The organization acquired Bruce Schapansky Auctioneers in Tisdale, Sask.
Tisdale, Sask. will be the home of a U.S. equipment auction company’s first location in Canada and tenth overall.
On Oct. 18, Steffes Group out of Fargo, N.D., announced the purchase of Bruce Schapansky Auctioneers, which will undergo a rebrand to become Steffes.
Reps from Steffes visited Tisdale in May. And in August, Bruce Schapansky and his family went to Fargo to meet the Steffes staff.
Those friendly visits helped seal the deal for the acquisition, Schapansky said.
“It was like they were from Pleasantdale or Yellow Creek,” he told CJVR. “We’re looking forward to this change.”
Schapanksy added that he’s staying on for another few years and will focus on sales and staying connected with customers.
And that with this expansion comes opportunities for more staff, like hiring a CPA, he said.
And a familiar face in the Saskatchewan auction industry is joining the Steffes team.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jason LeBlanc to the Steffes team as our strategic partner for this exciting new venture,” Steffes said in social media posts.
In January of this year, LeBlanc was enshrined as a member of the Saskatchewan Auctioneers Association’s Auction Era Hall of Honour.
LeBlanc retired in December 2019 but is ready to call auctions again.
“This company fits perfectly with what’s missing in the ag sector,” he said on X on Oct. 18. “Hand shakes mean something and auctioneers that can help you transition into retirement with choice of LIVE old school auctions or online only. The choice is yours.”