Who We Are

Why Us?

The Kruse Auction Institute is now headed by Russell's grandson Dennis K. (Matthew) Kruse, who is a licensed auctioneer, real estate broker and certified general real estate appraiser. He has earned both his CAI (Certified Auctioneers Institute) and GPPA (Graduate Personal Property Appraiser) designations, and also has a business degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. Matthew is a graduate of both the Kruse Auction Institute and the Reppert School of Auctioneering's pre-licensing auction classes. Matthew is the former Vice President and Administrator at the Reppert School of Auctioneering, where he taught from 1996 to 2011. He is considered to be one of the country's foremost experts in auction law, general auction practices, and the auction business. He is the primary person responsible for putting together the Reppert “blue book,” which has been recognized as being the most comprehensive book on auctioneering ever assembled. Matthew and his brother John Kruse purchased the Reppert Auction School in 2017, and Matthew is currently the Dean of Instruction there.

Matthew has experience working auctions in 30 states, managing on-site auction operations and staff, drafting budgets, designing and placing auction advertising, developing auction software, selling and appraising all types of real estate and personal property. Matthew is currently employed as an independent contract auctioneer for several different auction companies. He also works as a residential appraiser in northeast Indiana, having started in the real estate appraisal business under his grandfather Russell. He is now the chief appraiser for the PF Kruse Appraisal Group, and sits on the Indiana Real Estate Licensure and Certification Board, and has served as chairman. Matthew also serves as a buyer's broker for real estate transactions in the Northeast Indiana area. Matthew has served on the technology committee of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA), the Indiana Auctioneers Association (IAA) and the Auction Marketing Institute. He is a past president of District Two of the Indiana Auctioneers Association, and is a two-time finalist in the IAA bid calling contest. Matthew has served on the board of directors for the Northeast Indiana Association of Realtors, and was president of the association in 2014. He is also a life member of the NAA.

Dennis K. Kruse has been in the auction business since attending Reppert School of Auctioneering in 1964, and then joining the family business. He has earned the prestigious GRI designations in real estate, and was in the inaugural class of the Certified Auction institute, where he gained his CAI designation in auctioneering. He has also earned his GPPA personal property appraisal designation. He has an education degree from Indiana University, and received his Indiana Teacher's license. He owned and was the President of the Reppert School of Auctioneering from 1996 to 2011. Dennis is a past president of the Indiana Auctioneers Associaiton and the National Auctioneers Association He is also a member of both of these groups Hall of Fame. He is a past president of the Northeast Indiana Association of Realtors. Dennis was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1989, and now serves in the Indiana State Senate, where he was the former chairman of the Education Committee.

John M. Kruse serves as an instructor at the Kruse Auction Institute. He is a graduate of the Reppert School of Auctioneering, which he is now the primary owner and serves as an instructor. John grew up in the auction industry, and has worked at several of the largest collector car auction companies in the country. He is now a principal at Worldwide Auctioneers, a vintage motorcar auction, appraisal, estate management, and consultant company. John also serves as a member of the Indiana Auctioneers Commission. He is a life member of the NAA, and has earned his GPPA designation.

Timothy J. Kruse serves as an instructor at the Kruse Auction Institute. He served as Vice President and Administrator at the Reppert School of Auctioneering from 2002 to 2011, and instructed there during that time as well. Tim has earned his CAI and BAS (Benefit Auctioneer Specialist) designations, and won the coveted Rose Award for best auction proposal in his third year at CAI. He is known for his performance abilities, not just as an auctioneer and ring man, but also as a musician and actor. Tim is a student of the auction chant, and provides personalized one-on-one instruction on improving an auctioneer’s bid calling at Auctioneer Coach.com. Tim has served on the board of directors for both the Indiana Auctioneers Association and district two of the IAA. He works as an independent contract auctioneer and ringman for several auction companies and conducts benefit auctions for several charities in northeast Indiana. Tim also continues to expand his knowledge of theology and is involved with several different northeast Indiana ministries.

Other Kruse Auction Institute instructors include attorney Shannon Kruse, attorney Kurt Bachman (Author of “Waiting for the Hammer to Fall: A General Overview of Auction Law,” and “Uniform Auction and Auctioneer Licensing Act), former Kruse International president Mitchell Kruse, and auctioneer, appraiser, speaker, consultant, and National Auctioneer's Association bid calling champion Peter Gehres.