Directors & Staff
Kurt Aumann, CAI, ATS
President
Kurt Aumann is our President and the Chairman of our Board of Directors, positions he has held since our inception. Kurt Aumann grew up in the auction industry and graduated from auction school in 1982 at which time he became employed by Aumann Auction Inc. In 1995, he became Vice President and CEO of Aumann Auctions Inc., located in Nokomis, Illinois. He has also been a member of the National Auctioneers Association for over 16 years. Kurt has always been self employed in the auction industry but has been actively involved in consulting other industries about the auction profession for several years. He has consulted with several online auction companies regarding software development and performance. He has served as President of the Illinois State Auctioneers Association. He has also served on several boards including the National Auctioneers Association and currently sits on the National Auctioneer Association Education Institute. He has instructed at Lincoln Land Community College, the Certified Auctioneers Institute as well as numerous seminars and workshops across the country. Kurt is involved in several community efforts including serving on the Hillsboro Area Hospital Board and the Fusion Health & Fitness Board, a non-profit community fitness center. He is an avid reader and has written two books himself. He is a member of the Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana Auctioneers Associations and conducts approximately 100 auctions per year. He has three sons, Tucker, Quinton, and Elijah.
J.J. Dower, CAI, AARE
Director/Treasurer
J. J. Dower is our Treasurer and serves on our Board of Directors. J. J. became a professional auctioneer and real estate agent in 1986 and received his real estate brokers license in 1988. He has been active in the real estate and auction business for 23 years. He is presently a partner in Ayers LP d/b/a Ayers Auction and Real Estate (Ayers Auction and Real Estate has been in continuing operation for over 50 years). He opened his own branch office in 1996 in Oneida, Tennessee. He is the principal broker and auctioneer at this branch office. J. J. is a past president of the Tennessee Auctioneers Association and the youngest member to be inducted to the Tennessee Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame. J. J. currently serves on the Scott County Boys and Girls Club board and has been influential in the planning and fundraising for their now-open multi-million dollar facility. J. J. received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Leadership studies from Lincoln Memorial University. He became a CAI auctioneer in 1991 and also holds the AARE designation. J. J. has also been a presenter at a CAI continuing education seminar and is currently serving as a Director of the National Auctioneers Institute. While he is serving as a Director for NAA, J.J. has been traveling the country speaking at state auctioneer associations. J. J.’s business ventures also include: Krystal, Baskin Robbins, Conoco Gas and Convenient Store, Hampton Inn, and Comfort Inn franchises. He also has commercial and residential investment properties. J. J.’s specialty is real estate development with an emphasis on subdividing raw land to sell at auction. J. J. has been married to Traci Dower for 24 years and has two daughters, Addison Dower and Alissa Dower.
J. Christopher Pracht, CAI, AARE, CES
Director/Secretary
J. Chris Pracht, IV is our secretary and serves on our Board of Directors, positions he has held since our inception. Chris is and has been a Professional Real Estate and Benefit Auctioneer for 27 years. Since 1981 he has been the owner of Chris Pracht Auctioneers, Realty & Auction, LLC., with a main office in Anderson, contact offices in Camden and Charleston, South Carolina. Chris has served as President of the South Carolina Auctioneers Association, and on the National Auctioneers Association Board of Directors and as the first Chairman of the National Auctioneers Associations Education Institute Board of Trustees. He was awarded the National Auctioneers Association’s Presidents Award of Distinction in 2004. He has served on the National Auctioneers Foundation. Chris was inducted into the South Carolina Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame in January 2007. Chris is an approved National Auctioneers Association Instructor for the CES (Certified Estate Specialist) and AARE (Accredited Auctioneer Real Estate) designation and the Expert Witness & the Courts designations in Federal Court, and a CAI Class Instructor at Indiana University. Chris has worked for over a decade with children with cancer and blood disorder. He was elected one of the youngest members of the South Carolina House of Representatives at the age of 21 in 1976 where he served eight years. Chris has a BA degree in Government from Wofford College. His is a graduate of Missouri Auction School & holds the CAI designation hosted at Indiana University. Chris is a Life member of National Auctioneers Association, a Rotarian, and a Paul Harris Fellow. Chris has spoken nationwide for the National Auctioneers Association and travels and consults with auction companies on the MULTI-PAR Real Estate bidding system Nationwide. Chris has one son Christopher who was an honor law graduate from the Charleston School of Law he is a Law Clerk for a South Carolina State Circuit Judge.
Matt Corso, CAI
Chief Operating Officer
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Matt Corso has served as Chief Operating Officer for MarkNet Alliance since the company’s inception. Prior to his employment with MarkNet Alliance, Matt served as the Chief Operating Officer of Aumann Auctions Inc., a nationwide auction firm specializing in several niche markets as well as real estate. Matt has completed the Certified Auctioneers Institute program held at the University of Indiana in Bloomington, IN and earned the CAI designation. He is also a licensed auctioneer in the state of Illinois and is a member of the National Auctioneers Association. Matt previously served on the Board of Directors and as the managing editor for the Breeze-Courier Newspaper in Taylorville, IL for seven years prior to his work at Aumann Auctions. He has been a mentor to grade school children through the Taylorville Mentoring Program and has also been active in teaching youth classes in his local church. Matt is married to Abbey Corso and has two daughters, Gracie and Mylie and one son, Isaac.
Aaron Brown
Chief Technology Officer
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Aaron Brown began his career in the auction industry as the Chief Technology Officer of Aumann Auctions Inc., a nationwide auction firm and future MarkNet member specializing in several niche markets as well as real estate. During his time with Aumann Auctions, Aaron learned a great deal about the auction industry and also began the development of the software that would serve as the base for MarkNet’s Streamline Software Package. When MarkNet Alliance was formed, he transitioned into the new company as the Chief Technology Officer for the network. Aaron holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Networking and the CCNA Cisco Certification. Prior to Aumann Auctions, he worked in the computer industry for several years and wore many hats, including those of a software and web designer, programmer, database and server administrator, server and computer technician, and many others. He is a writer and musician that has completed his first novel and is in the process of writing two others and has performed as the lead singer and guitar player in several musical groups. Aaron is a worship leader at his church and also serves as a leader in the church youth group. He currently resides in Nokomis, IL with his beautiful wife, Gina, and their two lovely daughters, Madison and Calissa.
Jeremy Standridge
Information Technology Specialist
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Jeremy Standridge began building websites during his teenage years. During this time Jeremy learned a great deal about what it takes to make websites more compelling and what it takes to get potential customers driven to a site. Prior to working at MarkNet Alliance, Jeremy maintained several websites for local businesses and organizations. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Networking from Robert Morris University in Springfield, IL.
Jeremy is a racecar driver of a 410c.i. Sprint Car and a race fan at heart. Jeremy also enjoys going to sporting events, including Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Hockey, but his first choice is Auto Racing. He helps raise money and holds fundraisers for such groups as the IL Military Relief Fund and the March of Dimes. He currently resides in Springfield, IL with his beautiful fiancée, Shannon, and their son, JJ.
Jeremy is a racecar driver of a 410c.i. Sprint Car and a race fan at heart. Jeremy also enjoys going to sporting events, including Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Hockey, but his first choice is Auto Racing. He helps raise money and holds fundraisers for such groups as the IL Military Relief Fund and the March of Dimes. He currently resides in Springfield, IL with his beautiful fiancée, Shannon, and their son, JJ.
MarkNet Alliance
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