Terry Longsworth happy to see business reach 50 year mark
Anniversary: Terry Longsworth is the owner of Dale Gress Auction & Real Estate, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The business is located at 316 W. Main St. in West Lafayette and can be reached at 750-545-7158. Beacon photo by Nina Drinko
WEST LAFAYETTE – From 1979 to 1981 Terry Longsworth was supposedly the youngest auctioneer in the state of Ohio.
“The summer between my junior and senior year I went to auctioneer school and had my license before I even graduated from high school,” he said. “My Mom was into antiques and collectibles and she drug me to about every darn auction in the county and some in surrounding counties and my Dad liked antique and classic cars. I was fascinated by the auctioneers and one day my Mom said I bet you could do that.”
Dale Gress, however, is the one who truly helped Longsworth realize that he wanted to be an auctioneer.
“When my great-grandparents died he was hired to do the auction,” Longsworth said. “I helped a little with the auction and was fascinated by Dale and that someone could do this and have that much fun.”
Longsworth joined the Dale Gress Auction & Real Estate team in 1978, took over the auction side of the business in 1994 and real estate side in 2004. The company itself, however, began in 1965 and is now celebrating 50 years in business, an accomplishment that Longsworth attributes to lessons Gress always preached.
“Honesty and integrity was number one with Dale,” Longsworth said. “I learned a lot from Dale and there was never a dull moment with him.”
He believes the business and its employees are leaders in the industry because they are local, know the people, the buyers and the sellers in the area.
“We also have a history of doing everything we can for the community and the schools,” Longsworth said. “Giving back is something Dale instilled in our heads.”
Dale Gress serves Coshocton and surrounding counties and currently has six realtors, several full and part-time people that help with auctions and a secretary.
“Our success is because of our reputation,” Longsworth said. “If you treat people right they will come back. There are some people that we’ve done eight auctions for over the years.”
Another key to 50 years of business is the company’s website, http://www.dalegress.com/.
“Social media and the Internet weren’t around when we started,” Longsworth said. “You either have to lead, follow or get out of the way and I see the business going even more technical. I think the website we have though is pretty good and I’ve been told it’s one of the best in the area.”
Technology and the amount of paperwork the government now requires people in his industry to complete may have changed the business over the years, but Longsworth still greatly enjoys auctions.
“I like the people and the challenge of what you can get out of different items,” he said. “There is no better feeling than selling the family farm and having a seller and buyer who are both tickled to death. That makes you feel pretty good.”
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Business
