John D Schultz

The Minnesota State Auctioneers Association is often regarded as one of the standout state associations in the industry. In addition to such high regard, it is also one of the oldest state auctioneer’s associations in the nation. The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the association. With that, I thought it might be interesting to look back at a small but important part of its history.

In the Beginning
The first president of the association was Russell Davis in 1949. Although Mr. Davis was the first president of the association, the association was not recognized by the State of Minnesota as an association until June 7, 1960 when it officially incorporated as the Minnesota State Auctioneers’ Association. Recently, the board of directors came across the original Articles of Incorporation. This document presents an interesting look into the heritage of the association.

The Incorporators and First Board of Directors
In 1960, the association was incorporated by three people all from Minneapolis, Minnesota: Jerry Rosenzweig, Bertin A Bisbee, and Gus N Benakis. Initially, the association had 16 directors: EK Elmes, Long Prairie; Vernard Paulson, Winthrop; Alvin Payne, DeGraff; Hubert Pinske, Arlington; WJ Radde, Watertown; WA Thomsen, Austin; Daniel Turek, Montgomery; Paul Hull, Austin; Floyd Munsell, Franklin; Frank Sloan, Minneapolis; Russell Davis, St Peter; Tom Gould, Minneapolis; MJ Henry, Foley; Claus V Beck, East Grand Forks; Alvin Kohner, Winona; and MC Maranell, Woodstock. Many of these first directors were past presidents of the association, at the time of incorporation, or would go on to become presidents of the association, after the first incorporation.

Initial Purpose of the Association
The original articles provided 13 purposes for the association. I’ll briefly touch on the first nine of the purposes, as they offer an interesting look back at the heritage of the association – a look back that is important to remember as the association celebrates 60 years.

• To promote a spirit of cooperation among auctioneers who constitute the association and for the encouragement and protection of auction sales and to hold meetings at stated periods where members of the association may meet one another in a body and whereby the interchange of views they may be mutually benefited, their profession promoted and the most advantageous methods of bookkeeping, management, advertising and other problems applicable to their particular profession may be discussed.
• To reform abuses in the profession, to secure, for the profession, freedom from unjust and unlawful transactions, to produce uniformity and certainty in the customs and usages of the profession, to settle differences among the members of the association, to prevent unjust and unreasonable discrimination against any person or persons by any combination, person or conspiracy in any matter relating to the profession or the members.
• Protect the interest of all Auctioneers (members of the association) in all matters of legislation when such legislation is in the interest of our association.
• At all times to help, aid and assist in elevating the Auctioneering profession technical training, instruction, apprenticeship, exchange of ideas, practices, advertising and publicity.
• Exclude all questions which verge on immorality, sectarianism or on politics, except as essential to the discussion of a political topic.
• Go to the assistance of a brother member, when due to conditions over which he has no control, in helping to the best of one’s ability in the conduct of an auction sale or in any other way or manner your judgment may dictate.
• Strive at all times to make the public more auction minded by fostering advantages of selling at auction, conducting charity auction sales, publicity and by being auction salesmen.
• To exercise the privilege, when consistent to do so, of using the organization’s influence as and when the occasion presents, in protest against existing or proposed legislation designed to place unfair or burdensome limitations upon the member, all state Auctioneer organizations and or Associations and upon the auction method of selling or barter.
• To create and maintain a Health and Welfare program, designed to care for the health and welfare of members whose disability by reason of advanced age, or injury, may force them from active performance of their profession as Auctioneers.

It is often easy to look at an association, and forget that so many have come before the current leadership, and with such foresight. In fact, nearly all nine of the purposes of the original association remain topics at the forefront the association today. As the association moves forward, and celebrates 60 years as an association in 2009, now is an excellent time to review the first purposes of the association, and consider if the association is remaining faithful to its fellow members and the first purposes!