Photography by Roy Son
“Well-traveled” barely scratches the surface when it comes to Chase Hawkins’s impressive international experience. After visiting some 47 countries during his 17 years with General Motors, the native South African has collected a wealth of passport stamps — and knowledge of the international luxury automotive industry. The vice president of Porsche brands for Porsche Minneapolis/St. Paul finds the Twin Cities to be one of the most genuinely exciting locales to live and work. “The city offers you everything that a New York or Chicago can but without the congestion and traffic,” Hawkins says. “And the people are just delightful as a community.”
He notes that the heritage of the brand and the performance of the vehicles allow Porsche to prosper in the Twin Cities. “The Porsche brand, ultimately, is more attainable than most people imagine it to be,” Hawkins explains. “The Macan and the Panamera, for example, fit people who may have historically believed that the brand was too aspirational for them. We have price points for many vehicles that are comparable to any other luxury car. If needs were wants, everybody would drive a Porsche.”
Read this article as it appears in the magazine.
