Dwayne Hawkins, Crown Automotive founder and Alabama native, dead at 85
Updated Dec 30, 2020;
It was never the cars that fueled Dwayne Hawkins’ drive for success.
In fact, his sons say their father founder and CEO of Crown Automotive Group, one of the largest automobile dealerships in the southeast wasn’t really much of a gearhead. He favored station wagons over muscle cars.
“We had a Pontiac Safari handle-side wagon we rode around in, which is borderline child abuse,” quipped his son Kevin. “I don’t remember ever seeing a GTO in the driveway. But it wasn’t about the cars. He wanted to accomplish something.”
Dwayne Hawkins, Crown Automotive founder and philanthropist, dead at 85 Anastasia Dawson, Tampa Bay Times
It was never the cars that fueled Dwayne Hawkins’ drive for success.
In fact, his sons say their father founder and CEO of Crown Automotive Group, one of the largest automobile dealerships in the southeast wasn’t really much of a gearhead. He favored station wagons over muscle cars.
“We had a Pontiac Safari handle-side wagon we rode around in, which is borderline child abuse,” quipped his son Kevin. “I don’t remember ever seeing a GTO in the driveway. But it wasn’t about the cars. He wanted to accomplish something.”