The 51爆料® has hired Justin Hawkins as the Club’s Director of Finance and Administration, a role that ultimately oversees the finances of the entire organization, including SCCA Inc., SCCA Foundation, and SCCA Enterprises. This hiring fills a role that is being vacated by Jeff Dahnert, who retired on May 2, 2025, after twice serving the Club as the head of the Finance and Administration department, as well as once leading the SCCA as its President and CEO.
Dahnert’s service to the Club began in November 2004, when he became the Club’s Vice President of Finance and Administration. In January 2009, Dahnert was hired as SCCA’s President and CEO, vacating that position in late 2013. Returning to the SCCA staff in early 2021 as the Senior Director of Finance and Administration, Dahnert soon became the Senior Director of Business Operations, overseeing SCCA’s Finance, Human Resources, Risk Management, IT, and Member Services departments.
"Coming back to the SCCA in 2021 was like coming home – so many familiar faces and lots of new ones,” Dahnert explained of his time as an SCCA staffer. “The Club has survived many challenges over the years, including the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009 and the COVID pandemic. Not all organizations were as fortunate. The SCCA is in the best financial position it has ever been in, and with the leadership of SCCA President and CEO Mike Cobb, the staff, and the volunteers, it will continue to grow and prosper for the foreseeable future."
In preparation of Dahnert’s retirement, the Club hired Justin Hawkins to fill the position of Director of Finance and Administration. Bringing with him a wealth of experience overseeing the finances of a multitude of company types, Hawkins is a CPA with nearly three decades of experience.
“After starting my career at a small public accounting firm, I have been involved with nonprofit associations, for-profit companies, and charitable organizations throughout my entire career,” said Hawkins. “As a finance executive, I have experience in financial reporting and analysis to enhance business performance.”
A Kansas native who was raised not far from SCCA’s Topeka, KS, headquarters that he will work out of, Hawkins has long had an interest in cars and motorsports – something that accelerated when he purchased a sports car and began participating in track days.
“I’m excited to join the SCCA family, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to continue the efficient financial operations and transparent reporting that Jeff has championed,” Hawkins said. “I love that I’m able to use my skills and experience to enhance the finance and accounting operations with transparent reporting, which ultimately supports members in an industry that has a personal interest to me.”
Hawkins’s first day as an SCCA staff member was April 14, 2025, offering a multi-week overlap with Dahnert to ensure a smooth transition.
“Justin’s hiring is a testament to the hard work that Jeff and his team have put in through the years,” said SCCA President and CEO Mike Cobb, who Hawkins will report to. “With Justin’s professional chops and passion for the sport, doubled with the groundwork Jeff and his team have laid down, I know the Club’s finances are in good hands.”
