On December 31st, 2010 Jon Deeter of Chagrin Falls, Ohio joined Guyette & Schmidt, Inc, the worlds largest dollar producing decoy auction firm as a partner. Jon and his wife Leigh Ann will be taking over much of Frank and Vicki Schmidt's role in the firm. While Frank, a partner in the firm for the past 21 years, along with his wife Vicki, will remain with the company working on a part-time basis, Frank is seeking to move toward retirement allowing more time to pursue other interests.
Jon Deeter will bring his professional expertise to the firm with 25 years of experience as a student and collector of America bird decoys, folk art and paintings, along with his business acumen achieved while working in the consumer products industry. Jon has been responsible for co-managing the Ohio Decoy Show in Westlake, Ohio for the past 10 years. Jon's wife Leigh Ann will be working with the company as well.
Jon's influence has already been felt with the introduction of the newly re-designed Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. website to be unveiled on February 1, 2011. Other dramatic changes forthcoming will include changes in catalog design, which will be evident with the April 2011 sale.
Along with the addition of Jon Deeter to the Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. staff, Zac Cote will also become a full-time member of the staff. Zac, after working part-time for the past four years, will be on duty at Guyette & Schmidt, Inc.'s new retail gallery, which will be relocated at 4 School Street in Freeport, Maine beginning on March 1, 2011. This location, just around the corner from the famed L.L. Bean Retail Outlet, will house not only the retail gallery, but will be the new operational center for the online retail shopping site.
This pool of expertise will provide Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. clients with a combined total of over 100 years of experience in the marketing and sale of antique waterfowl decoys, creating the most knowledgeable and well-rounded group of professionals in the business. The members of the company, Guyette, Schmidt & Deeter, will be attending a number of decoy shows this winter and spring. In addition to presenting displays of birds being offered in our spring auction in St. Charles, Illinois April 28 & 29, Gary, Frank, Jon and Zac will be accepting consignments for all three upcoming 2011 auctions.
