Auctioneer follows in father's footsteps (11/22/06)

It's in their blood.

The sounds, the people, the action.

For the Smitley family, auctioneering is a way of life, and so it was no real surprise when their only daughter expressed an interest as well.

Laci Smitley recently joined only a handful of licensed female auctioneers across the state.

While many young women follow in their mother's footsteps, Laci chose her father's to lead her.

The 23-year-old daughter of long-time local auctioneer and real estate broker, Mel Smitley and his wife, Vicky, Laci received her auctioneer's license in May after completing nine days of intensive training at the Missouri Auction School near St. Louis.

"She passed her test the first time," Mel boasted.

Of the 17 students enrolled in the class the first day, Laci was the only female. In the next couple of days a handful of other young women from throughout the country could be found sitting in the classroom.

Since May she has conducted 15 auctions alongside her father.

"It was very scary," Laci recalled of the first time she took the auctioneer's spot in a sale. "I was scared I'd make a mistake, but dad was right behind me, giving me help. He'd whisper to me."

Mel Smitley was only 10 years old when he conducted his first auction.

"It was a cake sale at the Noble School where I went to school," Mel recalled of the money making event.

Mel grew up in auctioneering as well. His father, Grant S. Smitley, a graduate of the Rupert School of Auctioneering, was a well-known auctioneer in the area for 45 years, including 29 years as an auctioneer at Loy's Sale Barn, and Mel could be found helping his dad set up for auctions and sticking around during the sale.

At age 16 and without any formal training, Mel was regularly taking the auctioneer's role and coaxing the audience to bid just a little higher.

As the catcher for a semi-pro baseball team in his early 20s, Mel could be heard auctioneering from behind the plate while the batter from the opposing team was concentrating on hitting the ball.

"That really threw them off," he laughed, recalling how intimidating it must have been.

As he turned 20, Mel learned that Indiana had created a law that auctioneers must be 21 years of age and be licensed. With his years in the business already behind him, his situation was "grandfathered" and all he had to do was taken a written and verbal test to receive his license.

Three years later the age was lowered to 18. However, he had already received his license and was on his way. He was legal now, he remembered.

Following high school graduation and not sure he wanted to be a full-time auctioneer, Mel enrolled at Ball State University and earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration. For the next few years he served in school administrative positions in Henry County as well as conducting auctions in his free time. In 1976 he successfully sought the Jay County treasurer's job, but when seeking re-election in 1980 was beaten by Frances Weesner. She also now serves as a cashier for his auctions.

That defeat thrust him into full-time auctioneering and, after receiving his real estate license, his signs could be seen throughout the county.

Laci, as well as her brothers Ryan Smitley and Rob Green, grew up in the auction scene, helping Mel set up for auctions and listening as he rhythmically and swiftly moved the sale along. Rob earned his auctioneer's license and can usually also be found alongside Mel in the auction ring. Laci also served as a clerk and cashier for most of the sales.

"There's something about auctions that people love," Mel said as he talked about his career, and his pride in Laci, as well as Ryan and Rob. "Whether it's the rhythm, the speed," he guessed, "people go to sales to see their friends. It's a place to meet. It's an entertainment."

However, he feels the auction scene has changed in the past few years. The crowds aren't as strong as in the past, and he attributes some of that to eBay shopping and the availability of purchasing items on the Internet. In years past, large crowds could be found at auctions. Many came just to eat, he said, remembering the days when home-made food was prepared by various groups or food stands were available for the visitors that were expected.

"About 40 to 60 percent of auctions now are real estate," Mel said. "Twenty years ago it was only about 4 percent."

One of the strangest items Mel said he has offered for sale was a coffin made from pine. He was just a teen and while helping his father prepare for an auction, the coffin was found in an old barn.

"We were afraid to open it," Mel remembered. But the box was empty and it was sold.

After Laci was accepted into auctioneering school, she was sent a series of tongue-twisters to practice.

"Say it," Mel prodded, listening to her flawlessly repeat one of the pieces she had learned.

"Betty Botter bought some butter but she said, 'This butter's bitter. If I put is in my batter it will make my batter bitter.' So she bought a bit of better butter, put it in her bitter batter, made her bitter batter better, so 'tis better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter," the verse from "The Auction Chant - A Quick Start Kit" reads.

"I couldn't do that," Mel said shaking his head.

"It just takes practice," Laci said about her developing skills. "I practice in the car, I practice on telephone poles. I'm not as fast as dad. He told me if you could say that rap music, I could do it."

"It's a tough thing to do," Mel said about the business. "You've got to keep it moving fast enough that they (the audience) don't have time to think. It's a mind game."

It was just a couple years ago that Laci decided to give auctioneering an attempt. "I didn't think I could talk that fast," she said, but before long she "decided to give it a try."

Laci has helped her dad with the auctioneering at 15 sales since she earned her license, but going into the business full-time is still a question in her mind.

In April she will graduate from Indiana Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in business management. In addition to full-time college courses, which she completes on the Internet, she is employed five days a week in the embroidery shop at Bearcreek Farms northeast of Bryant. Then there's the 60 head of Shorthorn beef cattle she takes care of at the Smitley farm west of Portland. "I like cows," she said.

As a 10-year 4-H member, Laci could be found throughout the Midwest, showing her cattle and taking home a stack of ribbons.

With her extended education in business now, she says her plans may include obtaining a real estate license as well and starting her own "one stop" business where she would offer insurance, real estate, and auctioneering as well as other kinds of marketing. "I want to go farther with my license," she said about her future plans.

Laci has not yet caught her father's love of antiques, which is evidenced in the family home as well as his office on West Votaw at the west edge of Portland. "Being a female auctioneer is intimidating. People think its a man's job," Laci said. "The hardest part is starting (the sale.) But they say they want to hear me because I'm a female."

But Mel said he has heard only positive comments about Laci's capabilities.[[In-content Ad]]