The car baron sits behind a sprawling oak desk, silver hair slicked back, a neatly trimmed mustache framing his stern expression. Sunlight filters through tall windows, glinting off polished model cars and chrome-framed photographs. Every movement he makes is measured and deliberate, reflecting decades of power and precision. The office hums with quiet efficiency, but the man at its center radiates control. This is a boss who built his kingdom in steel and speed.
Russell K. Briggs—lovingly known as Russ, or R.B. to some—was born on October 15, 1955. His roots in the Little Apple stretch back to the 19th century. His great-grandmother attended Kansas State Agricultural College from 1884 to 1887, and his grandmother graduated from K-State in 1916, where she was honored as a Royal Purple Beauty—an early version of today’s Royal Purple Queen. The son of Arch and Diane, a mail carrier and Clerk of the District Court for Riley County, Russ grew up as one of five children in a family deeply grounded in service and tradition.
Russ’s love for metal and engines began around eight years old. His father delivered mail to the Sloan family and often passed by a go-kart sitting in their yard. One day, the Sloan’s gifted it to the Briggs family. Russ and his brothers got it running, and his lifelong passion for speed was born.
His entrepreneurial spirit sparked during middle school. Russ bought a three-wheeled Cushman utility vehicle and flipped it to his brother—marking his first auto sale. Around the same time, he started selling candy at school, showing early signs of the drive and hustle that would define his career.
Living at Lake Elbo, Russ rode the school bus each day, which picked up high school students first before heading to the middle school on East Campus. As soon as the bell rang at 3:30, he’d sprint to Johnny’s Grocery on Poyntz Avenue, stock up on bubble gum, and sell it to the high schoolers. It was a risk, but Russ had the personality and delivered the goods.
Eventually, gum gave way to cars. In high school, Russ worked at Midwest Appliance, then located in the former Walmart shopping center. He’d buy a used car, fix it up, and park it out front with a sign that read, “See Russ in Midwest.” His boss, Ron DeWeese, generously let him meet with potential buyers during work hours. Russ attended school until noon, worked from 1 to 9 p.m., and spent his nights wrenching on cars—keeping it up until he graduated from Manhattan High in 1974.
After five years at Midwest Appliance, Russ joined Skaggs Motors in 1976 as a car salesman. At night, he fixed up wrecked cars at home until paint fumes forced his mom to shut it down. He eventually moved to Skaggs Body Shop to hone his skills. After buying a house across the viaduct, he built a workshop and began reconditioning vehicles for auction.
By 1979, he noticed high-volume sellers moving off-lease cars. Seeing opportunity, he joined the newly formed National Association of Fleet Resale Dealers. He quickly realized it was more profitable to polish clean cars than to rebuild wrecks.
The property at 612 Pillsbury Drive had been a drive-in restaurant before becoming Alan Clark Body Shop in 1967. In 1982, when Alan moved to a new facility, Russ purchased the building, and this became a milestone in his growing business.
In 1983, Russ married Ilene Lake, the love of his life. She became a driving force behind what would become a car dealership empire. Alongside her sister Barb, Ilene cleaned cars and ensured they were ready for sale. In the beginning, the business focused solely on wholesale; selling cars at auctions and to other dealers.
Operating as Auto Associates and RB Enterprises, they managed the wholesale side while gradually expanding into retail. Growing demand led to their first franchise, Jeep, in 1988, marking the birth of Briggs Auto Group. They soon became Manhattan’s authorized Jeep and Eagle dealership, later adding Isuzu.
The 1990s marked a period of major growth. By the early part of the decade, they were handling 5,000 wholesale vehicles annually. In 1993, they expanded to Manhattan’s west side near the airport, creating the Briggs Supercenter. Two years later, they acquired Pontiac, Buick, GMC, and Nissan. As Eagle and Isuzu were phased out, Nissan was moved to join Jeep at the Pillsbury location. In 1997, they opened in Topeka, now home to Dodge, Ram, Subaru, and Kia. By 2003, the Pillsbury dealership closed, and Nissan and Jeep relocated to the new Briggs Auto Lane on Fort Riley Blvd. In 2015, they expanded again, adding a Fort Scott location, with Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, and Toyota.
Today, Briggs Auto Group sells 600–700 vehicles each month and employs around 300 people across all locations. What began in Manhattan has grown into a powerful and trusted presence across Kansas.
As Russ sips his ice water on the back patio of Aggieville Brewing Company—located on the site of his very first dealership on Pillsbury Drive—he reflects on five decades in the automobile industry. His thoughts first turn to his children. Everything he’s done has been for them. He’s proud of them, and the lives they’ve built: his son, Kent, now serves as General Manager of the Topeka location, while his daughter, Amber, and her husband, Ryan, proudly own the brewery. Then, with a smile, he thinks of his wonderful grandchildren.
His mind drifts to friends, loyal customers, and family. He remembers his mother, who always believed in him, and his father, who passed in the early ’80s. He recalls his beloved uncle, Burke Bayer—a constant source of support. He thinks of the bankers who took a chance on him and the employees who stood by his side. “It wasn’t just me and Ilene who built this business,” Russ says. “It was our employees who built it.”
Russ Briggs built more than a business, he built a dedicated legacy rooted in hard work, vision, and generosity. A true hometown icon, Russ has earned his place on the Mount Rushmore of the Little Apple.
This article is dedicated to the loving memory of Ilene Briggs (1959–2024).
When you do something that you love, you never work a day in your life. I still love the challenge.
“You have got to take care of the customer. The more things you have to do, the more average you get. You just have to find out where your sweet spot is.”