Richmond, Virginia • August 21, 2003 – An auction of "The King’s" personal effects at a Graceland event full of Elvis devotees sounds easy. Try, however, inspiring folks at a live auction for pulp processing equipment in the depressed U.S. lumber industry or generating bids for a gas station that comes with its own debt. Difficult? Not so much for crème de la crème auctioneers such as Marty Rogers, a regional president for Tranzon LLC, the nationwide auction and accelerated marketing firm headquartered in Richmond, VA.

A native Iowan born in Marshalltown, IA, Rogers recently competed before more than 1,400 of his peers at the 54th International Auctioneer Championship, coming in as first-runner-up in the men’s division. A total of 71 competed in men’s and women’s divisions for top honors in a bid-calling showdown held in San Antonio, TX. Judges ranked contestants based on style, chant, presence and persuasive sales abilities by a panel of auctioneer judges.

The second-generation auctioneer received a trophy at the event that also served as the National Auctioneers Association’s (NAA) national meeting and international conference. With more than 7,000 members worldwide, the NAA is the largest, most respected organization of its kind, dedicated to promoting the auction method of marketing as well as enhancing industry professionalism.

Tranzon has a large number of members active in the NAA, including those who hold senior positions in the organization. Thomas W. Saturley, CAI, of Portland, ME, was elected last year to serve a three-year term on the board of directors and operates Tranzon Auction Properties in the New England region. Sanford Alderfer and Kim Hagen, who serve as Tranzon regional presidents for the respective areas of Pennsylvania/the Mid-Atlantic; and Alabama/Georgia/South Carolina, were recently named trustees for the newly formed NAA Educational Institute.

Rogers operates Tranzon Rogers from offices in Conrad, IA with partner/spouse Judy, assisted by the national Tranzon team of experts. Unlike many national auction and accelerated marketing firms that operate out of one or only a limited number of offices, Tranzon has a strategy centered on a team of professionals operating in the regional markets they serve. This local-national strategy provides Tranzon clients with the benefits of regional expertise supported with the resources of a national company with a proven track record of generating high numbers from the auctions they handle.

Rogers learned the auction business from his father and graduated from a professional auction program in 1990. He holds Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate (AARE) and CAI designations from the Auction Marketing Institute (AMI) in Overland Park, Kansas and currently is one of only two auctioneer/brokers in Iowa to hold the prestigious AARE designation. The auction pro has served on AMI’s technology committee and holds degrees from The University of Wyoming with graduate studies pursued at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kudos earned at the recent NAA competition follow on the heels of other international honors earned at the World All Around Auctioneering Competition in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he placed third in the world. His skills and professionalism additionally earned him the title of Iowa State Champion Auctioneer in 1996.

The Tranzon Rogers team successfully concluded several large auctions, including three near their Iowa home base. They were selected by First State Bank, in Conrad, for the auction of a farm estate covering 148 acres. The CSR rating achieved was 94.1.

Donna Vreeland, of Marshalltown, who is a vice president and trust officer for the bank, says it was the first time the bank was involved in a live auction.

"(Tranzon was) very professional and did a very fine job. Usually, we’ve done sealed-bid auctions. Whenever we’re doing trust work, we definitely want to do the best job for the customer. In this case, we thought it would be better to do a live auction and were very pleased with the end results," Vreeland says.

Tranzon Rogers also recently handled the live auction of two large farms located in Grundy County near Grundy Center and Conrad, IA. Combined, they totaled 360 acres.

Other auctions in the works include the upcoming August 28 live auction of a 320-acre farm in Grundy County that will be sold in three tracts and is part of The Gladys Brindle Estate.

A number of these auctions are conducted in tandem with other Tranzon partners, taking advantage of Tranzon’s infrastructure and its knowledgeable, local experts as well.

Tranzon LLC has 11 member companies that together conducted auctions, sealed bid sales and liquidations in 32 states and the District of Columbia last year. Tranzon professionals specialize in providing real estate and business asset and liquidation auction and accelerated marketing services to corporations, financial institutions, trustees, individuals and estates throughout the U.S.