Bob grew up in Fords, New Jersey.  After graduating high school, he spent 15 years working on the boardwalk, first working his way through college, then as an owner/operator of six concession stands.  Tired of enduring harsh winters, Bob made the exodus to South Florida.  Winter in Jupiter, Florida opened up opportunities as he reinvented his prior success when he opened an auto accessory brick-and-mortar store, The Driver’s Seat.

The Driver’s Seat focused on high-end accessories that the auto enthusiast could not find at the local, traditional auto parts stores.  He eventually grew to five locations.  He would continue to innovate and become more familiar with brands and manufacturers, all while looking to capitalize on the new online merchant world of the internet.

Bob founded Palm Beach Motoring Accessories (PBMA) in 1997.  It started as a catalog company dedicated to providing car care enthusiasts with the finest car care products and accessories available.  By 2000, autogeek.net was born and the catalogs were rebranded.  2006 brought AutoGeekOnline.net.  “AGO” brought together the detailing industry by allowing some of the leaders in the industry to engage others, asking and answering questions, discussing personal and professional experiences.  Some of those early adopters to the forum world are the who’s who of our detailing industry today.

When Detail Fest was first introduced in 2004, there were growing pains and featured about a dozen people eating pizza and detailing cars.  Fast forward to 2015, when Detail Fest would draw over 10,000 spectators from around the world!  Major brands attended and they upped their game thanks to the vision of Bob McKee.  This wasn’t the end, but rather an extension that even today is not seen outside of SEMA and MTE.

After innovating some impressive products such as Pinnacle Natural Brilliance, Pinnacle XMT, Pinnacle Black Label, Wolfgang Concours-Series Car Care, BLACKFIRE Car Care, Detailer’s Pride, and Marine 31, Bob sold Autogeek to Vision Investments Group.  He then concentrated on his namesake brands, McKee’s 37, SiO2 Ceramic Series, Graphene Collection, Nautical One, Max’s RV, and Carolina Home and Patio.  These brands include world-class waxes, cleaners, and polishes, and the specialty products offered detailers solutions to the unique cleaning needs of marine crafts, boats, and RVs.

In addition to The Driver’s Seat, Palm Beach Motoring, Autogeek, and McKee’s 37 – all mainstays of the detailing industry – Bob is also an author, publishing his own memoirs, and he has also developed two TV shows.  His impact and reach is wide and long-storied, with over 40 years of longevity in the automotive industry.