Even though their day jobs vary widely, the 2019 Ponte Vedra Auto Show panel of judges have one common bond — a passion for automobiles. Whether classic, muscle, racing or exotic, the judges have the knowledge and experience to determine winners in more than 30 categories.
Ken Perry – Head Judge
Perry holds an MBA from Jacksonville University, is employed as an IT project manager and is a member of the Porsche Club. He is also the head judge for the Festivals of Speed and a former Silent Auction and Retail Sales chair for the Amelia Island Concours. Perry’s current collection includes two Land Rovers, a Porsche and an Audi. Perry, a self-described car nut, is also grateful that his wife is also into the hobby.
Bob Grant – Head Judge
Grant is a former manager of CSX Truck Administration Division and co-owner of Design Time ISD Group. He has been a co-judge with Perry for the Festivals of Speed for four years and has used his administrative and analytical skills along with his deep knowledge of the car hobby to bring a new level of maturity to the back-office functions of this event and others. Grant holds a B.A. in Finance and Management from Merrimack College.
Steve Boyle
Boyle participated in IMSA road racing series for eight years as crew chief and engine builder. He also worked as a supplier of competition racing engines for NASCAR's Winston Cup and Busch Racing series, under contract to General Motors to develop the next generation competition racing engines. During this time period, Boyle built and maintained numerous historic race cars. “I am still very active in restoring automobiles, maintaining historic race cars and building engines in the Jacksonville area,” Boyle said.
Jimmy Britts
Supporting the Navy at NAS JAX is what Britts does when he is not “playing with cars.” Britts is a past ARCA racecar driver, chassis builder and painter. Britts is the main racecar mover at the Amelia Island Concours, and he has been judging with the Ponte Vedra Auto Show for four years.
Larry Brown
Also new to the show this year, Brown comes with four years judging experience from the Festivals of Speed and his car credentials are even more impressive. Brown, a veteran once stationed in Belgium, is currently employed as a quality engineer for Mercedes-Benz for the past several years. Brown has the ability to see inside a failed component on a new Mercedes and document what went wrong and how. As for his judging abilities, Brown can use that same vision to see not only the beauty of a car, but its inner qualities as well.
Dr. Andrew Cannestra
A Jacksonville physician with a 30-year history of collecting antique classic and exotic cars and motorcycles, Cannestra currently owns and shows several award-winning cars. “My vehicles have shown at Amelia Island, Festival of Speed, Bahamas Speed Week Revivals and the Celebration exotic car show,” he said. Dr. Cannestra is Fellowship trained in spine surgery and spinal cord injury, has a wide range of neurosurgical expertise and serves as Director of the Baptist Robotic Spine Surgery program. A founding member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery, Dr. Cannestra is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurologic Surgery, a member of the American Association of Neurologic Surgeons, the Congress of Neurologic Surgeons and the National Association of Spine Surgeons.
Mike Ferran
Ferran has been repairing, modifying and restoring vehicles professionally for more than 40 years. He is an advanced level Master Technician and has owned Ferran Automotive since 1991. On any given day, Ferran can service a 1959 Eldorado, a 2018 Bentley or a customer’s daily driver. Although he currently owns a Ferrari Challenge Stradale, a Superformance GT40 and is about to receive a Ferrari Scuderia, Ferran says he loves all types of vehicles.
Tripp Ferrer
Ferrer’s background is in mechanical engineering. He worked for Mercedes-Benz for the better part of a decade in its quality evaluation center. Ferrer has owned more than 20 vehicles ranging from an air-cooled 911 to a free Buick station wagon — that often had upwards of two working gears — to a fully customized V8 Morris Minor. Ferrer has been helping judge the Festivals of Speed for the last four years and is a repeat participant in the Grassroots Motorsports $2,000 Challenge. Currently his biggest project is building his pit crew with two sons, ages 2 and 4.
Steve Giambra
It all started for Giambra when he bought his first car in high school — a 1956 Corvette. Fifty years later, after a long search, Giambra was able to relive the dream by purchasing another Corvette like the one he had in high school. Giambra collects American, American muscle and British sports cars, and has been a judge for the past five years.
Dwight Henson
Henson spent the last 27 years working as a training consultant and safety professional, working worked with and for clients like Los Alamos National Labs, Lockheed Martin and NASA. He is currently a corporate EHS training specialist for a local company involved in marine construction and dredging. When Henson is not working, he’s usually driving his Porsche at events sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Porsche Club of America (PCA) or Chin Track Days. Henson also participates in and/or judges a variety of car shows, including Porsche’s annual Werks Reunion, The Festivals of Speed, and local cars shows such as the annual Concours at Porsche of Jacksonville or Cars & Coffee at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
Bill Hatchett, owner of A-Coin & Stamp Gallery Inc., is a rare coin and currency expert who has loyally served Jacksonville, Florida for nearly 40 years. Hatchett’s initial interest in bank notes and coins was piqued in 1962 when, at the age of 10, he found a Jefferson nickel in his Coke change. With this single coin, he earned $25. He maintains that, on that day, he learned the value of both earning money and collecting relics. Hatchett travels the country to discover and deal in unique valuables. “It’s like a treasure hunt that highlights an important part of history. It’s my quest to find these rare items and help owners reap the gain from their value.” Hatchett is a 36-year member of the Antique Appraisal Association of America. He has also been a Life Member of the American Numismatic Association for over 40 years, Society of Paper Money Collectors Inc., California State Numismatic Association and Fun Florida United Numismatist. A-Coin & Stamp is a member of NAWCC, IWJG, CADA, Buffalo Bills Center of the West, PCGS, NGC and JBT listed. Hatchett has a curated collection of Bentleys, Porsches and a most awesome Cigarette Boat.
