Nate McLaughlin, who has completed his sophomore year at McPherson College, has been awarded the inaugural Jules “J.” and Sally Heumann Scholarship presented by the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
“J. was a guiding light to the Pebble Beach Concours for over four decades,” the concours said in announcing McLaughlin’s scholarship. “He attended the event from its beginning in 1950; he first showed a car here — a 1958 Jaguar Mark IV — in 1958; he began his tenure as a Judge in 1967; and then, with his good friend Lorin Tryon, he served as Co-Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours from 1972 through 1998, elevating this event to its premier status.
“Throughout that time, J.’s first wife Sally was often right by his side, adding her charm and personality to the mix, making certain that not only the cars but the people were warmly welcomed.”
Sally Heumann and Lorin Tryon each died in 1998 and J. Heumann served as event chairman for another year to assure a smooth transition to the next leadership team. He died in 2017.
Donations for the scholarship came from Heumann’s daughters, Jann and Leslie, and from several concours entrants and judges. The first recipient is McLaughlin, who will enter his junior year at McPherson in the fall. The Kansas college offers a four-year degree in automotive restoration.
“I have always loved classic cars and their history,” McLaughlin told Pebble Beach officials upon learning of his scholarship. “Whether it’s a small hand-built aluminum-bodied Porsche or a piece of Americana like a 1967 Camaro, you really get a feel for that time period as you work on these cars.”
McLaughlin, who is from Ticonderoga, New York, added that, “the most surprising thing about car world is just how willing people are to give you a helping hand. There will always be someone to help you when you ‘re working on your car.”
