Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers marked its 50-year milestone in Las Vegas March 13 and 14 while conducting its first unreserved auction at its new Las Vegas auction site. Ritchie Bros. combined the Las Vegas auction with the nearby Henderson, Nev., site on March 15.

At the Las Vegas site on March 13, Ritchie Bros. CEO Peter Blake presented Dave Ritchie, one of the founders of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, with a gold 50-year anniversary pin during a mid-morning ceremony in front of the auction crowd. The auction and ceremony took place the same time as ConExpo, the western hemisphere’s premier construction exhibition, held in Las Vegas, March 11 to 15.

“Conducting the first auction at our new Las Vegas regional auction unit at the same time as ConExpo and recognizing Dave Ritchie’s accomplishments in the construction industry made it a historic day for Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and our thousands of customers around the world,” said Jim Rotlisberger, regional manager of Ritchie Bros.