BEN CAMPEN, MASTER AUCTIONEER AND PHILANTHROPIST

Ben Campen began working in the auction business when he got off of active duty with the US Marine Corps in April, 1967.

After working in the auto auction business for two years in Palatka, Florida, Ben moved to Albany, Georgia at the age of 22 and opened the Albany Auto Auction and founded Ben Campen Auctioneers. 

In the spring of 1972, Ben sold the auto auction (which is still going strong today) and moved back to North Central Florida and began developing real estate.

In 1976 Ben obtained his real estate broker’s license and began selling real estate at auction; the first sale being in Ponce Inlet, Florida, selling the home of the developer and some 18 lots remaining in the developer’s subdivision.

Since that time, Ben has sold thousands of parcels of real estate, including a golf course, motels, a marina, RV campground, lakefront lots, mountain lots, condos, houses, commercial properties of all sorts, farms and acreage tracts throughout the southeastern United States and as far west as Texas and north as Ohio.

EDUCATION & ACCOLADES:

• 1980 - Certified Auctioneer designation (CAI) from Indiana University
• Past President - Florida Auctioneers Association
• Three (3) First-place National Advertising Awards - National Auctioneers Associations
• Frequent seminar speaker for the National and State Associations - auction marketing and selling real estate at auction
• Served as adjunct professor at Santa Fe Community College - marketing

Ben Campen is also distinguished as being the only person selected to sell the memorabilia from the old State of Florida Capitol building.

Over the past 30 plus years, Ben has donated his auctioneering talents to raise over $1,000,000. for various charities, including; American Cancer Society American Heart Association Stop! Children’s Cancer 4-H Clubs Boy Scouts Boys and Girls Clubs Habitat for Humanity Children’s Home Society Big Brothers-Big Sisters Numerous church groups of varied denominations Numerous other organizations

In addition to a stellar career in the auction business, Ben has founded a number of real estate development and mortgage companies. He also founded a very successful real estate investment company, where he currently serves as chairman.

American Woodland Properties Florida-Georgia Mortgage Company  American Land Sales

American Land & Mortgage Corporation  Smiley’s Markets & Malls

VOLUNTEER & HUMANITARIAN:

Over the years, Ben has been a volunteer speaker at elementary, junior high and high schools speaking to classes and student groups about becoming a success.

In recent years, Ben was very involved in volunteering his time to help hurricane victims in Florida and Mississippi and victims of the Tsunami in Southeast Asia. For this, he was awarded the Humanitarian Award from the Rotary Club of Gainesville; and the Four Avenues of Service Award along with the Service Above Self Award (Rotary’s highest award) by Rotary International.

Rotary District Governor Shann Puriton presents Service Above Self Award (Rotary International’s Highest Honor) to Ben Campen, May 19th 2006	Ben Campen with Lochee at Thailand Orphanage/Training Center, January 20th, 2005. Ben sponsored Lochee

ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS:

• Paul Harris Fellow
• Past President of the Rotary Clubs of Gainesville Foundation.
• Life Mason
• Past Master of Waldo Lodge #10.

Ben is the father of two grown children, both whom are married and are parents. They manage the real estate investment parts of the family business. Ben Campen’s primary residence is in Gainesville, Florida with homes also at St. Augustine Beach, FL and Tryon, North Carolina.