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
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
1st Qtr 2022 President Update: Angie Meier
Greetings TAA Family,
I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season with family and friends and that your 2022 New Year is off to a fantastic start!
We have had a lot of amazing things happen within our association since our last newsletter.
As you all know, due to Covid and hospital restrictions, our annual Christmas Auction at Scottish Rite Hospital was cancelled. We all look forward to this time each year and hope that we will be able to return in 2022.
However, we did something super special this holiday season. We held our first annual “TAA Family Christmas Gathering” in Belton, at the Summer’s Mill Conference & Retreat Center. Our goal for this event, was to bring our TAA family together for a laid-back weekend full of FAMILY FUN and fellowship, and that is just what we did!
We kicked off Saturday morning with breakfast and an awesome scavenger hunt with the kids. After the hunt we had a great lunch with our guest speaker (and Lobbyist) Todd Kercheval, updating us on the current affairs of TDLR. We then built gingerbread houses with the kids, had a surprise visit from Santa Claus, two Cornhole Tournaments (one for the adults and one for the children) , an amazing dinner, and wrapped the night up with our FIRST ANNUAL CHILDREN’S AUCTION! Oh my, that was something to behold! The children were so excited to be on stage and be auctioneers! The future is bright for our association; I cannot wait until next year’s gathering! Thank you to all the board members and volunteers that worked so hard to make this weekend a complete success.
Another amazing event held by the TAA was the 2022 Texas Lone Star Open (TLSO) at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Jan. 30, 2022. We had 25 contestants from all over the United States join us in Fort Worth to compete for $10,000 in Prize Money, a Custom Jeff Smith Trophy Saddle (Donated By Tony Langdon Auction Properties) and the title of 2022 TLSO Champion. It was an amazing competition with so much talent showing up and giving it their all. This year the event was broadcast on the Cowboy Channel Plus App. Congratulations to all the contestants for entering and to our five finalist – Jarod Hamm, Kyle Dykes, Sixto Paiz, Trey Galloway, and Cody Shelley. A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Cody Shelley for winning this year’s competition! We look forward to everyone joining us next year, for another amazing event.
I hope to see you all in Frisco at the Embassy Suites June 16-18 for our 65th Annual Convention, Contest and TAA Fellowship and FUN!
CHEERS!
4th Qtr 2021 President Update: Angie Meier
Hello TAA Members and Families,
This is such a magical time of year. It is a season of giving, thankfulness, a reflection of ourselves and the close of 2021. I hope that each of you had a great Thanksgiving with your families and friends. This past year has been super eventful for the Meier Clan. Our oldest daughter (Loralyn) will be moving back home to Texas from VA. She just accepted a position at Tarleton State University and will begin this new chapter in Jan 2022. Our Oldest Son (Rody) is in his Senior Year at UNT and will graduate with his marketing degree in 2022. Our middle Daughter (Riley) graduated High School in May with her associates and is in her Junior Year at Tarleton, studying marketing. And our youngest son (Levi) is in his Junior Year in high school and will be attending the World Wide College of Auctioneering the summer of 2022. I am so proud of the young adults Craig, and I are raising and excited for what the future holds for them.
Unfortunately, due to Covid Restrictions, a tradition the TAA has had for years, was cancelled again. Our current Champion Scotty Gibbs, the 2021-22 Board of Directors and friends are unable to go to Scottish Rite this year for our annual Children’s Auction, but our mission of giving back is still the same and a donation on behalf of the TAA will be made.
With the spirit of the season, the TAA is holding our Inaugural Auction Family Christmas Gathering Dec. 11th at Summer’s Mill in Belton, TX. We are planning lots of family fun activities for the day, pictures with Santa, Crafts for the kids, Wreath making class for the ladies and a holiday fun auction and scavenger hunt. We also will have a PAC update during lunch from Todd Kercheval and any questions will be answered. I am super excited for us to come together in fellowship and hope that this tradition will last for years to come. (I will have a full recap of the event in the next newsletter but want to thank each of you who came out to Belton to support your TAA family.)
