Author Archive

Mike Jones and Charlie Daniels raise money for St. Jude

Back in 2002 an auction of a few items to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at a party held in a North Dallas backyard brought in about $7000. Fast forward to late 2007 and the little party has become a major fundraising event for the Memphis based hospital which now includes a celebrity golf tournament, big name entertainment and an auction that has become the focal point of the party. The weeklong festivities were highlighted by the annual St. Jude “Evening Under The Stars” party held October 25th at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel resulting in total proceeds topping $917,000.

“It was the best we’ve ever had” said Joe Haggar, patriarch of the Haggar Clothing Company who has been involved since the start and helped organize the first event. Haggar, a member of the original St. Jude Hospital board which entertainer Danny Thomas helped form, is still a member today. Whatever I can do to help these kids is what we are all about and I receive far more from it than I what I give”, Adding, “We are so fortunate to have good people like Charlie Daniels, Event Chairman Michael Gruber, golf Chairman Derek Harper and Auctioneer Mike Jones helping us to make this such a huge success.

This year’s featured entertainment was Country Music and Southern Rock Star Charlie Daniels who flew in from Nashville to perform at Mr. Haggar’s request. Daniels, on a tight time line, performed and immediately headed back to Love Field for a private plane ride back to Nashville to record a new album the next morning. Backstage, Haggar thanked Daniels for traveling to Dallas, Daniels was quick to respond said “you don’t need to thank me, I should be thanking you for getting me involved with St. Jude.” Daniels, the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry and best known for his country hits like The Devil Went Down To Georgia, The South’s Gonna Do It Again and Uneasy Rider also serves on the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Professional Advisory Board.

Professional Auctioneer and Dallas area resident Mike Jones, President of United Country Auction Services and his team returned again to conduct the Live Auction. There is no way I would miss this one Jones said. Anytime Mr. Haggar calls you to do something, you don’t turn him down, he is one of my favorite people” he added. This year’s Live Auction highlights included a golf outing described as Golf Heaven for Eight via Private Jet to Kohler, Wisconsin brought in $60,000, Dancing With The Stars California trip $19,000, Private Party for 100 with 22 piece orchestra at the Dallas Arboretum $14,500, Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins trip fetched $9,000, Black South Seas Pearl Earrings $9000, Samsung 500 NASCAR Racing Package from Roger Staubach and Hall of Fame Racing $8500, Palm Springs Golf Outing $8500, Crested Butte Ski Accommodations for 20 $7500, Meet Dirk Nowitski Package $5500 and a Football signed by Hall of Fame Quarterbacks signed by Staubach, Montana and Archie and Peyton Manning fetched $5500. All told, the evening festivities brought in over $317,000.

The St. Jude staff and volunteers are already gearing up for another great event in 2008.

United Country Auction Services President, Mike Jones and wife Lori had the great fortune of meeting pastor and #1 New York Times Best Selling author Joel Osteen during his visit to Kansas City.

On February 21, 2008 following the United Country Real Estate open house for affiliates, United Country Auction Services President, Mike Jones and wife Lori had the great fortune of meeting pastor and #1 New York Times Best Selling author Joel Osteen during his visit to Kansas City which coincided with the United Country Convention held at the Westin Crown Center.

As a pastor, Joel Osteen reaches one of the largest audiences in the United States and around world with more than 42,000 attending the Lakewood Church each week in Houston and millions more tune in by television to hear his words of inspiration and wisdom that teach finding a closer connection with God by learning to apply the principles of Scriptures to their everyday lives.

United Country Real Estate and United Country Auction Services kicked off their annual convention Friday, February 22nd with a state of the business address by Real Estate President, Lou Francis and Auction Services President, Mike Jones followed by CEO Dan Duffy’s 2008-2009 company vision. Over 600 United Country franchisees and associates from across America attended the three day event which featured Keynote Speakers Steve Murray, Editor of Real Trends and former major league baseball player, Tom Lundstedt, CCIM known as the funniest investment and tax guy in America.

