About Us

Meet Louis and Claire Murad, the owners of Murad Auctions.

Louis Murad

Louis Murad is a professional, full time, licensed charity auctioneer who has been helping clients engineer successful live auctions since 2000.

He and his staff of 6 auctioneers, work with nonprofits, schools and other fundraising entities, consulting and helping to increase the profits of all types of fundraising events. He is a member of the National Auctioneers Association and holds the Benefit Auction Specialist designation. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Claire and Louis Murad

Claire Murad

Claire Murad consults with her clients in all aspects of event fundraising. She began as a volunteer, functioning as silent and live auction chair, solicitations chair and event manager for several nonprofits.

Since 2002, she has helped clients with their event night processes including streamlining registration and check out for luncheons, donor dinners, and fundraisers, managing, online, bid sheet and mobile bidding auctions, and providing guidance for item solicitation, and marketing of events. She holds a marketing degree from Texas A & M University.

Rave Reviews for Murad Auctions

Thank you so much for making our event go so smoothly.  I think back to the years that we did it by ourselves, before we found you.
 
Your organization makes such a BIG difference.

The customer service has been OUTSTANDING from day one and consistent for over two years.

We exceeded our financial goals for the gala, in no small part due to your expertise and support. Louis was great in front of the microphone and engaging with the audience, and Melissa and the team were great helping us keep things organized. THANKS!

You are the best team I’ve worked with, and I’ve worked with lots and lots of auction software. 😊

Not only was the Murad team competent and professional, they were warm and welcoming to our organization’s volunteers and to our event guests. They arrived fully prepared and had back up equipment when our venues internet failed allowing for a seamless experience for our guests.

Wes and his team are simply the best. They went above and beyond the call of duty this year!! They took the initiative and quietly stepped in to help where they saw a need. I was so glad to have them at the event.

Once again the Murad team exceeded all expectations and made our event completely turnkey.

You all are consummate professionals and are GREAT at what you do. Kelli, thank you for always being available and being so patient!

Joni our auctioneer was wonderful and loved by all of course. And the best news is that we had record donations!

Melissa,

Last night……you were awesome! The night would have been so much more challenging without your assistance. I so appreciated your sweet spirit and you never got flustered, or at least didn’t show it! Thank you

Mallory made the event so seamless for me. Very attentive and patient. Always the professional!!! I loved working with Mallory this year and Melissa in the past. Both ladies are AWESOME!!!

Wes Pool, our auctioneer was once again wonderful as our auctioneer. He helped us to raise a lot of money. Will definitely be requesting him in the future.

The training and dedication to make the event successful was outstanding. This was my first auction, and I felt confident during the whole process. THANK YOU!

A big thanks from us to you and your team for your help throughout the last two months. 

We sent Haley a separate note thanking her for all her efforts on the event, but I also want to let you know that she was fantastic. She was there each step of the way, answering our many questions and guiding us through a flawless execution of the event. There really weren't any hiccups! We majorly surpassed our fundraising goal, which is so fantastic! Trey was wonderful and helped us bring in a ton of money during the live auction and paddle raise!

We will be sure to recommend Murad for the next WPPK auction!

We are in our second year with using Murad and our fundraising gross profit has almost tripled since we started our relationship!

I am so excited to work with you all on our event! I have the highest regard for Murad Auctions and know your support and presence will lend such an impact to our event.

Hi Marcy,

We cannot thank you enough for a wonderful event and all of the support.  I have already shared your information with numerous other organizations.  We plan to continue to use your services as well.

Thank you again,

Dana

Such a pleasure working with you.. and watching you work the crowd..bravo!.. & Thank you!!!!

You did a fabulous job by bringing energy, engagement & joy to the crowd. You were by far the best auctioneer we’ve had at LARK in all my years helping out! 

As always, Melissa makes our event auctions and raffle sales run smoothly from beginning to end and we consider her an honored member of our team. The staff at Murad is wonderful to work with and provides us with excellent customer service.

