Pebble Beach Concours' 8th New Chair in 76 YearsPebble Beach ConcoursIt doesn't happen often, but every now and then the person in charge of the world's greatest concours steps down and a new guy steps up. In the 76-year history of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, there have only been seven chairpersons. As of yesterday there are now eight."Today, Pebble Beach Company announced that Vince W. Finaldi has become Chairman of the famed Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance," the concours stated in a release.Sandra Button, who had served as Chairman of the event for over 20 years, and worked with and for the concours for 40, will assume a new role as Global Brand Ambassador and Strategic Advisor.Finaldi has big penny loafers to fill. He follows in the footsteps of venerable former Concours leaders Gwenn Graham, Alton Walker, Jules Heumann, Lorin Tryon, Ed Gilbertson, Glenn Mounger, and Button, who collectively transformed a simple gathering connected to the Pebble Beach Road Races into the world's foremost Concours.Who is this Vince Finaldi? First of all, he's a local, residing in Carmel Highlands only a short drive from the 18th green. He owns and operates a restoration shop in Del Rey Oaks called Finaldi, Inc. Among his automotive keepsakes is a collection of over 1,000 automotive books and manuals, according to Magneto. He has owned more than 50 collector cars, including a Ferrari 500 Mondial and 365 GTB/4 Daytona, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, a Porsche 356 Speedster, and several Lamborghini Miuras.Harry Yeaggy's Duesenberg SSJ, originally owned by Clark Gable, won Best of Show at last August's 75th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.Pebble Beach ConcoursAfter his service in the Marine Corps as an infantryman in the 1990s, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of California Berkeley and earned his law degree from UCLA.He went on to become a highly respected trial attorney and legal strategist, litigating cases on the highest level, and he was involved in crafting laws and protections to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, victims represented by his law firm. He retired from the full-time practice of law in 2022.Finaldi's roots in automotive go way back. His grandfather left Italy near the turn of the last century to work for GM. When GM laid off his grandfather in the Great Depression, he went back to Italy and opened a garage. Finaldi's father grew up in that automotive environment, and when he immigrated to the US in the 1960s, he opened a garage of his own. It was into that setting that Finaldi the younger was born."From a very young age I grew up in (auto) shops," Finaldi said on a social media interview. "That's all I knew. That's all my family did."The winning Duesenberg SSJ.Mark VaughnThe family also imported and exported Italian sports cars in the days before formal dealerships for those cars existed. He fell in love with some great Ferraris, but it was the Lamborghini Miura that stuck with him and he has owned several of them.So maybe Finaldi is the right guy for this job."I have enjoyed the past nine months spent as President of the Concours, learning all aspects of the event and interacting with entrants, attendees, staff and sponsors," said Finaldi. "To follow the legacy that has been built by Sandra and her predecessors is a responsibility that I take seriously. I look forward to continuing to grow and evolve the Concours, welcoming new entrants while protecting the collectors, cars, and traditions that have secured our legacy as the best Concours in the world."What do collectors and enthusiasts think?"Thank God for the positivity of the car community," said Pebble entrant and all-around great guy Bruce Meyer. "We all want him to succeed and we want the best for Pebble Beach and will work together to make it happen… Sandra is so bright and was the keeper of the flame and kept it relevant and entertaining for decades…and like life, the future belongs to the young."Meyer has dealt directly with Finaldi and likes what he sees."I have found Vince to be calm, open minded, and dedicated to keeping Pebble Beach the premier show on earth. He's a listener and his ego will not get in his way. Not an easy job but with his experience and our energy and input, I'm convinced he'll carry on brilliantly."This year's runner up at Pebble, a 1938 Delahaye 165 Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet.Mark VaughnBruce Canepa, who also has a shop in the Monterey area and who has a large hand in developing nearby Laguna Seca and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, likes Finaldi."I'm very optimistic about him," said Bruce Canepa, who is on the executive board of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and on the governing committee of the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion. "We were both on the California Mille recently and I've spoken to him at other times. I think he's going to bring things forward, bring it (the concours) into a more modern world but without alienating the old guard."The modern concours has to evolve to continue to thrive, Canepa said."We're in a different world," Canepa said. "If you're a young guy, an old car is something from the 1980s. I'm tired of looking at a row of six Duesenbergs and another row of six Packards. I said (to him), I think the event needs to be modernized. There has only been one post-war winner at Pebble Beach (since 1968). I'm very optimistic about him."We'll get a chance to see him in action as Pebble Beach lines up for the 76th Concours d'Elegance August 15. Get your tickets now!