The two day event featured an industry trade show, educational seminars and training. Topics included UC Auction Services, Technology Update, UC Marketing Services, UC Mortgage and UC Land Finance, Commercial Real Estate, Strategic Partnerships, Ancillary Services and Quality Certification training. The day ended with attendees enjoying a party complete with barbecue and dancing at the historic Union Station train station with the convention wrapping up Saturday night with the annual United Country dinner and awards presentation which featured the company’s top producers. It was announced that Las Vegas will be the site for the 2009 convention.

The Dallas Mavericks found the Ritz-Carlton Hotel to be the perfect place to be on March 21st as the NBA team celebrated by supporting the community at the 4th Annual Dallas Mavericks Foundation Tux & Tennies Gala, presented by Stanford Private Wealth Management. The event was a huge success with over Five Hundred Thousand Dollars being raised for the foundation.

The event was emceed by Dallas Mavericks guard Jason “The Jet Is On the Runway” Terry who showed that there is a network job waiting for him when his career has ended. He was assisted at the microphone by team President and CEO Turdema Ussery. All of the Dallas Mavericks players were in attendance. Also in attendance was Todd Wagner, former Broadcast.com partner of Mark Cuban and head honcho of 2929 Entertainment. Todd is also a philanthropist in his own right through The Todd Wagner Foundation. Also in attendance were former Dallas Mavs Eric Strickland, Rolando Blackman and Popeye Jones.

The Live Auction was the highlight of the night with Professional Auctioneer and President of United Country Auction Services officiating over the hilarious and spirited bidding. Auctioneer Jones, mixed it up with Terry and at times would prompt “The Jet” to encourage his fellow NBA players to “bid it up” to help those who needed help the most. Between the two of them, they were able to bring in over $200,000 with just four items. These were certainly not average items though and the bidding was spirited. One of the most beautiful items ever offered in a fundraising event was a one of a kind full size Swarovski Crystal Basketball autographed by league MVP Dirk Nowitzki which sold for $64,000, an evening with Jerry and Ramira Stackhouse at Dean Fearing’s new restaurant Fearings followed by a night at the Dallas Ritz-Carlton sold for $27,000, a rare collector bottle of Hennessey cognac brought in a whopping $20,000 but the highlight of the Live Auction was an MVP basketball clinic with 2007 NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and assistant coach Joe Prunty which fetched an evening high $100,000.

The night was fun and meaningful for everyone as Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks Foundation was able to make significant contributions to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital- received funding to purchase adapted daily living and mobility equipment., Vogel Alcove-received funding for their play therapy for homeless children, YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth-received funding for their New Lives/New Beginnings Childcare Program, Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding Center-received funding to purchase adapted daily living and mobility equipment horseback riding lessons and scholarships for children with disabilities, Community Partners of Dallas-received funding to help stock their Rainbow Room which serves more than 6,000 youth annually ages 0-17, The Family Place-received funding with new playground equipment and Kidney Texas-received funding for Camp Reynal at Camp John Marc in Meridian, Texas.

Photo: United Country Auction Services President Mike Jones and auction team members Rob Ruhte, Montie Davis and Phillip Braun gather next to the #96 DLP Texas Instruments sponsored car co-owned by Hall of Fame Racing’s Super Bowl quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. The NASCAR themed event was held in the garages of Park Place Porsche in Dallas for the Visiting Nurse Association fundraising auction held March 30th. The Live Auction raised over $108,000 for the group.

As United Country Auction Services President Mike Jones announced “Ladies & Gentlemen”…”Start Your Bidding” right on cue, NASCAR #96 roared to life in the garages of Park Place Porsche in Dallas, the crowd that gathered on Sunday evening March 30th knew it was time to raise some money for a great cause. The hot electric blue car is sponsored by DLP Texas Instruments and the Hall of Fame Racing team co-owned by Super Bowl quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.

The event presented by Bank of America was the 2008 Wheels for Meals & More fundraiser benefiting the Visiting Nurse Association. This is the 3rd year that the United Country Auction team has conducted the Live Auction which in 2007 helped provide one or more health care services to over 15,000 individuals, 2,042 received home health care, 4,913 people received home-delivered meals Monday through Friday each week, 1,200 seniors were served meals five days a week at Senior Centers, 640 preschool children received meals each weekday and VNA Meals on Wheels prepared a total of 1,635,795.