I just wanted to say thank you again so much for being so incredibly helpful with our auction and runway and everything.  I’m sure it is wicked chaotic compared to other events and I truly appreciate all of your help and assistance (especially in the middle of the night.)

I really do mean it when I say, y’all are the best out there!  You system, your service and your staff cannot be beat!

Thank you for supporting us!

Lisa

It was our first time having an auctioneer at this specific event, and we actually had multiple board members come up to us after and express how much they enjoyed Louis.

All in all, a huge success,  and the most we have raised at this event! Please reserve our date as we would love to have Louis and the event technology back again.

As always, you were amazing!  We truly appreciate everything you do to help us make our events successful.  I feel like you are part of our team, and I know that I don’t have to worry about this part of the event.  We are getting great feedback and reviews from our attendees!

The gala was a success and Murad was a key factor in this success. A huge thank you to all the Murad team members and especially Melissa and Louis.

Claire, thank you! I understand why so many people say y’all are the best. You made this so easy and coached us so well. Again, thank you! Excited to keep working with you. 
 
Will Dowell
CEO
Changing the Way People See & Feel Poverty

This is year 4 for 4word and Murad and you have exceeded expectations every year! This may have been the best yet. Pennie, Kelli, Joni, Lori, Louis and the entire team knows this business and how to serve your customer. Bravo! Well done!

Murad comes through again!  A great big thank you from all of us at Mansfield Cares. Your team was key in getting prepared for and making our event successful.  Marianne is still talking about all the help Melissa provided in getting the items/packages entered and organized.  Haley and her crew were super-efficient getting our guests in and out smoothly.  Haley also caught and corrected a couple of issues we had created before they impacted our guests.  It’s this level of professional support that Murad has provided over the years that help Mansfield Cares Charity Balls stay the number one charity fund raising event in our community.

Again, BIG THANKS and look forward to working with you again next year.  Please pass along to the extended crew.

Appreciate all you do –

Byron (Marnee & Marianne)

I am going to schedule a meeting with Louis just so I can tell him what an incredible team of professionals work for Murad. We have had more compliments on Joni…and I couldn’t do any of this without Kelli or Pennie. They are an all-star team Thanks to all of you.

Pam

THANK YOU for your fantastic support, rolling with the punches and all the hard work you put in to making sure our event was a success!

Just a quick note to say thank you for your preparation, input and execution of both the live auction and live ask. You have received rave reviews from everyone we have crossed paths with…personality, tone, sense of humor, style and more…I/we enjoyed working closely with you and your staff, who did a magnificent job across the board, too. It was a pleasure meeting you and thank you for all your efforts. We really enjoyed teaming up with Murad Auctions.

Thanks again for a good meeting this morning. I’m at peace about our event and feel like I’m in such capable hands. Thanks for all you’ve done to make this a great experience!

I just wanted to send a heartfelt THANK YOU to the Murad team from our team at It’s a Sensory World! This year’s event was going to be a challenge for us for a multitude of reasons, but your team made this process as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. We had fun with you guys on Saturday and felt completely comfortable and well prepared with your team by our side.

We deeply appreciate your patience and guidance throughout. Additionally, the feedback we have gotten from our virtual guests has been very positive about the ease of bidding and event viewing. So, one again, thank you for all of your help, advice and hard work on this project.

We are definitely looking forward to working with you again in the future!

We can't say enough good things about the staff at Murad Auctions. They are the perfect partner for us.

Melissa was a dream to work with. For a first time user of the platform, I was overwhelmed and unsure of how to begin. She patiently and professionally guided me through each part of the process. Our auction was a huge success!

Melissa,

Thank you for all your hard work and for going above and beyond the call of duty! You are just so great to work with! I am so thankful for your calm demeanor, organization and knowledge to get us through SEAMLESSLY today! The auction was flawless!

It was a wonderful evening, we have heard from our board members and it has been nothing but praise!!

