Sept. 24, 2025 (KANSAS CITY, Mo.) – Not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up. But for Marty Griepentrog – a respected REALTOR®, auctioneer and land specialist out of South-Central Wisconsin – the future, or at least the desire, was crystal clear.
United Country Auction Services (UCAS) via a recent episode of The Sale Ring Podcast, caught up with Griepentrog to discuss his ongoing success, recent awards, industry trends and more. Griepentrog received UCAS’ 2024 National Benefit & Charity Auctioneer Award at United Country Real Estate’s Annual Convention in February. He was also the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association’s 2024 State Championship Auctioneer, and the group’s 2023 Ringman Champion.
“I’m a competitive auctioneer because I find it hones my craft and keeps me agile and trying to be the top performer I can be,” Griepentrog said. “But also, it’s just a great way to make friends.”
The Passion: Always Busy, But Driven to Serve
Representing Wisconsin’s United Country | Midwest Lifestyle Properties and Hamele Auction Services, Griepentrog is always on the move and rarely seems to slow down. He admits to working nearly 90 hours per week at times when short staffed, but maintains it’s all worth it, especially when he’s focused on serving the community.
“There are times I’d like to find some more staff to make things easier on myself, but I really love what I do,” he said. “It was amazing last year. I did a lot of different (benefit auction) events. You know, I’ve done a few events for outside organizations I wasn’t passionate about, and after that I realized I wanted to stay in my lane.”
That lane, a.k.a. where the passion lives, speaks to Griepentrog’s personal interests as a conservationist, outdoorsman and something tied to his childhood — a county fair enthusiast.
“I do a lot with Ducks Unlimited and also with county fairs, where I run multiple auctions each year. I do it for the kids,” he said. “I was a youth exhibitor, which was actually one of the first times I really got behind the microphone selling chickens and calves.”
The Origin Story: Farming, Fairs & Fast Talking
Griepentrog grew up on a family farm in rural Marquette County, Wisconsin. He was president of his local FFA chapter, a childhood role that helped pave the way for leadership later in life, including his place on the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association’s Board of Directors.
While professional auctioneering is often the result of being in the family business, Griepentrog said he is a first-generation auctioneer. “My dad was a mechanic. He busted his back and hands every day, coming home with a bloody forehead and knuckles from being inside a combine. I was a fast talker and figured I could try to make a living using my brain and mouth. But I found in the auction industry, I ended up (like my dad) using my back and hands sometimes, too.”
Looking back, Griepentrog realized his professional auctioneer roots started their growth during those times he was selling livestock at the county fair.
“When I sold my animals as a kid at the fair, I remember getting ten, fifteen cents over market price, and (I also had to) figure out the mathematics behind it all,” he said. “The first few years were a losing battle. And now, kids are making somewhat crazy money on their animals, but that’s good!”
When he was 19 and barely out of high school, Griepentrog attended an auction and spoke with Travis Hamele (of Hamele Auction Services). He was hired that day and 15 years later, the two still work together.
The Evolution of Auctions: Online Innovations Take Center Stage
Griepentrog and UCAS have seen real estate auctions evolve with the times. Online auctions are outpacing live events — a shift accelerated by the COVID pandemic five years ago. The online format is convenient, it eliminates travel needs, and multiple auctions can be run at once. A boom in artificial intelligence tech is also changing the game.
Additionally, in-person auctions can be exciting, but they may not offer the same exposure as online auctions, Gripentrog said. “I love being a bid caller, but I have a fiduciary responsibility to get the most money for my clients and the online method is by far (the best) way to do it.”
Griepentrog said he’s also altered how he markets certain auctions. “With estate sales, we isolate categories like tools, toys or sporting goods and we combine lots from different estates. This draws wider interest and better results. It’s the niche audiences and target marketing that I find works best.”
He loves giving back through events, but Griepentrog knows real estate sales and auctions are what pay the bills. “In a way, these are two sides of the same coin,” he said. “It’s about brand awareness. If I’m putting in 110% for a benefit auction, they’ll see what I can do as an auctioneer. At the end of the day, we need to promote the industry as much as possible.”