Chief Honorary Judge Stephen Brauer
St. Louis, Missouri
Stephen Brauer is Chairman and CEO of Hunter Engineering Company, which designs, manufactures and sells computer-based automotive service equipment to automobile manufacturers and dealers worldwide. In June 2001 President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Brauer as his US Ambassador to Belgium, where he served until September 2003. He is a past member of the Smithsonian National Board and is active in numerous charitable and civic organizations. In the automobile arena, Mr. Brauer was influenced at an early age by his stepfather, Lee Hunter, who was an automotive genius, founder of Hunter Engineering Company and a member of the US Automotive Hall of Fame. After lengthy discussions, they decided that a 1932 V-16 Cadillac Phaeton was the ultimate, and in 1983 they found an original unrestored example—believed to be one of just three remaining. Mr. Brauer is a longtime collector of American classic cars, Springfield Rolls-Royce and postwar coachbuilt Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars. He has served as a member of our Selection Committee since its formation in 2005, and in 2020 he stepped into the role of our Chief Honorary Judge.