Thanks to each of you for helping us maneuver through this new "norm". 

It was a pleasure working with each of you, and I look forward to next year's event. Please pencil us in for September 23, 2021

We are grateful for your help with raising so much for LECPTA during last night’s event! We are beyond excited at the huge success it brought in! Plus, we have received a ton of awesome feedback. Thank you!!

Results from a recent virtual event! Awesome news - early estimate...we netted at least $60,000!! Our goal was to net $47,500!!! We had scaled back our goal this year for obvious reasons. This ended up being our third best year ever. Amazing!!!

Thank you - thank you for everything this weekend. You were wonderful to work with and your grace under pressure should be applauded. Wonderful energy and professionalism. The team just had our post-production meeting and they are absolutely thrilled with the event. Thank you so much for everything you do to make every event a success. You are truly the best I've ever worked with and I value your professionalism. You've got several clients for life. 

How can we even thank you enough?  We could not have pulled off as successful of an event without you!! Your tremendous help was incredible and the only thing keeping us going at moments! We so look forward to working with you and the Murad team again in the near future. You’re the best.  Thanks again and Happy Holidays!!!

Love Your A.C. Team

I cannot tell you how much we appreciated all of your efforts this past year!  You did an amazing job bringing the auction to the next level and your training and guidance with the volunteers was fantastic.

Great job to you and your team!  Thank you for sharing this video with us. I appreciate you guys so much and I’m already looking forward to next year!

Pennie, I would absolutely be horrified and probably quit my job without you, Claire and the wonderful team at Murad’s!  You take care of the details during this whole process and I thank you!

"We raised more than we budgeted for this virtual event.  We certainly could not have done it without y’all! THANK YOU! This is uncharted territory for everyone and I am super grateful that we had y’all to navigate with! We absolutely love working with you guys.”

.. our final number was $335k for the weekend vs. $265k in 2018

"Just wanted to let you guys know that our final number was $335k for the weekend vs. $265k in 2018. We couldn't have done it without you guys so I'm glad to know we've secured you another year Louis!"

..it went off without a hitch and raised a significant amount of money

"Thank you so very much for presenting such a thrilling auction at the Justice for All Gala.  Everyone really enjoyed the auction, and it went off without a hitch and raised a significant amount of money towards a very worthy cause.

Thanks for all your help!"

You all handle everything with excellence and ease

"Thank you, Leigh! We are very pleased with the outcome of the event and the software. Thank you Elizabeth for helping us out on-site. As always, you all handle everything with excellence and ease, making the day more relaxed and joyful for us."

Thank you, thank you, thank you

"Thank you so much for all of your hard work at NE YOY! You are a mastermind and thanks to your genius, registration works like a well-oiled machine. It’s such a relief to know that registration, one of the trickiest pieces of an event, is in great hands with you every time. You truly go above and beyond and we are so lucky to work with you. Thank you, thank you, thank you"

Smooth and easy and successful a process

"It was such a help to have your skills and experience with us, not to mention fun to have you join us for hilarious locker room tours and wine.  🙂

You are a true pro and lovely human on top of it all and I thank you from my heart for all of the hard work and help you put in on our event - we could never have done it without you!!

Thank you!!  And see you next year!!!"

Highly recommend Murad Auctions

"I would like to highly recommend Murad Auctions to anyone who is interested in taking their fundraising efforts to the highest and most professional level. The team is comprised of individuals who all exceed in their areas of expertise and the combination of them working as "your" team when doing an event allows you to know that you will not only raise an exceptional amount of money, but it will be done correctly and professionally. We appreciated their expertise that they shared the best ways to handle check-in, pricing auction items and fun new ideas such as Heads or Tails. They orchestrated our Fund a Cause, which in a few minutes, raised more money than we would raise doing a separate spring event. They have passion for what they do and were worth every penny that we spent in partnering with them for the event in order to provide a wonderful experience for our guests and raise the maximum amount of money we could to support the mission of our school."

