Block and Bridle

Block & Bridle Honoree

Bill Sheridan and his wife, Sally, reside in Mason,  Michigan. After graduating from Michigan State University in  1972, Bill began his career as a livestock auctioneer who  helped his clients maximize their returns through the open  competitive bidding process of price discovery.  Over the ensuing years, he established several businesses – Sheridan Auction Service, Owosso Livestock  Sales Company, The Brokerage Land Company, Howell  Livestock Sales Company, and Sheridan Realty and Auction  Company. Bill has conducted and managed farm machinery,  dairy, and beef cattle auctions across the United States. He has  also conducted oil and gas lease auctions for the Michigan  Department of Natural Resources, some of which exceeded  $26 million in gross sales volume.  

As a leader and innovator, Bill is always looking for an  effective way to help his clients become more profitable. He  expanded his professional marketing from livestock to also  include farm machinery and real estate. As internet auctions  became popular, he quickly adopted this technology and  included it in the services offered by his company. Today,  Sheridan Auction Services also provides services to the  community by offering in-person and online auctions for  estate sales, equipment sales, and specialty item sales. Along  with the success of his business, Bill is viewed as a national  leader in his profession!  

Bill has always believed in giving back to the organizations and people that helped him become successful.  As the Chairperson of the Michigan Beef Industry  Commission, he provided leadership for the direction of  consumer driven, producer directed, and checkoff-funded programs to build stronger demand for beef. Additionally,  through his service to the CANR Alumni Board, the  Michigan Livestock Expo Auction, and the Michigan Livestock Industry Fund, he has helped raise thousands of  dollars to provide scholarships to Michigan youth for their  continuing education.  

Bill and his team have served the Michigan Cattlemen’s Association for many years as auctioneers for the  Bull Evaluation Program and Michigan Beef Expo. Bill was  instrumental in the creation of the Michigan Beef Expo in  1988 and served as chairman of the Beef Expo committee for  over 10 years. Bill has provided advisory services to the MI  Beef Expo in the years since leaving the committee and stepped in as Chairman of the committee for the 2022 Beef  Expo. Bill also served as Commissioner on the Michigan Beef Industry Commission from 1994 to 2006, representing  auction markets, and served as Board Chair from 1998 to 2006.  

Bill’s national and international awards are many including, in 2002, the International Auctioneer Championship awarded to him in Orlando, FL., and Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from the College  of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU in 2015. Bill’s involvement and support of the auction industry in the US is long and storied. Bill was elected President of  The National Auctioneers Association in 2006, was inducted  into the National Auctioneers Hall of Fame in 2014 and inducted into the Charter Class of the Farm Lane Society at  Michigan State University in 2016.