MEET OUR TEAM

BJ JENNINGS, CAI, BAS President, Principal Auctioneer A licensed auctioneer since the fall of 2000, B.J. is the 2005 Pennsylvania Auctioneer Champion; the only woman in the more than 30 years of the competition to win the championship title. B.J. has also competed and placed in the finals of the International Auctioneer’s Championship competition, including finishes as both First and Second Runner-Up. Voted in the Harrisburg Magazine Reader’s Poll as the "Simply the Best Auctioneer" for the region several years in a row, B.J. was also invited in 2006 to be a member of the Manchester Who’s Who Registry of Executives and Professionals. After starting her company in 2001, B.J. quickly established one the company’s specialties and "passions" as conducting and consulting for Benefit and Fund Raising Auction Events. B.J. now works with dozens of organizations annually to assist them in raising millions of dollars by captivating audiences with a style that has been described as both "entertaining and energetic". 1st Class Benefits was formed in 2007 as a division of Jennings Auction Group to exclusively handle the 50+ annual benefit auction events conducted by the company. B.J. holds both the prestigious Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) designation and the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS) designation. Because of her expertise in the field, B.J. was invited by the National Auctioneers Association Education Institute to assist with the course development of the BAS designation program which was introduced in 2007. Active in both the National and Pennsylvania Auctioneers Associations and other professional organizations within her community, B.J. is also an instructor at 2 auction schools. As an instructor in not only Benefit Auctions, but Bid Calling Technique, B.J. finds herself conducting classes in Pennsylvania for the Auctioneering Certification Program of Reading Area Community College and in Indiana for the Reppert School of Auctioneering. In January of 2009 B.J. was asked to be a seminar presenter on Benefit Auctions for the first Auctioneer Educational Seminar Day sponsored by the State Board of Auctioneering and the Pennsylvania Auctioneers Association.

PHIL GROSH, CAI, BAS Vice President, Auctioneer Licensed in 2003, Phil won the Pennsylvania Rookie Auctioneer Championship title in 2005. An engaging and experienced fund raising auctioneer, Phil has assisted dozens of organizations in achieving their goals and having fun. Phil holds both the prestigious Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) designation and the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS) designation. He is an member of National Auctioneers Association and serves as a Director on the Board of the Pennsylvania Auctioneers Association.

DEREK HOPKINS, CAI Auctioneer Bio coming soon.