On behalf of NS and the auction committee, I’d like to thank you for contributing to the success of our event. We raised more than $195,000 for educational initiatives and more important, everyone had a blast! Thank you again! Jerry

Louis and the Murad Auction team,

Thank you so much for helping us raise money through the live auction at the Lone Star Film Festival Ball. Thanks for your dedication to our non-profit film societies mission. We look forward to working with your in 2019!  

Thank you Melissa.

Your team did an amazing job!!!  We debriefed as a group yesterday and we felt like this was probably the best year yet with Murad.  We so appreciate all the calls and e-mails spent with us to prepare for an event like this. We were impressed with your teams preparedness, knowledge, and speed in checking guests in. Thank you for your constant leadership and guidance through this process. We look forward to working with you again.

Murad comes through again!  A great big thank you from all of us at Mansfield Cares. Your team was key in getting prepared for and making our event successful.  Marianne is still talking about all the help Melissa provided in getting the items/packages entered and organized.  Haley and her crew were super-efficient getting our guests in and out smoothly.  Haley also caught and corrected a couple of issues we had created before they impacted our guests.  It’s this level of professional support that Murad has provided over the years that help Mansfield Cares Charity Balls stay the number one charity fund raising event in our community.

Again, BIG THANKS and look forward to working with you again next year.  Please pass along to the extended crew.

Byron (Marnee & Marianne)

Our event went so well and we are so thankful! Your staff was awesome!!!

Melissa and the entire Murad team! Thank you so much! We could not do this event without your amazing support! We appreciate all your help and answering the many calls. texts and emails from us. Your happy attitude make the whole process better. Thank you again so much! 

Yasmine

Your team did an amazing job!!!  We debriefed as a group yesterday and we felt like this was probably the best year yet with Murad.  We so appreciate all the calls and e-mails spent with us to prepare for an event like this. We were impressed with your teams preparedness, knowledge, and speed in checking guests in. Thank you for your constant leadership and guidance through this process. We look forward to working with you again.

John did an amazing job on the auction. Everyone, including our Director of Development, was very impressed. He is the best auctioneer we've had at an event by far and we'd love to work with him again next year. We truly appreciate all of the time and dedication the entire Murad team put into our event. We were certainly in good hands.

Thanks!

Kathryn

Bringing you, Louis and Murad Productions onboard is one the BEST decision CWC has made regarding the Fashion Show!

Thank you for everything!  Our party was a huge success, due in large part to the on-line bidding aspect…we’ve heard lots of compliments, people really enjoyed it!

Thank you so much!  You guys are truly AMAZING!  Everything went so smoothly last night and it was in a big part due to your team!

Louis, thank you for always making our auction such a huge success. You are such a talent and a blessing to Roundup and to all of us! Let's talk soon and thank you again for all you do for us!

I wanted to thank you for doing such a terrific job on Saturday night! We exceeded all our goals thanks to your expertise. The Live Program flowed smoothly and you brought excitement and energy to every element! We were also grateful for your guidance with Paddle Raise. You and Sharon worked beautifully together! Thank you for being an important part of our success!

Melissa,

Thank you to you and your team!  You are all amazing and so very pleasant.  It was a joy to have you at the event.  Thank you for all your help before and during the event to make sure it went smoothly for the guests (and staff).  I know that DHV has worked with you on many events, but this was my first experience, and it was all very positive.

So Thrilled!

Thank you for all of your help and assistance with our Ball 2018. We are so thrilled and excited to be working with your company and Louis Murad.

Thank You!

On behalf of NS and the auction committee, I’d like to thank you for contributing to the success of our event. We raised more than $195,000 for educational initiatives and more important, everyone had a blast! Thank you again! Jerry

Thank you Melissa! Bringing you, Louis and Murad Productions onboard is one the BEST decision CWC has made regarding the Fashion Show!

