Summer is in full swing and I hope all of you have been able to enjoy some sunshine and time with family and friends. As I write this letter, I am returning from the 2011 NAA International Conference and Show in Orlando, FL. I hope to bring you some insight to our trip in the coming newsletters and at the 2012 Convention.

I want to thank Dan and Cindy for the excellent convention and hospitality in Chamberlain. Thank you Dan for your service and all you do for the Association. Job well done! Congratulations to the 2011 Hall of Fame Inductees: Mel Larson and Marv Girard. We wish you the best and thank you for your many years of service to the SDAA and our great profession. In addition, it was also great to see Hall of Famer, Don Sweeter, win the People’s Choice Award at the Fun Auction!

Coming up is the SDAA Bid Calling Contest and 4-H Foundation Auction which will be held on Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 2:00 PM at the South Dakota State Fair. Dawn has included more information in this newsletter about this event. If able, we encourage all of our members to come out and support this great event. I personally want to congratulate John Kuchera, our 2010 SDAA Bid Calling Champion and thank him for his excellent work as the MC at the 2011 Convention Fun Auction. John recently represented the SDAA at the IAC, International Auctioneer Championship, in Orlando. We wish John and his family the best in all of their ventures!

In the IJAC, International Junior Auctioneer Championship, in Orlando, we had South Dakota’s own Jared Sutton participate. Jared placed 2nd in the IJAC and was awarded a trophy and $500 for his achievement. Jared is the son of Chuck and Val Sutton. He will be a senior at Flandreau High School this fall. Great Job, Jared!

As some of you may know, the 2012 convention will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the SDAA. It is certainly a great honor to represent you as president as we reach this milestone. If you have any ideas or suggestions my line is always open. New ideas and ways to make your 2012 convention the best it can be is my goal. The 2012 SDAA Convention will be held on June 7, 8, and 9 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center with rooms at the Sheraton Hotel.

We have many great ideas in store for the 2012 Convention. One new idea that has been proposed is the Auction Brochure Contest. We will get more information on that in the coming newsletters. It will be a great way for our companies and associates to show off some of their best work! I am also working on some short classes that cater to the personal property auctioneer. I encourage you to mark the 2012 convention on your calendar as I assure you it is going to be both educational and fun for all types of auctioneers.

Please be safe going into the harvest season and remember to be thankful for all your blessings!

Respectfully yours,
Ryan Wieman, SDAA President
 

Mark your calendars for these upcoming SDAA events:
50th Annual SDAA Convention
June 7-9, 2012 
Sioux Falls, SD