Duluth, MN – A Stillwater man is the 2010 Minnesota State Champion Auctioneer. At the 22nd annual auctioneer championship held in Duluth, Matthew Schultz won the competition in which 27 auctioneers competed.
The contest was held last night during the Minnesota State Auctioneers Association Conference and Show. Schultz has been part of the auction profession for almost half of his life. He is a graduate of World Wide College of Auctioneering and prior to this contest won the 2002 Minnesota Rookie Auctioneer Contest. He currently sits on the Young Professional Auctioneers Advisory Committee for the National Auctioneers Association and is actively involved in both the Minnesota and National Auctioneers Association.
Schultz will now have his entry paid into the International Auctioneers Championship to be held in Greensboro, North Carolina this July. Asked to describe how he felt with one word, Schultz said, “Awesome!”
The contestants were judged on presentation, chant/voice, effective auctioneering and an interview conducted on stage. This year’s Reserve Champion was Austin Bachman of Ottertail, Minnesota. Rounding out the top five were Kurt Johnson of White Bear Lake, Theresa Ann Larson from Aitkin and Bryce Hansen of Prairie Farm, Wisconsin.
The MSAA celebrated their 60th anniversary at this year’s conference and show, which concluded Saturday night in Duluth. The association is an organization of licensed auctioneers who work to promote the auction profession. As the new champion, Matthew Schultz will serve as a goodwill ambassador for Minnesota Auctioneers throughout 2010.