From left: Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson with Leo Gephart and Don Williams in August 2010 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

We at Barrett-Jackson are saddened today to hear of the passing of Leo Gephart, considered by many to be the “father” of the collector car auction business. If it weren’t for Gephart, in fact, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company might not be heading into its 45th year in 2016.

“Leo Gephart, my father Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett worked together to develop the blueprint for the collector car auction as we know it today,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “I grew up with Leo. He was an innovator and a visionary whose legacy will remain for years to come. He will be missed.”

Considered to be one of the first Americans to fully appreciate the historical significance of what are now known as collector cars, Gephart became the first automobile retailer in the U.S. to concentrate on old cars as collectibles. He also was the driving force behind the very first collector car auction, held behind an Auburn, Indiana, Dairy Queen in 1971.

That same year, Gephart met fellow collector car enthusiasts Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett in Arizona, who had already produced a Scottsdale car show to benefit local charities. Encouraged by Gephart, Barrett and the Jackson family transformed their car show into the first Scottsdale collector car auction.

“He’s basically the one who taught us all,” remembered Don Williams, longtime Barrett-Jackson partner and friend. “He was the ultimate car collector, and he had a great ride.”

Now known as The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, Barrett-Jackson indeed owes a debt of gratitude to Leo Gephart, a true giant in the collector car industry.