 2023 President Update: Troy Robinett
Our Dream
Each and every year as the Texas Lone Star Open (TLSO) Bid Calling Contest approaches, I’m amazed at the support it receives from fellow members of the TAA, past grand champions of the TLSO and auctioneers from around the country. That support is shown through financial sponsorships, moral support, entering or attending the contest and bidding on items. It warms my heart to see auctioneers come together to help showcase to the public the power of the live auction method of marketing.
I stood on the stage at the Fort Worth Stock Show waiting for 4:30 p.m.to strike on my phone to welcome the standing room only crowd and open the contest--I did get a little choked up. Because at 4:29 p.m. I looked at my phone and saw a message from a family member that was watching on SLA-TV that simply read “Dream”. I looked up from that message, surveyed the crowd and saw many of my auctioneer idols in attendance. These included many of the men and women who I work with on a weekly and yearly basis that I hold in such high regard. It hit me hard, that this contest is not only my dream but the dream of so many like me. A dream for auctioneers to have the ability to showcase the art form that is “bid calling”. A dream for the thousands and thousands of hours we have put into our craft to be on display for the public to see and to be compensated for, also. A dream that will inspire the next generation of auctioneers to step up on that stage and show to the world what they can do. In that moment, I realized this is not my dream…..but it’s OUR DREAM.
From the bottom of my heart I want to thank each and every one of you that helped make the TLSO a success. YOU are the reason why the TLSO is the gold standard for open bid calling contests in the United States. We will not rest on what we have done the last six year. “ Our Dream” is just getting started! Congratulations to Trey Galloway for being named the 2023 TLSO Grand Champion Auctioneer. I know that you will service as a great ambassador for the TLSO and the live auction method of marketing.
We look forward to seeing y’all back at the 2024 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo for the 7th annual TLSO.
Sincerely,
Troy Robinett
TAA President
TLSO Co-Founder