Courtesy Photo­Image Glen Helberg

The man who ran the North Platte livestock market auction during the middle part of the 20th century is now a member of the Nebraska Auctioneers Hall of Fame.

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Glen Helberg, 82, was inducted into the prestigious hall May 1 in a ceremony in Kearney.

Helberg picked up a gavel at age 14 and made a career of the auction business.

His father, Ben, founded the livestock auction in North Platte in 1938 in a round building on his farm on E. Philip, on the edge of town. The building is still standing.

In the 1940s, the auction relocated to East 4th, where Isabel's is currently located, and then moved to its present location on East 8th in 1951.

As he grew up, Glen took over the business -- Western Livestock Auction -- and ran it until the early 1980s. In 1965, he earned the title of the World Champion Livestock Auctioneer after winning rounds of local, regional and national competitions, a more considerable feat because of his workload.

In the 1960s, he held two regular sales each week at the livestock barn, plus sales out in the country. He would work 3-4 sales a week, Glen's son Don said.

Glen's wife Beverly took care of the books and was also a popular seamstress.

After selling the auction business, Helberg sold personal property and real estate for the Moller Agency of North Platte and later for Gateway Realty of North Platte, working well into the 21st century.

Along the way, he served a stint as President of the Nebraska Auctioneers Association.

He was thoroughly professional and cordial, said those who worked with him.

"He was very detail oriented," said Don, an auctioneer in Gering. "In the 1960s and 70s he held sales in the Sandhills, from Arthur to north of Arnold. He'd sell the machinery and cattle on the place where the herd was raised, and running."

Such sales were unusual at the time. Helberg's loyal customers came to wherever he called for bids.

"When it came to farm and ranch sales, he was one of the most recognized auctioneers in this part of the state," said Wes Grady of GMAC-Gateway Realty, who became his business associate. "He had a loyal following of customers. He was always very positive."

Helberg was born in Arnold, raised north of Seneca and moved to North Platte at age 10 with his parents.

Now retired, he lives in Gering near Don and often attends his son's sales, watching and talking to people. He has a daughter Ann, a former executive director of the annual Nebraskaland Days celebration in North Platte.