Tulsa native Gary Bennett returns to lead Leake Auction Company

The company's next three-day auction will be held at Tulsa's River Spirit Expo on June 6 – 8

TULSA, OK, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Gary Bennett began buying and selling collectible automobiles in 1971 with the Leake Auction Company, founded by James C. Leake, Sr. seven years earlier. After decades in the industry, including 17 as Vice President of Barrett-Jackson auctions, Gary has returned to lead where he began.

"I am so excited to be back in my hometown of Tulsa, leading Leake Auction Company into the next stage of its history as a pioneer in the collector car industry," said Gary Bennett, General Manager, New Ventures & Sectors (Collector Cars) for Ritchie Bros. "Tulsa is a special place and Leake is a special company and with the strength of Ritchie Bros. as our owner, we expect to accomplish some amazing things here in Oklahoma and around the country. We aren't resting on our laurels. Our next auction in Tulsa in June should not be missed."

While at Barrett-Jackson Gary oversaw the consignment, bidder, guest services, and insurance divisions. He expanded the company from annual events to quarterly events, as well as implementing strategic campaigns to increase attendance at its auctions. Now at Leake, Gary plans to expand the company's auctions to Florida and Arizona, as well as online-only auctions through Ritchie Bros.' online brand IronPlanet.com.

The June 6 – 8 auction being held at Tulsa's River Spirit Expo is already building with excitement.

"We had more than 700 vehicles on the auction block in Tulsa last June," said Mr. Bennett. "We encourage interested sellers to contact us early to make sure they get a chance to sell in this auction. The earlier you consign the more time we have to market your vehicle to the world."

For more information about the upcoming Tulsa auction, becoming a registered bidder or consigning a vehicle, visit LeakeCar.com or call +1.918.254.7077. Admission is $20 for adults; $15 for seniors; $7 for children under 12; and free for military with ID. Online bidding in the auction will be available via IronPlanet.com.

About Leake Auction Company:
Leake Auction Company was established by James C. Leake, Sr. and is America's first collector car auction. The company continues to carry out the principles Mr. Leake founded the company on: quality, respect, knowledge, and loyalty to the business. The team of industry experts provide decades of world-class collector car auction knowledge. Currently Leake conducts auctions in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas. In January 2018, Leake was acquired by Ritchie Bros., a global asset management and disposition company. With Ritchie Bros. online audience of 3.3 million registered bidders worldwide, Leake has the largest bidder base of any collector car auction company in the world.

About Ritchie Bros.:
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, oil and gas, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offers live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with featured weekly auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance® equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; and Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales. The company's suite of multichannel sales solutions also includes RB Asset Solutions, a complete end-to-end asset management and disposition system. Ritchie Bros. also offers sector-specific solutions including GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Kruse Energy Auctioneers, plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com.

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SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers