Keith McCormick Author

Keith G. McCormick grew up in Blackpool, England. At age 14, he worked for his parents in a small corner store after school, relieving his mother so she could go home and cook the family’s evening meal. He left school at age 15 to work in the store full time. He was a self-made multi-millionaire at a very early age by selling and restoring used cars.

He taught himself car mechanics, and after receiving his driver’s license at age 17, he began attending the British Car Auctions’ weekly events, buying cheap cars to restore. At age 18 he met Desley Cavanagh who was 16 and two years later he married her. He is still happily with her today, recently celebrating 50 years of marriage. They have two children, Tania and Jason.

From their little home, he began restoring cars. He used an upright Hoover vacuum cleaner with the motor reversed, as a spray compressor with an attached spray gun to repaint the cars. Soon the city authorities stopped this venture citing a misuse of residential premises. Consequently, he rented the front area of a gas station to sell these restored cars. Within a few years he owned five retail car premises, three gas stations and obtained franchises of Mazda, Volkswagen, Audi, and used Rolls Royce, etc. By the age of 25, he had embodied the true meaning of an Entrepreneur.

At age 28, Keith visited the United States and fell in love with Palm Springs, California. He then became obsessed with planning to move his family there. In December 1981, having sold a few of his businesses, the dream became a reality. He bought a home once purchased by Elizabeth Taylor for her mother.

Honesty and integrity are the definitions he has always lived by. In 1983 he joined the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce. While serving his term on their Board, he volunteered to help create special events increasing tourism to the town. Today Keith has produced over 400 such special events and is well known for his bi-annual signature Classic Car Auctions held in Palm Springs for the past 33 years. He has served for six years as Chairman of Parks and Recreation for Palm Springs and was Treasurer of the United Way Charity. He makes the point that he and the subject of this book have led totally different lifestyles in their careers.

The total proceeds of this publication will be donated to the drug treatment and anti-drug use education. His daughter, Tania, has worked for 15 years in this field including many years with the famous Betty Ford Clinic. His son, Jason, runs the Auction business with his father.