Very Impressed! John did an amazing job on the auction. Everyone, including our Director of Development, was very impressed. He is the best auctioneer we've had at an event by far and we'd love to work with him again next year. We truly appreciate all of the time and dedication the entire Murad team put into our event. We were certainly in good hands.

Thanks!

Kathryn

Truly AMAZING!

Thank you so much!  You guys are truly AMAZING!  Everything went so smoothly last night and it was in a big part due to your team!

Huge success!

Louis, thank you for always making our auction such a huge success. You are such a talent and a blessing to Roundup and to all of us! Let's talk soon and thank you again for all you do for us!

Thank you for everything!

Thank you for everything!  Our party was a huge success, due in large part to the on-line bidding aspect…we’ve heard lots of compliments, people really enjoyed it!

Best auctioneer we’ve ever had!

I wanted to thank you for doing such a terrific job on Saturday night! We exceeded all our goals thanks to your expertise. The Live Program flowed smoothly and you brought excitement and energy to every element! We were also grateful for your guidance with Paddle Raise. You and Sharon worked beautifully together! Thank you for being an important part of our success!

Last year was seamless!

We'd love to retain your services again - last year was seamless.

Amazing difference!

I wanted to quickly share what an AMAZING DIFFERENCE that Wes and the "bid spotter” Team made at our benefit dinner and auction! Our guests were "a buzz" ….. All three made it engaging and fun for everyone!!!! Certain Steering Committee members had been very skeptical of making the Auctioneer change this year AND they are HANDS DOWN WON OVER… Everyone loved Wes and team! Thank you for the part THE MURAD TEAM played in the success of the auction event!

Taste of the Derby

The exercise of the night was auctioneering with Louis Murad and his posse selling the unique live auction items. Oh, and what packages they were and what they went for. Why, Kent’s “Taste of the Derby,” which included five days and four night at the Hyatt Place Louisville East Hotel for the Kentucky Derby, transportation via private aircraft catered by Kent, a reserved box at the Derby plus great food, went for a record-breaking amount of $62,500 — “the highest winning live auction bid” in the event’s history. Then there was the Fund the Mission in which guests raised bid cards at various levels of financial support ranging from $100 to $10,000. This one brought in $129,000.

My Sweet Charity, March of Dimes Gala

My Sweet Charity

As the last of the parade of models left the stage, auctioneer Louis Murad conducted the live auction of six items, two of which Louis was able to sell twice. No wonder it made Donna and Mary Lee smile as trips to the Masters Golf Tournament, a dinner for 25 at Mesero Restaurant and a Bachendorf diamond-and-gold bracelet brought in the ca-ching.

Worth every penny!

I can assure you they have learned that it’s worth every penny to hire you guys and will make sure I pass along that info to whoever the chair is for next year. The fact that we doubled our proceeds from any previous year they’ve ever had is proof that hiring a good auctioneer is worth it.

Best in the business!

Shannyn, our planner was kind, understanding, knowledgeable, very sweet and above all, professional.  Thanks, again, for your support.  Murad is the best in the business when it comes to supporting a fundraising event!

Jewish Family Service

"Thank you for working with Jewish Family Service and helping to make our registration and Auction of the Century run smoothly. We are so glad that we hired Murad Auctions—you and your team were easy to work with and constant professionals. You can count on us if you need a recommendation in the future."

I wanted to take a moment and thank you!

"I wanted to take a moment and thank you for the fantastic job you did for us at the BirdLife gala. You were such a pleasure to work with, not only in preparation for the event, but especially on-site. You really took all the stress off our shoulders, and most importantly, created that all important “first face” to the guests at the gala. Everything was so organized and efficient that it was hard to believe we even considered doing things on our own, rather than hiring Murad!"

Thanks so much for all that you and everyone at Murad did!

"Thanks so much for all that you and everyone at Murad did to make this such a great success for nonPareil. We truly appreciate all of the hard work and long hours that you spent making sure this auction ran properly. I know each of you have such big hearts for nonPareil and the amazing work that is being done here each day. Once again thank you!"

