Owner, Atterberry Auction & Realty – Age: 39
Living the life in Columbia is nothing new to Larry Atterberry Jr. A 1986 Rock Bridge High School graduate, he became employed with Atterberry Auction & Realty Co. in 1987 and started attending Columbia College.
In the years that followed, Atterberry attended and graduated from the Certified Auctioneer’s Institute, where he obtained the highest certification in the professional auction industry. In 2006 he graduated from the Certified Appraisers Guild of America as well and is a licensed real estate broker.
Atterberry has been married to his high school sweetheart, Marla, for 18 years. They have three children, Tyler, Morgan and Corbin, and are members of the Woodlandville 4-H in Rocheport, where their home is located.
A member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Atterberry also donates many hours to charity auctions for cancer research, Boys & Girls Town of America, Columbia Catholic School, churches and other causes and organizations. Although he resides in Rocheport, Atterberry is very active in the Columbia community and believes the city can benefit greatly from highway beautification.
“When traveling through Columbia on I-70, it would be beneficial to have more eye-appealing roadways and exits with better landscaping to entice a person passing through to stop,” said Atterberry. “More mowing and grooming, flowers, shrubs and trees would enhance the visual appeal.”
In his free time Atterberry enjoys hunting, cutting wood, golfing, fishing, watching movies and spending time with his family. He is vice president of the Missouri Professional Auctioneers Association and a member of the National Auctioneers Association.
“Columbia is a growing community, and I believe for continued growth we need more manufacturing opportunities for the people without college degrees,” said Atterberry. “Instead of losing the already-existing manufacturing plants we currently have, we should nurture them and help them survive.”