Every week we share a story with you from someone who’s found their freedom with United Country. From buyers to sellers, from brokers to managers – everyone in the United Country family has a story. Today’s post is about Peter Gehres, auctioneer withUnited Country – Gryphon Realty & Auction Group in Columbus, Ohio.

Earlier this month, a United Country auctioneer was named a finalist in the most competitive and high profile auctioneer contest in the world. In just his second year competing (and his first year with United Country), Peter D. Gehres, CAI, CES, was a finalist in Men’s Division of the 2010 International Auctioneer Championship (IAC).

Peter is a first-generation auctioneer who specializes in selling both personal property and real estate at auction for clients in Ohio and the Midwest. Earlier this year Gehres won the 2010 Michigan Auctioneer Championship and in early August he will compete in the Ohio Bid Calling Contest at The Ohio State Fair. Gehres is the co-founder for The Super Auction, a unique biannual event that brings together auction companies from across the Midwest for an exposition of American Auctioneering. He is also the Executive Director of The Auctioneer Channel, a video sharing, educational and networking website for the auction industry.

Peter also teaches at The Ohio Auction School, Reppert School of Auctioneering, Certified Auctioneers Institute and has spoken at various state auctioneer associations and presented at the 61st National Auctioneers Association Conference & Show in Greensboro, North Carolina.

And as if that’s not enough, Peter started a blog last year called Starving Auctioneers. In his own words, “Starving Auctioneers may be the only effort to combine online culinary critique, irreverence and auctions. We’re auctioneers who travel across this great nation conducting auctions, picking up collections, attending conventions to hang out with other auctioneers and generally having a good time. As nature would have it, we are often required to stop and eat. Often we have opinions about what we have eaten. On occasion these opinions are rather strong and humorous. Enjoy.”

Prior to joining United Country this past February, Peter was at a small but successful family brokerage. He said, “While I was happy there, I wanted to expand my business and my experience in the commercial and real estate auction markets. I still work as contract auctioneer across the Midwest as I did before, but now when I talk to clients, I have the United Country name and clout behind me.”

When asked why he decided to affiliate with United Country, Peter said, “I joined United Country – Gryphon Realty & Auction because of the people. Rich and Melissa Kruse were known in my market for their business skill and market knowledge. United Country is known for the same thing. Joining the Kruses and United Country meant I would be joining forces with an active and growing business at both the local (Ohio) and national level.

“Since joining the United Country family, I’ve had more opportunities to conduct real estate transactions both traditionally and at auction. Being an auctioneer, of course, I enjoy the fact that the auction division is completely integrated and accepted into this real estate company. Auction colleagues in other national brokerages have to fight against their own companies at times to advance the auction method, but at United Country, it’s part of the marketing play book.”

To hear more from Peter, you can follow him on Twitter.

If you’ve found your freedom with United Country, please send us your story to be featured in a future blog post!