I just wanted to thank you again!

"I just wanted to thank you again for all you have done with the Junior League this year. You have really helped us think of ways to create income and were a key part in making an increase. You have been great to work with and I look forward to getting with you soon to introduce you to the new leadership and start discussing plans for next year."

Great Great Job!

"Great! Great Job! You really make it happen for us! Once again—your efforts really made a significant difference in our bottomline. We truly appreciate your interest in the people we serve and your kind friendship!"

Thank you so much!

"Thank you so much for the wonderful job Saturday night. You were incredible—everyone agrees. The auction was very successful—We sincerely are indebted to you—GREAT JOB!"

Wow is all I can say!

"Wow is all I can say about Saturday night. The emails have been pouring in all day with the most positive feedback... and you helped make it happen. For that I want to thank you again. We got many compliments on your "performance" and how smooth, quick and exciting the live auction went. People really appreciated that you weren't pushy like some of our previous auctioneers."

I cannot thank you enough!

"I cannot thank you enough for the outstanding job you did with the auction at Racing for Sight benefiting the Retina Foundation. I have had several compliments about you and what an outstanding job you did!"

We hit the jackpot!

"We hit the jackpot at our Viva Las Vegas Auction Benefit thanks to your wonderful auctioneering talents! You brought the room to life with your unbridled energy that electrified the audience. This was evident by our final profits, which doubled last year's totals. Something we can all be proud of! You were truly a joy to work with, and I am looking forward to working with you in 2004. Thank you—Thank you—Thank you! You are a high roller in my book!"

You did a fabulous job!

"You did a fabulous job last night. The auction built to a mighty crescendo. You were wonderful to work with and did a super duper job for us!"

Thank you so much!

"Thank you so much for all of your time and excellent advice you gave to our auction committee, which lead to the great success of our Auction! Your sense of humor and enthusiasm kept the crowd in their seats and bidding until the last item was sold! The live auction this year made more money than any auction in the years past. We owe it all to you and cannot wait to have you back!"

The countless days and nights of your dedication were evident.

"The countless days and nights of your dedication to the success of this event was evident Saturday evening! The lives of the children at Lovejoy will be forever changed by this inaugural event!"

What an impressive job!

"What an impressive job you did for the Children's Cancer Fund Luncheon! Those sitting at my table, including Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman openly expressed their amazement at the way you handled the crowd and brought the bidding to life! Thank you for your hard work and enthusiasm, which were so important to the success of our event!"

You and your crew did a fantastic job!

"You and your crew did a fantastic job! The registration and checkout was flawless. I had many wonderful compliments about your performance as auctioneer. We will be hiring you next year!"

Outstanding Job on Friday night!!

Outstanding Job on Friday night!! Thank you for keeping us together and raising the bar on all of the items!! We will definitely be your best reference!!!"

Louis I hope you will be with us next year!

"Louis, I hope you will be with us next year! It was so much fun getting to know you through our auction this year and you helped us so much with what works and what doesn't. We had great results and are so pleased that we used your online auction."

Thank you again!

"Thank you again for demonstrating your commitment to both FFS and your community and for helping us keep our community strong."

Wow!

"Wow! You were such a hit at our relay event! Our event and fundraising efforts would not have been as successful without you!"

Thank you so very much!

"Thank you so very much for all that you did to make Savor the Symphony such a success. It was a pleasure to work with you and we were blessed to have you on our team. It will be a pleasure to work with you again soon."

I wanted to thank you for your help!

"I wanted to thank you for your help in making our auction a big success. I just calculated live auction totals and it is a big improvement from last year. Louis, your energy and personality really helped get the prices up and I enjoyed working with you. Thanks again for your help in growing our event and earning more money for a great cause."

Once again you outdid yourself!

"Once again you outdid yourself in handling the auction last Saturday night. We received a lot of compliments about the live auction, and your service as an auctioneer is outstanding. We are thoroughly grateful."