Kaufman Realty & Auction celebrates 50 years

Success comes in many forms.

For Dave Kaufman, owner and founder of Kaufman Realty & Auction, it comes with every “sold” that rings out at auction, every “sold” sign on realty properties and with the many relationships that have blossomed over the past five decades.

On Thursday, July 10, Kaufman celebrated 50 years of being part of this community and serving faithfully.

The event took place at the auction house in Sugarcreek under a large tent, and a good-sized contingent of family, friends and clients came out to celebrate the occasion.

“I’ve talked to a lot of friends, and it’s so good to reminisce with many of these people, some of whom I haven’t seen for many years,” Kaufman said at the celebration. “I really appreciate everyone coming out to celebrate. It really does mean a lot to all of us. The hardest thing that I have to comprehend is that I am as old as I am. That’s hard when I see all of the years that have gone past here and what has transpired and the many changes in the company.”

Many changes have come for the good, as new technology has made auctions easier and more direct, made promoting auctions on a widespread scale better, and made selling realty easier.

One thing he said has been rock solid from day one, a day he wasn’t 100% certain he would be around for a week let alone 50 years, was the commitment to serving their clients and people in the community with respect and gratitude.

However, Kaufman said the other thing that hasn’t changed is he has surrounded himself with upstanding people in the company who care and can be trusted by those have invested a great deal of faith in Kaufman Realty & Auction.

“I am so grateful to my family, who is now heading into the third generation, and for my other family, that being everyone who works here,” Kaufman said. “We’ve been so blessed to be surrounded with caring, kind and dedicated people who understand what being part of this company means and share the same morals and principles as my family,” Kaufman said.

Some of those members have been around for most of the half century the company has been in business.

In 1979 Jake Schlabach set forth on his journey into the auction world, starting his apprenticeship with a fledgling auction and realty company based out of Amish Country called Kaufman Realty & Auction.

Kaufman wasn’t all that much older or experienced than Schlabach, but once Schlabach found his home and recognized the values and commitment that stemmed from the owner, he knew it was where he wanted to be.

“I did my apprenticeship in 1979, got my auction license in 1980 and my real estate license in 1985, and I’ve been here ever since,” Schlabach said. “It’s been an incredibly joyful ride over the past 45 years.”

For Schlabach, understanding how committed Kaufman was to some central values that aligned with his own was enough to drive him to want to be a part of the KRA team. However, there was a great deal more to the experience.

“Honesty and integrity are the big things that drew me in,” Schlabach said. “Treat people like you’d want to be treated. The old golden rule is important to me, and it is to Dave too, and he has passed that down through the years. It’s kind of a simple thing to say, but that type of thing is a big deal in this community, and it still means a lot to people when they know they can trust you.”

Schlabach said the highlights and memories of his time with KRA are many, but his most joyful experiences almost always come back to interactions with people, whether it is customers or fellow staff members.

“I think I could probably write a book about the things that have happened over the years and the important things you’d want to pass along to future generations,” Schlabach said. “Things don’t always go the way you want them to, but striving to do things the right way is a big part of what this company is all about.”

Jr. Miller has been around the KRA family just about as long as Schlabach, having begun his apprenticeship with Kaufman 38 years ago.

Miller has taken on a key role in the company and is about as close to being family to the Kaufmans as one can be without actually being a family member.

“I really do feel like part of the family. That’s how close we are,” Miller said. “And it goes beyond just the business.”

He said the environment surrounding the company is one that sets the stage for success.

“We’ve been very fortunate to maintain the culture that Dave put in place 50 years ago despite having grown so much,” Miller said. “I think Dave’s values have trickled down through all of us over the years, and we all try to pass what we’ve learned down to others as they come into the organization.”