It is hard to believe that 2021 is about to an end and 2022 is right around the corner, and that means it’s TIME FOR THE TLSO! Is there a better way to launch into the new year, than with an amazing auctioneer competition?! I would like to invite each of you to polish up those boots and your auction chant! Please make plans to enter or attend the Texas Lone Star Open, January 30,2022. This awesome event will be held with the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo! $10,000 and a Custom Jeff Smith Trophy Saddle will be awarded to the champion, as well as lifelong friendships and memories made. If competition isn’t your thing, coming out and supporting your fellow TAA members means the world to the competitors. We hope to see you all there! Let’s make this the biggest and best TLSO to date.
May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
-Unknown
I wish you all safe travels this holiday season, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
3rd Qtr 2021 President Update: Angie Meier
Hello TAA Members, Associates and Families,
I hope this finds you all happy, healthy and your business is booming!!
I’d like to thank each of you who attended the 64th Texas Auctioneers Association Convention and CONGRATULATE our new board members and Champions of each contest.
As I reflect on our annual convention, it’s interesting to me how everyone has reached this stage in their professional career. Each one of us has taken a different path to reach this chapter of our lives. Each of us have our stories of success, our stories of defeat, our stories of “lesson learned” and “never do that again” …. It’s EBB and FLOW…. The definition of Ebb and Flow is a recurrent or rhymical pattern of coming and going or decline and regrowth.
It's interesting To think about decline, regrowth, what ultimately drives success and how that success is supported. All these components basically come down to three things: FAITH, FAMILY AND LOVE.
Faith- (def) Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone/something, or a strong belief in God. It’s difficult at times to have the confidence to trust in yourself to take the plunge…but JUST DO IT. Believe in yourself and Believe in your higher power. Worst case scenario you are told “NO” or “Not at This Time”, but if you never put yourself out there the answer is already NO. But…. what you have done by having that FAITH, is let your potential client know your attributes, showed your professionalism, and put your name on their list for when they do decide to go forward. KEEP THE FAITH
Family- (def) a group of people related to one another by blood or marriage or a group of related things. Whether it’s your Blood Family or your Family of Auction Professionals -This is your support system and your NETWORK…your GO TO when you need that extra push of confidence ... your GO TO when you have been defeated and need a voice of encouragement ....and your GO TO when you are unsure of how to proceed. When you have the support of your family, friends and your TAA network the possibilities are endless. Remember, Iron sharpens Iron, and within our great association You have found YOUR TRIBE.
Love- (def) an intense feeling of deep affection or a like.
This pertains to the love for oneself as well as the love for this amazing profession and industry. I can personally attest to the passion and the drive that this industry and profession can invoke. Be patient with yourself…some fall in love with this profession overnight and are consumed with the fire… and others are more cautious and have reservations…it’s OK to take your time in developing yourself as an auction professional. So, FEAR NOT ...You are right where you need to be with the TAA and our support system of auction professionals. So, wherever you are on your path, remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day…TRUST THE PROCESS, it works!
Believe in yourself, Thrive in your TAA Tribe, and Trust the Process.
I wish you ALL success & prosperity in the second half of 2021.
1st Qtr 2021 President Update: Jackie Lemons Shillingburg, CAI, AMM, PRI, TCAP
Are You Ready?
Greetings Fellow TAA members! 2021 is proving to reveal as many challenges, if not more, than 2020 presented. We are dealing with new first’s continuously and do not dare to ask the question, “What’s Next?” The Texas Auctioneers Association (TAA) was founded in 1956 based on the principles of actively promoting and enhancing the Auction Method of Marketing through education, public relations, and information sharing. We as an association must support and help one another through uncharted territory so that we can reach our professional goals. To do this we must take advantage of the competing, training, networking, and educational opportunities available through our association.
Change
Change is here to stay! As the auction community continues to adapt into this new environment of change within our industry, we look to continually bring in new tools and practices to help our business models thrive and grow. We must not forget that change means growth and that great things never come from comfort zones.
