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September
15, 1998
Published by: "Collectors Journal"
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Meet
The Auctioneer "Tom Hundertmark"
RUTLAND, Iowa - Tom Hundertmark joined brother
David in the auction business after attending Missouri Auction
School in December of 1995. Cletis Hundertmark, Tom's uncle,
retired around that same time. Today Tom and David are business
partners in Hundertmark Auction Service located in Rutland,
Iowa, serving Humboldt County and surrounding communities.
They conduct everything from antiques to household to farm
to real estate and anything else that comes their way. They
utilize a building at then Humboldt County Fairgrounds to
conduct many of their auctions. Hundertmark chose this career
because of its ever changing characteristics. As he says,
"There are never any two auctions alike! It's amazing
how the values rise and fall and at the prices some antiques
will bring at auction." Also, Hundertmark wanted to
carry on the family traditions, brother David had worked
with Cletis Hundertmark, he has been an auctioneer for 23
years. Hundertmark had the opportunity to work with several
other auctioneers in the area: Dale Smith, Rick Winegarden
and Paul McCartan. If you were to ask him who was the most
influential person in his career, he would tell you it is
big brother David. As soon as Hundertmark finished auction
school, David put him to work. In fact, he called his first
auction the same month he finished auction school. "It
was a household auction. Hundertmark recalls, "And
even though I don't remember the very first thing I sold,
I do remember this anniversary clock, the kind with the
the dome on it. About the only thing I can remember about
that day was that I was slow...But, every week I would come
back and call and every week it got a little easier. The
fact that I clerked for a 1-1/2 years before auction school
was a benefit when it came to working with people and getting
up and auctioning." The auction business continues
to grow and change. Hundertmark advises. "You need
to always be open to new suggestions. Learn to make mental
notes of ideas and change you may want to make. It is important
to be serious but you also have to be outgoing and be able
to get along with different types of people, you will deal
with a multitude of personalities." In addition to
the auction business, Hundertmark is a full-time farmer.
Between farming and the auction business, he is very busy.
Sometimes he is not sure which job is the full-time one!
But one thing is for certain, he enjoys both career choices
and has no intention of giving up either one. He feels the
two work hand in hand. The auction service deals in farm
and real estate auctions. As Hundertmark noted, "Both
jobs give you the opportunity to be your own boss. You can
adjust schedules to fulfill obligations in both lines of
work. My goal is to run a successful business. I have no
desire to zero in on one particular area of the auction
market. Rather, my goal is to provide a good and diversified
auction service to the community." The auction business
has been very good to the Hundertmarks averaging about 60
sales a year - some years more and some less. This past
week, Hundertmark had several auctions in nine days.
Enjoying what you do is very important to Hundertmark. He
feels auctions provide an opportunity to see familiar faces
in the crowd week after week. Eventually, these people will
become your friends, Hundertmark is sure that auctions will
continue to become more popular and become the biggest and
best method of selling. Charity auctions are important to
Hundertmark Auction Service. They conduct annual events
for: the Christian Woman's Group; the Boy Scout Cake auction;
the annual County Fair Livestock Auction; local church auctions
and benefits whenever the need arises. Hundertmark graduated
from Iowa State in May of 1994 in AST (Agriculture Systems
Technology). He is a member of the Iowa Auctioneers Association.
When time permits Hundertmark enjoys adding to his collection
of John Deere memorabilia and farm toys. He also enjoys
riding motorcycles. |
 
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