08/24/2026
I have known my dear friend Mac Kelton for almost 40 years. When I arrived in Nashville in 1987, Mac and his wife, Susan, had already built Pacesetter Partners into a successful real estate company. What made Mac such a gifted businessman wasn’t simply his ability to build a company, but his ability to bring out the best in people through his values, humor, and encouragement.
A week of service in Belize changed the direction of Mac’s life. He saw people doing remarkable work with very little and became convinced of what was possible if they had the resources to do more. He began bringing people to Belize by the dozens, then by the hundreds. He once told me he believed he could introduce every person in Belize to Christ. Four hundred thousand people. I believed him immediately.
But there was always one problem: money. Mac and I were part of a group of Nashville business leaders who cared deeply about the organizations we served, but we were perpetually, exhaustingly out of money. Eventually, we began asking: What if we could build something that didn’t constantly need to be funded, but could actually generate resources for the mission?
That question led to ThriftSmart. Mac understood that his experience in business didn’t have to be separate from his desire to serve people. It could be part of it. He believed we could build a business that created jobs, served the community, and gave its profits away.
Mac didn’t just believe in the idea. He showed up. He sorted donations, studied the workflow, counted racks, asked questions, and worked alongside us to figure out how to make it work. He also saw an opportunity to help unemployed immigrants through Jobs for Life, bringing volunteers and practical job training into the store.
Mac’s passion and commitment helped generate more than $2.5 million for The Belize Project, Mercy Community Healthcare, New Hope Academy, and African Leadership.
Mac believed that our skills, experience, resources, and ideas are meant to be used for other people. He lived that belief in Belize, in business, and through ThriftSmart.
I love Mac Kelton and his enduring influence on my life.
— Dick Gygi