Strive
Always continue to strive to be the best auctioneer that you can be. Success is not achieved over night. If it were that easy, then everyone would do it. Success is achieved by hard work and by continuing to improve your craft. You must know your limits, have a plan, visualize your goals, ignore the negativity, embrace positivity, face your fears, and the most important lesson of all, “Never Give Up!”
Educate
Why is continuing education within our industry so important? It increases your personal development. Whether you are wanting to learn how to fine tune your bid calling skills, transition from a bid spotter to a professional ringman, market your auctions effectively, start up your own auction business, learn best practices for conducting a benefit auction, staying on top of the current Texas Law Infrastructure that effects your auction license, and more, continuing to educate yourself is crucial to your success.
How Can You Achieve All of These Goals?
By attending the 2021 TAA Annual Convention at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, Texas. Save the Date, May 20-23, 2021. The TAA Speaker & TCAP Committee have lined up amazing educational opportunities during convention along with offering the Texas Certified Auction Professional (TCAP) Course.
President’s Welcome Party
This Year’s Presidents Welcome Party theme will be “Surfin Safari.” Come dressed in your, best beach attire and enjoy the nights festivities along with the fun auction. We will offer fun for all ages at this event, so Don’t Miss It!”
Why Kalahari?
Kalahari is an authentically African themed resort with a state-of-the-art convention center, world-class dining, luxurious spas, shopping, arcades, and has been voted the “World’s Coolest Indoor Waterpark!” Bring your families as Kalahari offers family fun for all ages to enjoy. See You There!
4th Qtr 2020 President Update: Jackie Lemons Shillingburg, CAI, AMM, PRI, TCAP
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from My Family to Yours! As the holiday season approaches during a COVID-19 year I could not be prouder of our TAA members and their resilience to the constant changes in our industry. Professional auctioneers have learned to conduct auctions virtually, simulcast, and online. These tools are working beautifully during these trying times and have opened up new doors and opportunities for nonprofit organizations, auto auctions, estate auctions, and more. The live auction method of marketing is being conducted with strict COVID-19 guidelines with proven results. All of these available methods and practices have strengthened the auction professional as we have proven our worth and adaptability to change.
TAA 2020-2021 Board of Director Update: Your TAA Board of Directors met in October to brainstorm and collaborate on new ideas for our membership based on current events and processes. Main topics of discussion: scholarship program, marketing, membership mentoring, recruitment, retention and benefits, bylaw changes, Championship Contest, TLSO, HOF along with Convention Topics: sponsors, exhibitors, logistics, speakers, and more. It was a successful and beneficial meeting for our membership.
TLSO Update: It is unfortunate that we had to cancel the Texas Lone Star Open Bid Calling Contest this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The TLSO committee is gearing up for another great national contest in 2021.
TAA AUCPAC Challenge: The AUCPAC challenge deadline concluded on December 01, 2020. A Big “Thank You” to all of the members who have submitted donations so far! We are still in need of monetary personal donations because our $20,000 goal has not been met! We are moving into a legislative year in 2021 and need your support. Your current auction license is in jeopardy and is under review by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission through TDLR. Please help your lobbyist Todd Kercheval and the legislative committee fight to retain your auction license. You can donate online or download the form. This information is available on the TAA website at auctioneers. org. *Reminder: Please use personal cards or checks, not corporate, when making your donation towards the PAC. Call or text the TAA office to make donations over the phone: 512-626-3674.
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Children’s Auction: The TAA in conjunction with America’s Auction Academy have been supporting TSR for 15 years. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions the hospital is not allowing visitors in person this year. Our membership cannot be there in person, but we can still support this wonderful and rewarding cause by mailing a check in care of the TAA office marked for “TSR donation”. All donations will be forwarded to TSR in December. You may also donate to the Texas Scottish Rite Amazon Wish List, or donate online with TSR and note in “comments section” that you are with the TAA.
In Conclusion: Through all of our hardships this year we must remember that God is in control. Try to spend more quality time with your family and friends during the holidays. Embrace and treasure every moment with them. I can honestly say that the one thing I have learned from this year is that we are tougher and more resilient than we think.
God Bless you and your families this holiday season and God Bless the Texas Auctioneers Association!