Hines Auction Service of Ellsworth were awarded seven first place honors and the “Best of Show” at the annual Wisconsin Auctioneers Association Conference and Show held at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells on Jan. 25-27.

Hines took top honors for real estate brochures, personal property fliers, Web design and then received top award for the “Best of Show.” All of these advertising items were produced in their office, with updated machines purchased in the past few years from Coordinated Business Systems, Ltd. in Red Wing. This was accomplished under the direction of Ken Pasche, one of Hines’ many talented production team members, specializing in computer programming.

Jack and Jeff Hines employ, along with Ken, three office support staff -- Darla, Cindy and Brenda -- plus five other support staff doing sale set-up -- Jim, Randy, Carol, Kim and Collin.

The father-and-son combination conducts 150-200 auctions per year, which include a large number of real estate sales and personal property sales such as machinery, collectibles and household. They also donate their services to 20-25 non-profit groups per year. Recently, the auction service raised over $2,500 for St. Jude’s Hospital. Their firm is associated with a national alliance, MarkNet, and has the capability of advertising their auctions worldwide.

Jack Hines recently completed a three-year term as a national director for the National Auctioneers Association (NAA). He was also a past NAA board member and chairman of the NAA Conference and Show when held in Madison in 2004. He has also held all offices in the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association and was president in 1994 when then-Gov. Tommy Thompson signed the bill making it mandatory for all active auctioneers to be licensed and bonded.

Since then, in his 54 years, he has been an approved member of the Continuing Education Institute for the state classes, served as past WAA President, Vice President and six-year Board of Director, plus Chairman of the Board. In 1997, he was inducted in “The Auctioneer Hall of Fame” as the auctioneer of the year. He has taught auction school for World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa, and Denver for the past 41 years. He owns the distinction of teaching auctioneering longer than anyone else.

He says, “I live for the auction profession and always want to share with others the things I’ve enjoyed learning throughout the years.”

Son Jeff, co-owner of the business, and associate for over 15 years, has taken over many of his dad’s duties in operating Hines Auction Service. For more information on auctions, go to http://www.letjackdoit.com/.