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Toyota And Lexus Announce Nine New Diversity Dealers

22 December 1998

Toyota And Lexus Announce Nine New Diversity Dealers

    TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 21 -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
(TMS) today announced it has appointed nine more diversity dealers to its
Toyota and Lexus dealer networks.
    "Diversity gives us a competitive edge, so we are committed to increasing
the number of minority- and women-owned Toyota and Lexus dealerships," said
TMS Executive Vice President Yale Gieszl.  "Despite today's challenging
automotive environment, where many dealerships are being purchased for high
prices by public dealer groups, we have made significant ground in this area."
    Since TMS accelerated its Dealer Diversity Program in 1997, 18 diversity
dealers have been added and more are expected in the near future.  Of the nine
newest Toyota and Lexus dealer appointments, four dealers are African-
American, three are women, one is Native American, and one is Hispanic.
    James Kaiser of Lexus of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn., Emanuel Jones of
Legacy Toyota in Union City, Ga., Larry Miles of Fasset-Nickel Toyota in
Cheyenne, Wyo., and J. Michael Chargois, who has signed a letter-of-intent to
build a Toyota dealership in San Marcos, Texas, are African-American dealers
new to Lexus and Toyota.
    Agnes Rotter of Rotter's Toyota in Olympia, Wash., Denise Bruno of Route
44 Toyota in Raynham, Mass., and Katherine Stevens of Stevens Toyota in
Huntington, N.Y., are new dealer principals for those stores.
    Kodiak Auto Center in Kodiak, Alaska, is owned by MTNT LTD., a corporation
formed and owned by Alaska Native Indians.
    Richard Romero, who owns numerous automobile dealerships in Southern
California, is now owner of Toyota of Glendale in Glendale, Calif.
    "It's a pleasure to welcome these new dealers to the Toyota and Lexus
family," said Gieszl.  "Toyota understands diversity is one of the keys to our
success and we're striving to achieve it throughout our corporate and dealer
organizations."