Information Request

Benny Taylor, AARE, CAI

President & CEO, Auctioneer, Broker Appraiser

Benny grew up attending auctions from the age of thirteen. Even before he could drive legally, he was attending farm and livestock auctions with older adults. He would leave school and attend the local auction, Grenada Livestock. There he listened to World Champion Livestock Auctioneer Mr. Bobby Russell. From these auctions, he learned the value of equipment, trading tactics, and the auctioneer’s cadence. Over the years, even before he achieved his auctioneer’s degree in 1983 he was practicing daily his cadence. As mentioned, in 1983, he attended Missouri Auction School. His vocation at that time was in the self employment field of managing the family owned construction firm to cattle farming to managing his rental property to contract auctioneering to performing landscape work. After graduation, he formed Taylor Auction Service and began ardently pursuing his passion. Along with promoting his auction service, Benny also worked one day a week at a livestock market, eventually becoming the lead livestock auctioneer. Employment did follow and he was employed by several livestock markets in Mississippi and Alabama. In 1984, Benny saw the necessity to incorporate personal property appraisals with the auction service and returned to school to acquire his Certified Personal Property Accreditation. Soon, he was marketing both skills to clients. In 1991, the company changed their name again to Taylor Auction & Realty because the vision of selling real estate along with personal property had become apparent; therefore, the company incorporated real estate brokerage in the mix of services. By 1991, the auction and real estate business was growing exponentially. With the retirement of Benny’s Father from the construction company, Benny decided to forgo the construction company and pursue his first passion - the auction business. By 1996, the firm was fully integrated into a full time occupation and changed the name again to Taylor Auction & Realty, Inc. a Subchapter S Corporation. Taylor Auction & Realty, Inc. this year is celebrating 30 years. We are proud to have accomplished this as a first generation auction firm. Benny is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and has earned the accreditation of Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate. He is a Certified Personal Property Appraiser and a member of the Certified Appraisers Guild. Benny is also a graduate of the Certified Auctioneer Institute, which is the most revered professional designation an auctioneer can acquire. He has been a member of the National Auctioneer Association and the Mississippi Auctioneer Association for over 20 years. While a member of the Mississippi Auctioneer Association, he was the President for two terms and a state auctioneer champion. He is also a member of the Mississippi and National Realtors Association along with the local chapter of Grenada Realtors Association. Currently, he is serving his third term as a commissioner of the Mississippi Auctioneer Board. Mr. Taylor is keenly active in his profession and has authored and presented lectures in regard to the auction industry at SBA lender’s conferences, State and National Auctioneers’ Conventions and Financial Trust Conferences. Mr. Taylor is currently licensed in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi and conducts approximately 75 auctions a year. Benny is known for his experience in liquidating all types of assets, his straight forward nature, his auctioneer cadence, his entertaining skills in the ring as well as his strong mediation skills required in this fast pace business. Besides spending time with his family, Ruthie (Wife and Business Partner), Lee (Daughter) and his new son-in-law, Josh, Benny enjoys relaxing on his 600 acre cattle farm.

Ruthie Taylor, CAI

Vice President, Auctioneer, Realtor

Ruthie Taylor has thirty years experience in AUCTION MARKETING, ASSET EVALUATION and INVENTORY ASSESSMENT. Ruthie began her career as support staff for her husband, Benny Taylor who has known since he was a teenager he wanted to be an auctioneer. She quickly realized she had not only found the right partner for life but the right business partner as well.

Therefore, Taylor Auction was born in 1983. From 1983 to 1987, Ruthie worked for Peoples Bank as a Loan Secretary along with working auctions on weekends. After the birth of their only daughter, she resigned from her public job to stay at home. From home, Ruthie worked part-time in their family owned construction business as a secretary, promoted their auction business along with obtaining her real estate broker’s license in 1991. After their daughter started school, Ruthie diligently worked at promoting their auction business full time as Benny managed the family’s construction business, and worked two to three days a week as a livestock auctioneer. Ruthie joined him two days a week at the livestock auctions as his clerk. In June 1991, Taylor Auction’s name was changed to Taylor Auction & Realty and the real estate auction market was pursued. Between 1991 and 1996 the business continued to grow and Taylor Auction & Realty became an S corporation “Taylor Auction & Realty, Inc.” By that time, Benny and Ruthie were fully encompassed into a full time profession of an auction and appraisal firm.

While running a business and raising a family, Ruthie also attended Holmes Community College and Delta State University completing courses in Real Estate, Insurance, and Business. Being inspired by her classes and her career, Ruthie expanded her skills in communication sales, public relations and organizational management to better service the corporation. Ruthie has composed and presented several articles and lectures in regard to the auction industry at SBA Lender’s Conferences, State and National Auctioneers Conventions and local and state papers. In 2007 Ruthie became more than just support staff and received her auctioneer’s license as well. After receiving her auctioneer’s license, she attended the Certified Auctioneer Institute (CAI) and in the second year of CAI she was the recipient of the Pat Massart Award for Best Auction Proposal.
Ruthie is a licensed auctioneer and a real estate broker in Mississippi and Tennessee. She is a graduate of the Certified Auctioneer Institute. She is a long time standing member of the Mississippi Auctioneer Association and the National Auctioneer Association. She is also a member of the Grenada Realtors Association, the Mississippi Realtors Association and the National Realtors Association. She is a life time member of the Junior Auxiliary of Grenada, a women’s community charitable organization.

Ruthie’s passions run analogous with her passion for auctions. For down time, she enjoys what she calls “junking” which is meandering through flea markets, antiques stores, garage sales, estate sales, junk stores and other firm’s auctions for treasures for her mixed media art. Her loves include her family, Benny, daughter, Lee and her recent son-in-law, Josh Penn. Other passions include reading, plays, music, dancing, exercise, cooking and discovering new ideas for her personal and business life.

Favorite Quote: Thoreau wrote in "Life Without Principle," "You must get your living by loving, it's counterpart for looking for an auctioneer: "Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for the love of it."

Shea Whitehurst

Salesperson, Real Estate & Auctions

Shea joined Taylor Auction & Realty, Inc. in August of 2013 as a project assistant. Learning the ins and outs of the auction business was just part of her duties, but in 2015 she decided to pursue a real estate license to better serve our customers, clients and our firm. From managing daily office functions to communicating with clients and customers, she has an abundance of knowledge to help with your real estate needs and auction details. Shea will go above and beyond to make your experience the best possible with Taylor Auction & Realty, Inc.

She previously worked in advertising sales, office management and restaurant management. Her skills of dealing with the public, problem solving, marketing and attention to detail are just a few of the many things that she does to work with you and your company. She is organized and will research the best way of maximizing your assets to the highest potential.

She has a full and busy life with her children and husband. Her son, Addison, travels all over the U.S. working for RRSA in sales. Her daughters, Kylie and Jaidyn were born just 11 months apart in 2003 and 2004. Her husband, Chris Whitehurst, who is a Sergeant with the City of Grenada Fire Department, has served for almost 10 years.