Karen Haynes
New to the judging team this year, Haynes brings a lifetime of passion for cars beginning when she was in high school where like the Beach Boys song “Fun, Fun Fun” (‘til her daddy took her T-Bird away). Haynes grew up with a father who loved cars including a T-bucket, a Model T, John Deere tractors, several 1950s Cadillacs — convertible and hardtop. As a kid, Haynes traveled every two or three months to a car show to pick up a find, or a railroad show, or a mixture of those. “We also were at a number of car club meetings always,” Haynes said. “I can fix nearly anything and work on my own car and frequently shock men with my knowledge level. It’s quite fun.” Haynes currently drives an Audi A6 and her husband has a Chevy Camaro. Joining Haynes as a junior judge will be her son, Cameron, 11, who loves all cars, especially exotics and sports cars.
Philip Mang
A first-time judge for Ponte Vedra Auto Show, Mang has been an executive judge with Festivals of Speed for the past three years. Prior to his retirement, Mang was the internet sales manager for Maserati and Alfa Romeo. Mang’s passion is classic American muscle cars.
Michael Mangiaracino
Another first-time judge for Ponte Vedra Auto Show, Mangiaracino has been an executive judge with Festivals of Speed for the past four years. Mangiaracino’s love for cars ignited in high school with track days at Gateway Raceway in St. Louis. Currently the proud owner of a 1964 ½ Mustang convertible, Mangiaracino specializes in classic American muscle cars.
Hans-Dieter Mandt
Raised by the son of a former auto union test driver and Porsche Racing Shop owner, Mandt is a second-generation car enthusiast. He served as a crew member of a Porsche racing team, which raced the IMSA Series and the 24 Hours of LeMans. Additionally, he has served as treasurer of the Porsche Club of America, Florida Crown Region, for over a decade, sits on the Porsche Club Board and is the club's dealer liaison. Mandt is active in Porsche Club driver education programs and club races and is the proud owner of various Porsches and classic Mercedes.
Dick Messer
For 12 years, until June 2010, Messer was executive director at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Located in Los Angeles, the museum is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious automotive museums. Messer, a life-long car collector who is well connected in the collector car community, was the first to hold the museum director post.
Dan Scanlan
A 28-year resident of Jacksonville, Scanlan has worked in local television and radio, handled election campaign advertising accounts for a circuit court judge and a clerk of court race and opened a local comedy club before going to the Florida Times-Union 20 years ago. He is married with one son and is active in church and community activities. Scanlan is the main contributor to the Drive section of the Florida Times-Union.
Rob Sewell
Sewell is a retired planner and software engineer after 30 years at Lockheed (then Lockheed Martin), and has FAA airframe and powerplant mechanics certificates. Sewell developed his affinity for cars and car repair from watching his dad wrench on the family vehicles. He has a special love for German cars that he developed in high school. His German teacher, a retired Luftwaffe pilot of FW-190s during WWII, might have had something to do with that. Sewell has owned several German cars including a 1966 VW 1300 beetle, a newly purchased 1973 Porsche 914 2.0, a 1981 VW Jetta and a 1970s VW Dasher. Sewell currently owns a 1997 Porsche Carrera S that his mother insisted he purchase with his inheritance money after her passing. Sewell is currently membership chairman and webmaster for the PCA Florida Crown Region. He helps and participates in all the local car activities he can.
Mark Steiger
Steiger, a recently retired physician assistant from Baptist Primary Care in Ponte Vedra, has owned so many cars he has lost count. They range from 3-cylinder, 2-stroke SAAB's to a V8 Ferrari. He spent many years driving a 1968 Porsche 911L at Florida Crown Region Porsche Club driving events and currently has a 1966 Ford Cortina GT, a 1967 VW Beetle and a rare turquoise 1997 BMW Z3. Steiger’s wife calls him a “car magnet,” and he is always on the lookout for the unusual project to keep him busy. This will be Steiger’s first year serving as a Ponte Vedra Auto Show judge.
AJ Tasker
Tasker is an attorney at law specializing in criminal DUI. Tasker owns a 5.0 Mustang, the 11th Mustang he has owned. Tasker is a member of the First Coast Modified Mustang Club and has been judging with the Ponte Vedra Auto Show for the past six years.
Jake Weisman
Jake Weisman’s passion for cars started at birth and has progressed into a fulltime career. Through his work as a regional territory manager for Hagerty Classic Cars, Weisman works closely with other automotive enthusiasts to help protect and properly value their vehicles, all while promoting the cultural value of collecting. Hagerty protects more than 1 million vehicles, 12,000 boats and 30,000 motorcycles worth a total of $30 billion. As a company, Hagerty attends more than 2,000 classic car events each year, with Weisman managing events in the South Florida region. A Ponte Vedra native, Weisman has been attending the Ponte Vedra Auto Show with his father, previous Head Judge Larry Weisman, for more than 15 years.
Sam Yocca
New to this show, Yocca has previous experience with various shows here in North Florida, including the Concurs D' Elegance and Festival of Speed from 2007 to current. “My love and appreciation for the automobile is a result of my own hobby of restorations of many classic American muscle cars,” Yocca said. Yocca is most fond of the Chevrolet restorations of three Monte Carlos, a 69 Chevelle and a 69 Camaro. His current garage queen is a 1973 Hurst Oldsmobile Cutlass (gold on white) built in the third week of April and one of 647 built in 1973. After the weather cools, Yocca will begin his mechanical restoration on the Hurst Olds. “I am working to pass this same appreciation to my son Damian by keeping the originality of the 1973 H/O and get it road worthy in the next year,” Yocca said. Damian was introduced as a junior judge at the Festival of Speed in 2018 and has continued his participation since.