This year’s Live Auction Highlights included a 12 month dining experience at 16 of Dallas’ finest restaurants that garnered $7500, a collection of autographed NASCAR 1:24 die cast cars with names like Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and others with a custom oak case $4,000, Texas Motor Speedway Package for two complete with helicopter transportation, pit passes and hosted by event chairs Marianne Staubach and Mary Templeton $5,000, Cartier Trinity Ring $9000, Beretta White Onyx 12 Gauge Shotgun with Bird Hunt $7,000 and an Infineon Sonoma NASCAR Race Weekend $6,000.

Auctioneer Jones then conducted the “Fund-A-Need” VNA Style, portion of the program which brought in an additional $69,600. Totals from the Live Auction and “Fund-A-Need” program brought in over $108,000 for the group whose mission is to Feed the hungry, Enable the disabled, Care for the sick, Promote health in the communities they serve, and Comfort patients and their families at the end of life.

It was another great year for VNA and United Country Auction Services was proud to be a part of this year’s program as in the past.

Auctioneer Mike Jones and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert

 

One of the best parties in Dallas took place on April 29, 2008 @ Gilley’s Dallas courtesy of the Episcopal School of Dallas. Donned in their cowboy hats, boots and finest western attire, the parents, teachers and guests of one of the cities premier private schools raised funds for the Parent Teachers Association and danced the night away to the music of country music traditionalist Clint Black.

The room was filled with Dallas notables and celebrity parents including Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, Dallas Cowboys, COO, Executive VP and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones, CBS football color commentator and former Cowboy fullback Daryl “Moose” Johnston and many others.

The evening kicked off with the Silent Auction and moved quickly to the Live Auction with Professional Auctioneer Mike Jones, President of United Country Auction Services presiding. No stranger to ESD, Jones a 30 year veteran of the fundraising scene in Dallas used his rapid fire chant to kick off the auction with a trip to Belize which fetched $5000 quickly followed by “His & Hers” Beretta shotguns that brought in $19,000. As Jones’ professional bid spotters excitedly worked the room, a trip to Puerto Vallarta sold for $17,500, Headmaster for the Day reeled in $22,000, a Ford Mustang autographed by designer and fellow Texan Carroll Shelby brought in $37,500 and a Ford F-250 donated by Rodeo Ford and represented by Dallas actor and Blazing Saddles Star Burton Gilliam sold for $42,000.

The Live Auction closed out with Jones selling $10,000 dollars worth of signature ESD Hot Sauce. The total for the Live Auction brought in well over $200,000 for the ESD Parent Teacher’s Association. Auction Chairman Gina Betts was ecstatic and remarked “the Live Auction went flawless and that’s why if I am chairing an event there is only one auction group working for me and that’s Mike Jones and his team”. Final numbers for the entire event were not available at press time but when asked how they thought things went, event Co-Chairs Kim Konradi and Bonnie Mahoney displayed their pleasure with big smiles and both gave a big thumb’s up.

Members of the cast from the television show Dallas including Larry Hagman aka J.R. Ewing, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray gather around United Country Auction Services President Mike Jones and wife Lori at the Dallas 30th Anniversary Cast Reunion & Ewing Barbeque held Saturday, November 8th at the Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas. United Country Auction Services sponsored the event and conducted a benefit auction on behalf of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National Kidney Foundation and A Strong Voice for Green Initiatives.

United Country Auction Services President and Auctioneer Mike Jones (right) with radio personality Ron Chapman of Paul Harvey News and Comment together to raise money for SPCA of Texas.

Dallas, TX — This year’s theme for the SPCA of Texas Fur Ball 2008 was “Disco for the Dogs” and it was hopping at the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas September 27 as patrons celebrated their 70th anniversary in grand style with special awards, comedy, music and live and silent auctions. Organizers tapped some heavy weights to raise this year’s goal of $250,000 to help supplement the groups $8 million dollar operating budget dedicated to animal services.

The evening kicked off with Lifetime Achievement Awards followed by Honorary Sponsors, the Dallas Cowboys Women’s Association who teamed up with players and the Gene & Jerry Jones Family Charities to help raise funds and awareness by creating a game called Poker for Pets which was a huge hit.

