Mac Bickerstaff began his apprenticeship tutelage in the car business working for his father’s dealership, Clayton Motors, after school and summers in Clayton, GA. He graduated from the University of Georgia, receiving a degree in Business Administration in June 1973. Following graduation, Mac began his career in the automobile business working for the Voyles Automobile organization in Atlanta, GA until 1976. He acquired further experience working in different capacities of the automobile business with Don Mealy Chevrolet in Orlando, FL and Sport Chevrolet in Silver Spring, MD. After going to Dealer Merchandising and Management School in Detroit, MI, he was hired by the Nalley Automotive Group and became a partner in Nalley Northside Chevrolet in Marietta, GA in 1988.

Two years later Mac made the decision to go out on his own and opened a number of new car franchises between 1990 and 2006, Southlake Mitsubishi and Southlake Kia in Morrow, GA, Peachtree Mitsubishi and Peachtree Isuzu in Chamblee, GA and Bickerstaff Buick Pontiac GMC in Chamblee, GA.

Mac owned and operated 7 new car franchises over the last 19 years in the metro Atlanta area. Between 2004 and 2009 he sold all of his dealerships but it wasn’t long before he missed being in the car arena and decided to work for an auto auction in north GA. He enjoyed the auto auction business and when PeachState Auto Auction in Loganville, GA became available Mac purchased it and began completely reorganizing and revamping it as both a dealer and public auto auction under the new name, Bickerstaff’s Atlanta East Auto Auction.

Jefferson Smith Bickerstaff was practically born into the car business having a Dad and 2 grandfathers; all long-time car guys. He grew up around his Dad’s numerous automobile dealerships, learning the ins and outs of the business. Jefferson graduated with a Business degree and high honors from Georgia Perimeter College in 2009, from Kennesaw State University Summa Cum Laude with a BBA degree in in Information Security and assurance in 2015, and from the University of Georgia with an MBT (Masters of Business and Technology) in 2020!

Jefferson found his niche in the technical end of the car business and joined his Dad at Bickerstaff Buick Pontiac GMC as E –commerce Director/IT Specialist, until the business was sold. Jefferson is taking his experience even further working on expanding online operations and supporting his Dad in opening Bickerstaff’s Atlanta East Auto Auction.

Phyllis Halleran Bickerstaff graduated from Marjorie Webster Junior College in Washington, D C and began her career in retailing as a department manager at Lord & Taylor in New York. Her business career became diverse when she moved back to DC to join Broadcasting Magazine as editorial assistant to the Vice President/Executive Editor. She decided to go into the employment business as a counselor with an upstart agency and went on to become a business partner with Georgetown Employment Service and together they opened The Employment Agency all in DC.

Again, her career had a major change when Jefferson Smith Bickerstaff was born and an anesthesiologist’s error caused him to lose oxygen resulting in a brain injury. Phyllis made the decision to give up her career and care for Jefferson. Through the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential she became a Human Developmentalist and has carried out a physical, intellectual and physiological program with him to this day. She is always behind the scenes supporting him, from his education to the automobile business and everything in between.

Over the last 19 years Phyllis has joined Mac Bickerstaff at Dealer 20 Group meetings, honing her knowledge of the car business. She is now looking forward to supporting both Mac and Jefferson in their new venture, Bickerstaff’s Atlanta East Auto Auction.