Being active in and giving back to the community comes naturally to Jeff Hawn. He and his wife, Jenell, own Beacon Automotive and Veterans Towing & Recovery. They start giving back by conducting their businesses with honesty, loyalty, and integrity. “We’re a Christian owned company, so those values are very important to us,” Jeff shares. Both businesses are family owned and operated, with adult children Holly, Tristan, and Trace learning firsthand how important those values are to a successful life and business.
Opening Beacon Automotive was a natural fit for Jeff, who grew up around cars. “My dad spent twenty-four years in the military, and he always worked on cars on the side,” says Jeff. “When I joined the military, I joined as a mechanic and served for about nine and a half years.” When Jeff got out of the Army, he spent another fifteen years as a government contractor, all the while thinking about opening his own business. “The opportunity came along where this place became available, so I opened this shop fourteen years ago,” he adds. “I wish I had started it earlier.”
Beacon Automotive provides vehicle maintenance and repair that ranges from oil changes and tires to new engines and transmissions. “We do pretty much everything,” Jeff explains. “We even subcontract with someone who puts in windshields and another guy who does headliners and stuff like that - all at a great price for great work.”
Veterans Towing & Recovery offers essential services at fair prices to people who find themselves in a tough situation, and they do it in a way that honors our military community. “With me being a veteran and being close to a military base, we not only decided to call it Veterans Towing, but we decal our trucks like military trucks,” he says. “We've got an Army truck, a Navy truck, and a Marine truck.”
As a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Jeff is involved in a mechanics ministry. “We have people who donate used vehicles to the church, and we have to fix those vehicles, make them operational, and make sure there are no check engine lights that need to be addressed,” explains Jeff. “We've given away hundreds of vehicles through the mechanics ministry. It's something we enjoy doing and when you have a single mom with three or four kids, and you see the look on her face when you give her a vehicle, it's priceless.”
Jeff invests in today’s youth by opening the shop for students to learn what his team does in hopes that some of them will gravitate towards mechanics when they graduate. He also supports local athletic programs and volunteers as a coach. “For quite a few years, I was at Augusta Christian coaching football as a volunteer. This year I'll be over at Covenant Christian Academy coaching their football program,” he says. “I enjoy helping out in the community, being around kids, and being a positive influence in their lives.”
Stop in and meet Jeff and family at Beacon Automotive, located at 475 Lewiston Road in Grovetown. For more information, visit beaconautocsra.com or call 706-388-5486 (shop) or 706-715-4775 (towing). Also follow Beacon Automotive and Veterans Towing & Recovery on Facebook.