Founder Biography
Fundraising auctioneer Sherry Truhlar
Sherry Truhlar (rhymes with “ruler”) founded Red Apple Auctions LLC after working over a decade in sales, event management and corporate marketing for two of the largest companies in the USA: General Electric and Koch Industries.
She has worked at all sizes and types of auction fundraisers for schools, non-profits, wine groups, churches, and golf events, from 80 bidders to 1200+. (Click here to hear from Red Apple Auctions’ fans.)
In her first year as a licensed auctioneer, Sherry competed against men and women auctioneers to win the Virginia Auctioneers Association (VAA) Rookie of the Year title. In 2009 she placed 3rd while competing for the Virginia State Champion Auctioneer Contest. In competition, judges consistently comment on her “platform skills,” “ability to develop immediate audience rapport,” and “direct bid calling technique.” She is one of the few – usually the only – female auctioneer to compete in state competitions.
Sherry often competes in state and national competitions to hone her skills.
As lead auctioneer, Sherry has an elegant presence and warm persona which elevates the live auction at many galas.
Organizations seeking to advance the image of their event have specifically requested her. At almost 6′ tall, she commands the stage and comfortably connects with male and female guests.
Sherry’s rapport with a crowd has twice been tapped for television viewers (on TLC and E! Style).
Her enthusiastic and engaging personality has twice caught the eye of cable television show producers. In 2007, she was featured on national television when producers of E! Style’s ISAAC show (featuring fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi) selected her for a segment on how to pack for business trips. In 2008, she worked with Andrew Dan-Jumbo on TLC’s Take Home Handyman. In 2009, her business was featured in The Washington Post Magazine. (Click here to see all of Red Apple Auctions’ media hits.)
Sherry Truhlar with Andrew Dan-Jumbo on the set of Take Home Handyman.
Sherry holds a number of educational credentials and memberships:
- She is thought to be the only auctioneer who has achieved a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation. The CMP is a highly-sought after credential within the event management field, identifying individuals in the event planning field who have achieved the industry’s highest standard of professionalism. (Click here to read a blog post about Sherry and the CMP.)
- She holds a Professional Certificate in Event Management from George Washington University.
- She has earned the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS) credential from the NAA, which fewer than 1% of auctioneers have achieved.
- She graduated from Missouri Auction School, and immediately joined as a life member of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) and a member of the Virginia Auctioneers Association (VAA).
Sherry talks with an auction guest about Mikimoto pearls.
- Her B.A. (Communication) and B.S. (Political Science) degrees are from Emporia State University in Kansas. Her M.A. (International Relations) degree is from the University of Wollongong in Australia.
Sherry splits her time between homes in Washington, DC and Miami, FL, and regularly serves as auctioneer in Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. She travels extensively for work and pleasure.
She has an interest in the television industry and is producing a dog-related show in her spare time.
