NFL Legend Jerry Rice with Keith McLane.

Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi with Keith McLane.

Rapper/songwriter Snoop Dogg with auctioneer Keith McLane.

Journalist Joan Lunden with Keith McLane.

Journalist Lisa Ling with Keith McLane.

Philanthropist Jillian Manus’ parties are the toast of Silicon Valley

[Excerpt:] At the Superball fundraiser at Jillian Manus’ home in Atherton, 49ers CEO Jed York (in gray suit, standing) listens to the auctioneer (with microphone) who drove the price past $20,000 on a trip to New York to watch the team play. Guests paid $1,500 each to attend the Sept. 26 party.

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"Best Intro Ever" from CBS 60 Minutes' Anchor Scott Pelley.

Carmichael auctioneer coaxes big dollars during charity events

[Excerpt:] Auctioneer Keith McLane resembled Fred Astaire as he worked the ballroom at a charity event one recent Saturday night...This spring, the paid charity pitchman recorded a personal best, this time for a private school in Brooklyn: a $62,500 bid for dinner served by Mario Batali at Babbo, the TV chef's Greenwich Village ristorante. "Basically, (the event's organizers) said, 'You've got to hit $15,000 or it's going to be embarrassing.' It took me about eight seconds to get up to $40,000 and three more minutes to get to $62,500," McLane said. "Now that was a good day at the office."

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