Robert “Bob” McKee is the founder and former owner of Palm Beach Motoring Accessories, the parent company of autogeek.net, and the founder and CEO of McKee’s 37 Car Care. McKee’s 37 is a Stuart, Florida-based manufacturer of fine automotive surface care products, and also includes McKee’s RV, a line created specifically for the unique surface care needs of RVs and motor coaches. Although Bob is largely credited with the success of Autogeek and McKee’s 37, he credits much of that success to his team and the many relationships forged along the way.
Early Life
Bob grew up in Fords, New Jersey. After graduating high school, he started as a concessionaire on the beloved Seaside Heights Boardwalk. He spent 15 years on the boardwalk, first working his way through college, then as an owner/operator of six concession stands. In 1984, when the winters became too much, Bob relocated to Jupiter, Florida and opened a franchise of The Driver’s Seat, an auto accessory store. The Driver’s Seat was a success for Bob, and he eventually came to own five additional franchise locations in Stuart, Boynton Beach, Wellington, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach. Bob maintained ownership of The Driver’s Seat locations until the early 2000s.
McKee’s 37
Wayne Carini and Bob McKee shake hands on the concoursIn 2016, Bob sold Palm Beach Motoring to Tony George of the Vision Investments Group. Tony is the chairman of the the board of Hulman & Company, which owns and operates the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, also known as “the Brickyard.” In fact, the Hulman-George family not only owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but also the Indy Racing League (IRL), and several other holdings throughout Indiana. The sale of Palm Beach Motoring allows Bob to focus on his namesake brand, McKee’s 37, as well as providing the time necessary for broadening his support with other Christian-based organizations such as Teen Challenge and Barry Meguiar’s Revival Outside the Walls.
During his tenure in the car care industry, Bob developed some of the top brands in automotive surface care. These include Pinnacle Natural Brilliance, Pinnacle XMT, Pinnacle Black Label, Wolfgang Concours-Series Car Care, BLACKFIRE Car Care, Detailer’s Pride, and Marine 31. All of that research and development led Bob to develop a line of products he felt confident putting his name on: McKee’s 37, the complete line of world-class waxes, cleaners and polishes that easily holds its own with any product on the market. Thanks to advancements in surface care enhancement technology, the McKee’s 37 team of chemists was able to develop an affordable line of products that offers world-class performance. Each and every formula in the McKee’s 37 line is worthy of being used on the world’s finest show cars, but still obtainable for the everyday driver.
