WELCOME TO A PLUS BENEFIT AUCTIONS
You have a big responsibility — whether you are planning a gala for the first time, or preparing for a long standing gala — you want to execute the best event possible. Planning a gala is a significant undertaking that is challenging.
With A Plus Benefit Auctions (A Plus) you will not be alone as you plan for your event. A Plus is a full service auction company that will support you at every step in your journey, from the initial planning stages to the night of the event and even post-event evaluation.
Our auctioneer is certified by the National Auctioneers Association as a Benefit Auctioneer Specialist — this certification means he is one of only about 25 auctioneers in California to have been specifically trained in fund raising auctions. He can lend his unique training and insights to your event to ensure total success for your gala. A Plus Benefit Auctions wants your event.
Dr. Ben Gonzales’ passion for auctions began when he attended a gala and saw how a great auctioneer has the ability to positively impact the fundraising efforts of an organization. Ben founded A Plus Benefit Auctions and is a certified Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS) with the National Auctioneer Association (NAA). It is a certification held by only 3% of all auctioneers and one of about 25 auctioneers in California to hold this designation. As a Benefit Auctioneer Specialist, Ben is uniquely qualified to address the specific needs of non-profit and charitable mission driven organizations. Ben lives in San Jose with his wife of 18 years and his two teen-age children.
In addition to serving as a benefit auctioneer, Ben is also a public school educator. He started out as a high school social studies teacher and has served as a high school vice-principal and high school principal. Ben holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from San Jose State University, a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of the Pacific and a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. Prior to entering education, Ben spent seven years working for the YMCA as a Camp Director and Family & Community Program Director.
Ben’s training, experience and background with schools and community based organizations gives him an insight and understanding that allows him to provide your organization with first-class attention and service.
Your team is working hard to execute the best event possible and maximize revenue. You have professional caterers, sound systems and decorators, your auctioneer should be just as professional. Your goal is to capitalize on your fundraising efforts by managing costs to the greatest degree possible (a difficult and important task.) It is easy to view a professional auctioneer as an unnecessary expense. However, a professional auctioneer is not an expense — a professional auctioneer is an investment.
When you contract with A Plus Benefit Auctions, you gain a partner in your fundraising efforts. A Plus will support you as you develop your event by identifying ways to increase your donations through pre-event consultation as well as serving as your auctioneer during your gala. You and your gala will be the beneficiary of all the knowledge, insight and training that A Plus has to offer. The bottom line is this, by choosing A Plus Benefit Auctions as your benefit auctioneer you will raise more money at your event so your organization can fulfill its mission.
A PLUS SERVICES
Pre-auction Planning
- Complete auction support with unlimited consultation leading up to your event
- Access to a vetted host of partners that can bring added value to your gala
- Support with item acquisition
- Arrangement and ordering of live auction items for maximum revenue
- Sound, lighting and location consultation
- Event timeline planning
- Training for bid-spotters and clerks
- Silent auction consultation
- Support for location management
- Establish fund-a-need (paddle raise) goals
Auction Event Services
- A high-energy auctioneer for the night of your event
- Games to increase revenue
- Silent auction MC services
- Fund-a-need (paddle raise)
Auction Supplies
- Paddle numbers
- Clerk supplies
- Fund-a-need tally program
- Drink tickets
- Silent auction bid sheets
FAQs
Why hire a professional benefit auctioneer?
Are your services expensive?
What qualities should I look for in a Benefit Auctioneer?
What is unique about A Plus Benefit Auctions?
TESTIMONIALS
“Ben Gonzales, auctioneer extraordinaire, brings that rare combination of professionalism, expertise, and personality to the challenge of school fundraisers and was a key ingredient to our event’s success. His fun, charismatic style struck just the right note with our attendees, and he made the act of raising money for our children’s education feel inspiring and a joy. The results exceeded our expectations as we not only raised sufficient funds for this school year’s enrichment programs and events, we also raised enough to cover the anticipated funding gap for next school year. We are already looking forward to the next opportunity to work with him.”
Yvonne Hirsch“Ben was AMAZING and I can’t thank him enough for all that he did…and ALL the money he raised for us! I got choked up as I was taking down the numbers for Fund A Need with all the parents willing to make a donation. He made the night a huge success!”
Melissa Nemer“We hired Ben after I’d seen him in action at a school auction, where his energy and enthusiasm made a huge difference in the feel of what could have been a “been there, done that” kind of event. Our event was very different — a black-tie gala in a Four Seasons’ ballroom instead of a costume party in a school gym — but Ben’s thoughtfulness and emphasis on intentionality shined even more in that setting! He is calm and utterly organized ahead of time (do take advantage of his full-service consulting!) yet totally high-energy once the event begins. Thanks in large part to Ben and his fabulous spotters, we brought in far more than we’d hoped for in the live auction and fund-a-needy. We are definitely hiring Ben for our gala next year and cannot recommend him more highly — very happy with his services. Last note: Ben injected a much-needed dose of fun and competition into the $100 level of fund-a-need. I don’t want to give away his secret, but be sure to ask him about it!”
Ann Morris“Ben exceeded our expectations! He was an absolute delight and connected with the audience in a way we could never have imagined! Ben, also really knew when to push and when to pull back! His acute awareness of the crowd and their needs and his empathy for the cause made him a perfect auctioneer and entertainer for the evening! We could not have asked for a better auctioneer and booked him for next year the day after the event! He already feels like he is part of our community!”
Lisa Douglas
Phone: 408 / 601-0663
LET'S GET STARTED!
