About Us
Jake Cheechov began his career in the auction business at
the age of13 when he was offered a job sorting cattle in
the back of the small livestock auction in his home town of Creswell, Oregon. On a whim, almost as a joke, he and others
that worked there began to attempt to mimic the auctioneer on staff. He found he had a natural gift for auctioneering, so
he began to continually practice his chant with the help and encouragement of other local auctioneers. As part of a
high school project, he organized and sold a benefit auction for his graduating senior class. He began his professional
career shortly there after, when he attended the Western College of Auctioneering
in Billings, Montana in August, 1993.
Over the next several years, Jake worked diligently on his bid calling skills, practicing regularly, attending workshops and volunteering his services to many non-profit organizations for benefit auctions all the while slowly improving his chants' speed, rhythm and clarity. He also spent that time learning the auction business from the ground up while working part and full time for several of the largest auction firms in the Willamette valley in almost every known capacity from general laborer to general manager and every varied position in between. Jake took the connections, lessons, experience and opportunities he had gained from working for those other firms and in 1999 at the age of 24 he made the transition from contract auctioneer for hire to firm owner when he founded Pacific Industrial Auctions and Appraisals.
His firm, which started from very meager beginnings with just over $15,000.00 in total commissions his first year, is now the auction company of choice for many major lending institutions and large corporations as well as numerous small businesses and private individuals throughout the greater Pacific Northwest. He currently merchandises over 5 million dollars worth of assets annually and his business is continuing to grow at a steady pace.
Jake has always believed that the client's success at any auction begins with the auctioneer. The auctioneer's salesmanship, professionalism and bid calling skill will determine how profitable the auction will be. Jake has always strived to provide bid calling excellence in a fun and friendly atmosphere at his auctions. Jake Cheechov is considered by many to be one of the best auction bid callers in the Pacific Northwest, a two time Oregon Grand Champion Auctioneer winning the honor in both 2003 and 2005 at the Oregon State Fair. He has competed, qualified for and placed in several other auctioneer contests such as the prestigious Industrial Auctioneer Championship, the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship and the Northwest Auctioneers Championship.
Jake Cheechov is a 1993 Graduate of Western College of Auctioneering and a 2005 Graduate of World Champion College of Auctioneering. He has been continuously employed within the auction industry for well over 15 years and is an active member of the National Auctioneers Association as well as the Oregon, Washington and Idaho Professional Auctioneers Associations where he regularly receives continuing education on new technologies and cutting edge techniques that will help his clients achieve their financial goals. Currently Jake serves the Oregon Auctioneers Association as their past President and Chairman of the Board.
In 2005, he added appraising to his list of professional skills when he earned his GPPA and USPAP appraisers certifications. In spring of 2008 he completed his third year of the Certified Auctioneers Institute held at Indiana University - Bloomington, where he earned the prestigious CAI designation. The Certified Auctioneers Institute is the highest educational designation an auctioneer can hold, which is held by less than 1% of the auctioneers nationwide. Designed for leaders in the industry and auction firm decision-makers, the CAI course is an executive development program focused on developing the skills and providing the tools necessary to run a top-notch auction firm.
Designation holders have the knowledge and skill necessary to provide high-quality services to all types of clients. In addition, their designation indicates to attorneys, trust officers, government officials, banking officers, financial planners, accountants and others who seek the services of well-qualified auctioneers that the CAI designation holder is an astute business person whose conduct will follow the highest professional standards. Once the CAI designation is earned, the auctioneer must then maintain the designation with 24 hours of continuing education every three years. Auctioneers with the CAI designation are part of an extraordinary network of exemplary auctioneers whose commitment to the customer ensures that they will provide expert auction services with the highest level of dedication, professionalism and organization in the industry.
Jake Cheechov considers himself very fortunate to have found his calling as an auctioneer at an early
age. He currently sells over 125 auctions a year. Now at age 34, he has the rare combination of youth and
experience that many of his peers admire. He, his wife Amy and their son J.W. make their home in the Eugene,
Oregon area and enjoy an outdoors/country lifestyle filled with raising livestock, riding horses, fishing,
boating and entertaining friends, family and guests.
