Soon after the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance hosts its 75th celebration in August, this global gathering of automotive greats will undergo a significant transition.
On October 1, after a remarkable tenure of 40 years at the helm, Concours Chairman Sandra Button will step back from day-to-day operational leadership and into a new role as Brand Ambassador & Strategic Advisor.
As part of that transition, and after an extensive search for Button’s successor, Vince W. Finaldi joins the team this month as Concours President.
“It has been a great honor to lead this event in recent decades,” said Button, “but it is time for the next generation of car lovers to come to the fore. Vince is a car guy through and through, and I know he has both a passion and a heart for this event... I look forward to working with him in the coming months and years, doing all that I can to support him and the Concours.”
Finaldi, a trial attorney, legal strategist, and former US Marine, grew up in the car world. His grandfather moved from Italy to the US and worked for General Motors in the 1920s, then returned home to open his own auto shop, where his sons—Vince’s father among them—were employed. They subsequently opened their own auto shops in the US. From a very young age, Vince was steeped in all aspects of the car hobby, from purchase and sale to preservation and repair. In recent years, as he began to transition away from his full-time law practice to devote more time to cars, Finaldi opened his own auto shop, Finaldi, Inc., in the Monterey Bay area. That pursuit will now be put on hold as he takes on the responsibility of overseeing the world’s leading collector car competition.
Under Button’s tenure, the Pebble Beach Concours has consistently ranked as the top event of its kind in the world. She strengthened the leadership team, instituting both a Selection Committee and an Advisory Board. She increased the range of cars shown on the Concours show field, added events, and expanded its reach globally.
“I look forward to working diligently with both the Pebble Beach Concours and Pebble Beach Company teams, including Sandra and Martin Button, to build on the legacy of the Concours, ensuring it remains the pinnacle concours, while also continuing to increase its charitable giving,” said Finaldi.
