Father & Son “Ringmen” Duo

Father & Son “Ringmen” Duo

There are many examples of a son following in a father’s footsteps. Although my dad died when I was 19, I carried on his passion for Cadillacs. Sons help their dads wash their classic cars with as much pride as the father and classic cars have a way to bring families together, but in the classic car auction business there is a father/son duo like no other.

Father and son work approximately 16 classic car auctions a year side by side. This Myclassic News video shows them in action.

Phillip Gee II and Phillip Gee III live in Shelby, North Carolina. Nestled just east of the Great Smokey Mountains, this father and son duo live within minutes of each other.

Phillip Gee II has been in the auction business for 29 years. His dad was in the car business and was one of the first in the area to start the buy here/pay here concept at his car lot. Some of us in the car business also remember it as “We tote the note”.  It was quite by accident that Phillip II became a ringman. Due to an absent ringman, he would help raising hoods at dealer auctions as the cars crossed the block and with the help of an auctioneer, the rest is history. Phillip II’s career was underway and he never looked back.

My father died in 1981 and he once told me “All I want to know before I go is that you’re happy and have peace of mind”. With Phillip Gee II, the same philosophy applies with his boys. His sons, Phillip Gee III and Grayson Gee are following in their father’s footsteps and dad couldn’t be happier.

Phillip III began by helping run tickets and assist on the block with his dad. It didn’t take him long to get the bug. He has been a ringman in his own right for 11 years now and this father/son duo not only works independently of each other around the country, they also can be seen at the same auction side by side or on adjoining blocks. In 2008 Phillip Gee II won the WAAC Champion Ringmen award and he was very excited, and then in 2014 his son, Phillip Gee II, won the same award.

Phillip II recently told Myclassic News “I am blessed, it’s every dad’s dream to witness his son follow in his dad’s footsteps and I was proud to win the award in 2008, but seeing my son win it in 2014 was the absolute ultimate experience. It overshadowed anything I could imagine”. The image below says it all. Dad couldn’t be more proud of his boy.

Both sons would attend auctions with their dad when they were kids. Dad never pushed them, their passion for the industry came naturally. Now 22, Phillip II’s other son, Grayson Gee, has joined the business. He also works with his dad in the ring at dealer auctions. Both Phillip III and Grayson utilized this profession in order to attend college. Depending on the auction, both sons get to travel with their dad to work the block. Phillip III is also an auctioneer and Grayson is an aspiring auctioneer looking toward the future.

Phillip II told Myclassic News “It’s fun to sell classics because you’re making someone happy and having fun while doing it. It is the ultimate feeling selling someone their dream car and sharing that moment with them.” He also pointed out that regardless of who buys a classic car at an auction; a dealer, an investor or an individual, a ringman is assisting in moving that classic down the line to fulfill someone’s dreams. Even if a dealer buys it, it will eventually end up in someone’s garage and Phillip II feels proud that he is a part of this classic car evolutionary process.

Phillip II said ” My son, Phillip is my human clone. I looked identical to him when I was his age. I told him that all he has to do is watch me if he wants to see what he will look like in the future.” When you watch the video of Father and son, notice their response and verbiage when taking a bid from a bidder. That is not learned behavior from Phillip III, it’s in his DNA.

Myclassic News would like to thank both Phillip and his sons for sharing their story with us. Classic cars have some interesting means of bringing fathers and sons together, whether it be by attending cars shows together or washing the classic on the weekend together, but the Gee’s have a genuine and unique family connection that is fueled by classic cars.

 

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