New Pebble Beach Concours Chairman Brings Passion for Classic Cars

Key Takeaways

• Vince Finaldi, a longtime trial lawyer and collector-car enthusiast, becomes chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this fall.
• He succeeds Sandra Button, who retires Oct. 1 after 40 years leading the event.
• Finaldi has moved to the Monterey Peninsula and opened a European collector car restoration, preservation, repair, service, sales, and concierge facility in Del Rey Oaks.
• He plans to attract younger generations to classic cars while preserving the event's traditions.
• The 2026 Monterey Car Week is underway, culminating in the Concours at Pebble Beach.

Introduction

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is getting a new leader with a rare combination of courtroom experience and grease-stained hands. Vince Finaldi, 51, a recently retired trial lawyer and lifelong car enthusiast, will take over as chairman when Sandra Button retires Oct. 1.

A Career Built on Cars and Law

Finaldi grew up in his family's auto body and mechanics shop in the United States, where his father and uncles imported, exported, repaired, and restored Italian sports cars. Growing up in that shop, he learned the intricacies of body, mechanical and electrical work from the masters in his family. That upbringing gave him deep mechanical knowledge, but his father urged him to build his own path first. After four years in the infantry at Twentynine Palms, he graduated magna cum laude from UC Berkeley and earned a law degree from UCLA.

His father and uncles immigrated from Italy in the late 1960s, settling in the United States and opening the family shop. That heritage steeped Finaldi in the world of Italian sports cars from a young age. Though he initially planned to study medicine, a particularly challenging organic chemistry course made him reconsider; after helping a roommate with a law school assignment, he knew he had found his path.

For 22 years, Finaldi represented vulnerable young athletes and adults as a trial lawyer at Manly, Stewart & Finaldi. He says he represented people whose lives made news and many more who never got attention. "I represented a lot of youth, whose lives were made prominent in the news," Finaldi said, "and a whole lot of people you'll never hear about, but perhaps should." Through it all, he kept collecting and working on cars.

His personal garage has included more than 50 collector cars, among them a Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, several Lamborghini Miuras, and a Ferrari 500 Mondial. That mix of business acumen and automotive obsession made him a natural fit for the Concours job.

One notable model in that collection is a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, a high-performance classic that embodies the era he loves.

Making the Move to Monterey

For years, Finaldi and his family had enjoyed Monterey Car Week from a rental home on Yankee Point, overlooking the south Carmel coastline. Now that he has moved permanently, his wife, Melissa, a marriage and family therapist, and their daughters, Shelby and Chloe, are here to stay.

After being named president of the Concours in January, Finaldi bought and renovated a home in Carmel Highlands. He also established Finaldi Inc., a European collector car restoration, preservation, repair, service, sales, and concierge facility on the Monterey Peninsula. In Del Rey Oaks, he purchased and renovated a commercial building to house a full restoration shop staffed largely by Italian craftsmen.

Since then, changes in visas and tariffs have forced a few changes in the staff.

The decision to apply for the top role came after friends told him about the impending transition. His wife, Melissa, encouraged him to meet with the senior management team. He found they shared his vision: honor the Concours' history while finding authentic ways to evolve.

Those friends were fellow classic car aficionados. "I attend the Concours every year," Finaldi said. "I live for the chase, the provenance, the purchase, the renovation, the selling, and also the management of my shop. I didn’t imagine I was what they were looking for." It was Melissa who urged him to reconsider. "This is your world; these are your friends and colleagues," she told him. "At least go talk with them."

"I understood that the company needs someone who knows cars well," Finaldi said. "But they also need someone who knows how to run a business, as well as someone who is young enough to bring new life to the event but is old enough to be established in the field."

Finaldi sees the chairmanship as a natural extension of his passions. "This role invites me into that car chase I love, paired with intellectual stimulation and collector engagement I was missing in my law career," he said.

Local California Context

Monterey Car Week is a multi-day celebration of automotive culture across the Monterey Peninsula, drawing enthusiasts from around the world. This year's edition includes events like Legends of the Autobahn and The Quail, a gathering of exotic and rare cars, before the main Concours on the Pebble Beach golf links. Finaldi's new home in Carmel Highlands and his Del Rey Oaks shop put him at the center of that community.

Background

Sandra Button has led the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for four decades, turning it into the world's most prestigious classic car competition. Her retirement marks the end of an era. Finaldi's appointment signals a generational shift, and he has already identified a key challenge: getting young people interested in classic cars.

He notes that for his generation, a driver's license meant freedom. Today, many teenagers rely on smartphones and ride-hailing apps. Finaldi wants to introduce them to the culture of cars, even if they cannot yet afford to buy or restore them. He hopes they will become passionately involved in the pursuit and provenance of collector cars.

Finaldi acknowledges that these events and cars are expensive, but he believes there is a way to bring younger people in. "I understand there are barriers to entry," he said. "These events are expensive and so are the cars. But we can start by introducing the culture of cars. I know where all my friends were on their 16th birthday, standing in line at the DMV to get their license, so they could get behind the wheel. That license meant freedom. Today, the smartphone is what transports teens into the world; it’s how they create connectivity among friends."

Conclusion

As Finaldi prepares to take the wheel, he brings a rare mix of legal experience, business discipline, and authentic passion for automobiles. His goal is to keep the Pebble Beach Concours vibrant and welcoming for the next generation while preserving the elegance that has defined it for 75 years. The 2026 Concours is set to be a pivotal moment in that transition.