Mills Auction Service - A Family Tradition

Trio Named Grand Marshals of 4th of July Parade

 

Three generations of auctioneers - Slug Mills, above right, is pictured with his daughter Charlee Kuhbacher and his grandson, Beau Kuhbacher. All three are auctioneers in the family business, Mills Auction Service. (Photo courtesy Charlee Kuhbacher)

To go along with the 4th of July theme of "A Family Tradition", the PR Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture nominated members of a three generation family business as Grand Marshals of the 4th of July parade. Slug Mills, his daughter Charlee Kuhbacher, and grandson Beau Kuhbacher are auctioneers in the family business, Mills Auction Service.

Slug started the family business after attending the Western College of Auctioneering in Billings, in the late 1970s. During a 2018 interview with Slug, he spoke of the art of his trade: "You get to know the values, and you've gotta be fair. Folks know how much stuff is worth, so there's an art to knowing where to start the bidding." Slug has used his knowledge and sense of fairness for over forty years to grow and sustain Mills Auction Service, holding up to 60 auctions a year including many charitable auctions to help folks who were in a hard spot, and paving the way for new generations to enter the family business.

Charlee grew up in the auction world, watching her dad sell everything under the sun from collectible jars to farm equipment, and took part in the customer facing side of the auction on sale day, as well as the painstaking sorting and itemization of a plethora of goods before the sale. The fun of auction day was often overshadowed by the reasons behind holding the auctions to begin with, especially in the '80s when ranches around the country were going under and their life's work was being sold to the highest bidder. Nonetheless, Mills Auction Service persevered through the tough times, such as the road conditions Charlee conquered when she graduated from the Western College of Auctioneering in Bozeman and immediately drove home on icy roads through blizzard conditions to the Raschkow Ranch Auction the next day.

Charlee's son Beau also grew up in the auction world, and wanted to be a part of the business from an early age. When an elementary aged Beau was asked to list what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied: "Auctioneer."

Following graduation from PRCDHS in 2020, Beau went on to attend the World Wide College of Auctioneering, in Iowa. Charlee and Slug were both in attendance at Beau's graduation, not only to congratulate a close family member but also to ensure the next generation of auctioneer was ready for the important tasks ahead.

In addition to Charlee and Beau, many other members of Slug's family are also involved in the auction business, helping to ensure the auctions go smoothly, as well as working with Mills Real Estate, which sells property around the area and beyond. The Mills family exemplifies the family tradition theme of the 4th of July – a local family which has proven to be an immense asset to the community through their hard work.

The 4th of July parade takes place this Sunday, July 4th, at 10:30 AM around the courthouse square in Broadus.

 

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