- Multi-year production of Toyota Dealer Meeting
- Event locations include Austin Convention Center, Morial Convention Center, George R Brown Convention Center
- Guest appearances include UT Marching Band, Nuttin But Strings, Darrell Waltrip
- Auto Expo Highlights Toyota, Scion and Concept Vehicles
TOYOTA Dealer Meetings
For more than 12 years, VISION President and Executive Producer, Tracey Shappro, has produced Gulf States Toyota's annual Dealer Meeting for the five-state region of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma.
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is one of America's most successful private companies and one of the largest distributors in the world of Toyota vehicles. Founded in 1969, GST teams up with over 150 dealerships in a five-state region to meet the rising demand for Toyota cars, minivans, SUVs and trucks.
With vehicle sales steadily increasing, GST outsold Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (Torrance, CA) in import car market share in 1998. With record sales in 2000, GST sold 11% of all Toyotas sold in the United States.
In 2003, GST helped name Houston's best sports and entertainment venue—the Toyota Center. Toyota broke ground on its 2,000-acre truck plant in San Antonio. The plant, which produces the all-new, full-size Tundra pickup, represents a $1.58 billion investment in the community. At year's end, GST recorded more than 149,000 total vehicles sold.
In 2005, Gulf States Toyota was named the #1 privately held company in Houston by the Houston Chronicle's Chronicle 100 list. GST was also listed at #40 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies. By the end of the year, more than 185,000 vehicles were sold through 145 dealerships.
Production began at San Antonio's Texas truck plant in 2006. That same year, GST's Vehicle Processing Center expanded to 150 acres and GST sold 226,960 vehicles by the year's end.
Demand for Toyota vehicles continues to increase and GST commits to "a Toyota in every garage."
