By Scottsdale Watchman
The statistics from the 2019 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, which wrapped up last week, can boggle the mind. 1,800 vehicles sold. 5,300 bidders. Hundreds of thousands of attendees. $131.6 million in total sales.
The one number that truly stands out above all these, however, is the following: 9,600,000. That’s the amount of money that Barrett-Jackson raised for charity at the 48th annual auction in 2019, the largest amount it has ever raised.
After the auction, CEO and chairman of Barrett-Jackson Craig Jackson said, “As a company that was built on giving back to the community, this is a significant milestone worth celebrating […]. Giving back is the heartbeat of Barrett-Jackson and the collector car community.”
He could say that again. To date, Barrett-Jackson has raised over $114 million for charitable causes including Childhelp, TGen, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Craig’s wife, Carolyn, joins him in his charitable endeavors. In 2018, Carolyn served as chairperson of the 59th Annual Phoenix Heart Ball. She dedicated herself for the entire year to the cause and raised millions of dollars for one of the American Heart Association’s premier national events. Craig and Carolyn are two of Arizona’s most impactful philanthropists.
There are plenty of things to love about Barrett-Jackson. The rare cars. The enthusiasm from the crowd. The fact that it’s probably the only time in the world where former Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle and rock and roll legend Alice Cooper have ever shared a stage. Above all though is the auction’s charitable component, which can be overlooked in the glitz and glamour of it all. We won’t do that and are proud to laud both Craig and Carolyn and their company for making Arizona a better place.