Professional benefit auctioneer David Sobon raised more than $102,000 for charitable causes in a recent three-day weekend of back-to-back live auctions—defying recent economy-driven declines in charitable contributions that have decimated many Sacrament-area non-profits.

Sobon, a partner in Maximum Benefits Auctions, presided at a live auction Friday, Oct. 16, that raised more than $25,000 for Faces of Tomorrow, a Yolo County organization that funds facial surgery for Ecuadoran children with cleft palate. A second live auction Saturday, Oct. 17, raised more than $23,000 for the Woodland Sunrise Rotary’s project to provide cooking stoves for impoverished families in Guatemala; and a third live auction Sunday, Oct. 18, raised more than $56,000 for the Susan G. Komen Sacramento Valley Affiliate.

Over the past year, Sobon has established an impressive record of exceeding prior year fundraising proceeds for nearly 20 charity events. “Ignore what everybody is saying about the economy,” Sobon says. “People still want to give; people still have money to give. You just have to ask them the right way.”

The Faces of Tomorrow auction that raised $25,000 was Sobon’s first for that organization; in comparison, the organization’s 2008 auction, which did not utilize a professional auctioneer, raised approximately $10,000. Both the Woodland Sunrise Rotary and Susan G. Komen Sacramento Valley Affiliate had used Sobon’s services the prior year, yet both posted increased revenues at their October events, despite a tough fundraising environment. Proceeds from the Woodland Sunrise Rotary auction on Saturday were up slightly over last year; proceeds from Sunday’s Susan G. Komen auction—part of Rancho Murieta Country Club’s Tee Up Fore the Cure golf event—were up a whopping 300 percent over last year.

Sobon is one of fewer than 200 auctioneers nationwide trained as benefit auction specialists by the National Auctioneers Association. His auction clients have included SACTO (Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization), Sacramento Waldorf Schools, Families First, and and numerous Rotary and other service clubs. "David added tremendous value to our annual auction,” said SACTO Executive Director Barbara Hayes. “Not only did the auction proceeds more than triple under his leadership, the auction was handled professionally and tastefully, and our guests loved the show."

Indeed, for the charities, Sobon's live auctions become an exciting addition to the entertainment lineup. At the recent Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner, which raised nearly $20,000 for at risk gay and lesbian youth, he kicked off the live auction with a bidding frenzy of restaurant gift certificates. The crowd response was immediate and boisterous as bidders waved their paddles and volunteer “spotters” clacked noisemakers to signal each bid. In March, Sobon’s live auction at the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center’s annual Lambda Awards grossed nearly $25,000.

“David's experience in working with nonprofits gives him a wealth of insights that add value to events he is part of. He made fundraising fun for our audience, and they responded,” said Kristen Kirkpatrick, development coordinator for Susan G. Komen Sacramento Valley Affiliate. “David is truly committed to helping nonprofits succeed, and his passion for the causes he works with contributes to the event success.”

Sobon, who is a partner with veteran auctioneer Jack Young in Maximum Benefit Auctions, is one of fewer than 200 auctioneers nationwide trained as benefit auction specialists by the National Auctioneers Association. “I don’t do cattle; I don’t do cars,” Sobon says. “I only want to help people raise money for their non-profits.”

Upcoming Sobon live auctions include fundraisers for Gateway High School in San Francisco on Nov. 14, 2009, and for Folsom High School on Nov. 20, 2099.

Sobon, Young and benefit auction expert Michele Holman will present “Maximizing Your Benefit Event,” a free all-day workshop on planning and producing benefit auctions, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, at the California Auto Museum in Sacramento. Visit www.maximumgiving.com for event details and registration.

For more information about David Sobon and Maximum Benefit Auctions, visit www.maximumgiving.com or call 916-730-3330.