Our Team

Meet the Founders

Richard (Rich) Ranft, CAI, AARE, AMM, GPPA, is a second generation auctioneer with over 50 years experience in the auction industry.  Rich is a real estate broker, long-time involved member of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) and Wisconsin Auctioneers Association (WAA), and a court-appointed personal property appraiser.  Rich and his wife, Pat, took over the family auction business from his parents, relocated it to Beloit, Wisconsin, and created what is now known as Beloit Auction. Rich was inducted into the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame in 2018. 

David Allen CAI, AARE, AMM, BAS, CAS, CES, GPPA

David Allen, and his wife Erin, became the owners of Beloit Auction & Realty, Inc. on January 1, 2023.  David is a licensed auctioneer and real estate broker in Wisconsin and Illinois. David is a court-appointed personal property appraiser.  He is also the owner of Wisconsin Fundraiser, a professional live auction fundraising and event consulting company. David is the 2017 Wisconsin State Champion Auctioneer.

He is a graduate of the World Wide College of Auctioneering and a member of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA), Illinois State Auctioneers Association (ISAA), and the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association (WAA). David has served on the WAA Board of Directors and was the 2020 WAA President.  He holds the most designations of any auctioneer in the entire auction industry. These designations include Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI), Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate (AARE), Auction Marketing Management (AMM), Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS), Contract Auction Specialist (CAS), Certified Estate Specialist (CES), and Graduate Personal Property Appraiser (GPPA).  

John Ferraro

Heading our Illinois real estate office, John is a licensed Illinois real estate broker who frequently travels from the Chicagoland area to other northern Illinois communities to expertly handle real estate listings, open houses, and closings. A graduate of Judson University, John was raised in Niles, Illinois, and brings a large network of contacts to the company.

He, his wife, and their two children live in Arlington Heights, Illinois.