The Voice of SPCA Award was presented to radio personality Ron Chapman. Chapman has spent over 45 years in radio and is now heard by over 23 million listeners each week as the “fill in voice” for the venerable Paul Harvey’s News & Comment heard on over 1200 stations in the ABC Radio Network.Then it was time to raise money with the Live Auction and WFAA Channel 8 News Anchor Debbie Denmon who emceed the event turned it over to professiona

l auctioneer Mike Jones, President of United Country Auction Services who handled the bid calling duties for the evening.A few of the evenings Live Auction highlights included 24 Cases of Exotic Wines $11,000, Dallas Mavericks game package for 18 fans, $3750; Dallas Stars Sky Box for 18 fans, $4000 and a Dinner Club package at some of Dallas’ finest restaurants fetching a respectable $5,500.

The event was a huge success according to Event Chair Tricia Linderman and organizers are already planning for 2009.

SPCA facts: SPCA of Texas has reached the $7 million dollar mark of its $10 million dollar capital campaign to build a new facility in Dallas. The group dedicated to animals is funded solely through private donations. In 2007 SPCA of Texas found new homes for 9,682 animals, performed 22,194 spay/neuter surgeries and wellness visits in our low-cost clinics, rescued 7,874 animals through Rescue & Investigations Team and continued to educate the community about responsible pet ownership, including classes at the new Pet University.

November 1, 2008 (KANSAS CITY, Mo.) – The American Cancer Society had another big year in Dallas as the community’s movers and shakers gathered on October 4 for the 35th Anniversary Cattle Baron’s Ball. The event was held at Southfork Ranch, home of television’s J.R. Ewing and family. United Country Auction Services was front and center to lend a hand to the deserving charity.
The event, which raised more than $4 million between sponsors and live and silent auctions, is the single largest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. This year’s headlining act was the CMA’s Country Music Duo of the Year, Sugarland, who performed on the Dr. Pepper Main Stage. Country singer, Pat Green, warmed up the crowd before the live auction on the Bank of America Stage.

Mike Jones, CAI, GPPA, auctioneer and president of United Country Auction Services, and his team of highly excitable bid spotters returned for their seventh year to preside over the live auction. Gary Cogill, WFAA movie critic, emceed the event while Eddie Deen, caterer to the presidents, took care of the food duties. The evening kicked off with a private gathering at the Ewing’s home located on the ranch and then proceeded to the casino tent and silent auction.

To kick off the live auction, Pat Green joined Mike Jones on stage to sell a signed guitar for $5,500. The auction highlights included a 2009 Mercedes SL63 AMG for $134,000, an evening of Texas Hold ‘em, Prime Steaks and Stogies with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Daryl Johnston, Michael Irvin and Jay Novacek for $60,000, Iron Chef BBQ Package with Dallas’ finest chefs for $50,000, and a trip to Cabo San Lucas for $45,000. Auction guests also purchased a Single Malt Scotch Package to Scotland for $22,500, Beretta Shotgun Package to Italy for $18,000, dinner with the Trump family in New York for $20,000, dinner at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek for $5,000, Gregg Ruth diamond necklace for $11,000, Napa Trip for $12,500, and a Mexico vacation to San Miquel de Allende for $10,000.

The 35th Anniversary Dallas Cattle Baron’s Ball was a huge hit, and the CBB committee has already set a date and begun planning for the 2009 event.

To learn more about United Country and how the company gives back to the community, visit www.ucauctionservices.com or contact Mike Jones at mikejones@unitedcountry.com.

About United Country
United Country Real Estate is the only national real estate franchise system specializing in properties in and around the small cities and towns of America. Based in Kansas City, Mo., the company has been an innovator in real estate marketing since 1925. United Country supports nearly 675 offices nationwide with a unique, comprehensive marketing program that includes one of the leading web sites in the real estate market (www.unitedcountry.com), proprietary real estate catalogs, an extensive buyer database and national advertising of properties to over 90 million homes a week. United Country has been named as a Top 25 Franchise by the Wall Street Journal and among Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500®. In January 2007, the company introduced United Country Auction Services, becoming the nation’s largest integrated network of traditional real estate agents and real estate auctioneers.

The Auctioneer, March 2003

Auctioneers today are realizing the entire world is our market, and that fellow auctioneers around the globe are our friends and colleagues. I recently visited some of our NAA members in South Africa and, while there, learned how they conduct auctions… (read more)