A young Rob Myers surrounded by his father’s antique automobiles was more than just circumstance; it would prove to be a catalyst for the passion that would form a dynasty. He spent years learning the craft with his father’s cars before starting his own single-car garage restoration business, and by 1979, the company was officially incorporated.

The next decade transformed the fledgling operation into a world-renowned restoration facility, RM Auto Restoration. Ninety ninety-eight saw the formation of a new Sales division, RM Classic Cars, Inc., and four years later the very first RM auction took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company continued to grow rapidly, adding sales all over North America, and in 1997, the acquired the Monterey Sports Car Auction in Monterey, California, known within the collector hobby to be the biggest sports car auction in the world.

Ten years later, RM became a global company. After seeing consistent success and growth all across North America, RM’s newly formed European Division held its inaugural sale at the legendary Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. The company has gone on to hold additional auctions in Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Monaco, and is about to hold an inaugural auction in Essen, Germany.

The next biggest step in the company’s rise was in 2015 when a strategic partnership was formed with the oldest auction house in the world, Sotheby’s, and RM Auctions became RM Sotheby’s.

The 40th celebration, with the assistance of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, will give back to the community that has fostered the growth of RM over the last four decades and celebrate Chatham-Kent as the Classic Car Capital of Canada.

RetroFest, a Chatham-Kent tradition typically held in May, will take place 21–22 June to coincide with the 40th celebration and to make Chatham-Kent the ultimate weekend destination for classic car enthusiasts everywhere.

The two-day celebration will be filled with amplified RetroFest events alongside RM Sotheby’s anniversary events, including special automobile displays and entertainment featuring a live performance by the Sam Roberts Band on the evening of Friday, 21 June, at the historic Tecumseh Park in Downtown Chatham. Additional activities will be announced in the lead up to the 40th Anniversary weekend.


“Our 40th Anniversary celebration is going to be an unforgettable weekend in Chatham-Kent,” said Rob Myers, Founder, Chairman & CEO of RM Sotheby’s. “The Friday evening parade and RetroFest show on Saturday will be the biggest yet, with incredible floats and celebrity judges, and RM’s collector car show will gather some of the world’s best cars, never before seen in Canada and unlikely to ever be seen again. We’re hoping to bring thousands of automobiles to Chatham-Kent for the weekend – everywhere you look on 21–22 June, you’ll see a classic car. We’d love to welcome all the local, regional, and national car clubs to join us and display cars as well. I look forward to celebrating with friends, collectors, enthusiasts, and the entire community. Let’s make this the best collector car weekend that Canada’s ever seen!”

All proceeds from the weekend’s events will go directly back into the community that Myers cherishes, supporting several important local organizations, including the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, Chatham-Kent Hospice, and the Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

Schedule of Events:

Friday, 21 June

• The annual kick-off RetroFest Cruise, coupled with a special RM 40th Anniversary Parade that is not to be missed; and
• A special performance by the Sam Roberts Band on Friday night following the parade with proceeds to benefit local charities (tickets available soon, more information to follow).

Saturday, 22 June

• RM Sotheby’s, alongside the Kent Historic Auto Club, will present the annual Car Show on the streets of Downtown Chatham, made even more special with additional displays and activities, as well as special awards and celebrity judges, including Wayne Carini of the Chasing Classic Cars television series;
• A once-in-a-lifetime collector car display behind the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, presented by RM Sotheby’s and featuring some of the rarest and most beautiful cars in the world, with ticket proceeds to benefit the Children’s Treatment Centre; and
• An evening of entertainment at the Capitol Theatre, with proceeds to benefit local charities and details to be announced.

The RM Sotheby’s team looks forward to celebrating with the Chatham-Kent and collector car community and will announce more details about the weekend’s community activities and entertainment as they become available.

On-sale dates for the Sam Roberts Band performance will also be announced in the coming weeks. Updated event details can be found at rmsothebys.com/40years.