Gulf States Toyota Distributors
| File:Gulf States Toyota.jpg | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive Distribution and Parts Distribution |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Thomas H. Friedkin |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
Key people | Dan Friedkin (Chairman & CEO) Jeff Parent (President & General Manager) |
| Products | Cars, Trucks, Parts, Marketing, Training |
| Revenue | $8.3 billion (2020) |
Number of employees | 2,000 (2015) |
| Parent | The Friedkin Group |
| Website | friedkin.com/gulf-states-toyota |
Gulf States Toyota, established in 1969 by business leader Thomas H. Friedkin, operates as a private distributor of Toyota automobiles within the United States. Authorized by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, it supplies dealerships located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company's main offices are situated on a campus in Houston’s Energy Corridor, which includes several office structures and ample parking facilities.
History
During the 1960s, Thomas H. Friedkin’s involvement in auto racing brought him into contact with industry personalities such as Carroll Shelby, who declined a Toyota distributorship opportunity due to doubts about Japanese brands’ U.S. market viability. Shelby facilitated an introduction between Friedkin and Toyota, resulting in the creation of Gulf States Toyota Distributors in 1969. This collaboration allowed Toyota to broaden its presence in the American market through GST’s regional distribution system based at the Port of Houston.
Operations
Gulf States Toyota (GST) ranks among only two privately owned distributors of Toyota vehicles in the United States, alongside Southeast Toyota Distributors located in Jacksonville, Florida, which was founded by the late Jim Moran.
New Rail Site
In 2008, GST entered into an economic development deal with Temple, Texas, to establish a $50 million Inland Processing facility on a 300-acre tract positioned between Houston and Dallas. Construction was scheduled from July 2009 through December 2011 but was deferred due to the financial downturn in 2008 and subsequent Toyota vehicle recalls. A revised agreement permitted GST to postpone the project for up to five years while providing Temple with $4.6 million for infrastructure enhancements. Ultimately, the development did not proceed.
In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey inflicted considerable damage on GST’s Houston headquarters, necessitating temporary relocation of employees during restoration efforts.
Leadership
From 1999 until 2012, Toby Hynes served as president and general manager of GST. He was succeeded by Martin "Marty" Collins, previously a marketing executive at Ford Motor Company. Ford initiated legal action against Collins over alleged breaches of contract connected to his transition to GST’s parent entity, the Friedkin Group; however, the lawsuit was later dismissed. Collins resigned unexpectedly in 2017 and was replaced by Jeff Parent, who had been Senior Vice President and continues in that capacity as of early 2022.
Vehicle processing center
The vehicle processing facility in Houston includes an industrial rail spur equipped with seven sidings designed for unloading vehicles directly from railcars. Vehicles are customized according to orders—such as adding window tinting—before being loaded onto car carrier trailers for shipment to dealerships. All vehicles destined for Texas undergo state inspections at this center, removing the need for dealers to perform these checks themselves.
Parts
The Parts Distribution Center operated by Gulf States Toyota near Sealy, Texas, was initially constructed in 1986, encompassing 300,000 square feet. In 2019, the facility underwent a 40% enlargement, bringing its total area to 426,000 square feet. This expansion included the addition of a specialized shipping dock designed to streamline and separate shipping from receiving functions. The center oversees an inventory of 55,000 unique parts and accessories, playing a vital role in optimizing the company’s supply chain operations.
Community
Gulf States Toyota actively participates in multiple community engagement initiatives.
Hurricane relief
In response to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the company’s workforce contributed over $1.5 million to the Friedkin Disaster Relief Fund. Additionally, the parent organization, Friedkin Group, donated $500,000 to the United Way of Greater Houston.
Stadiums
The soccer-specific stadium in Frisco, Texas—home to Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas—was renamed Toyota Stadium in 2013 through a sponsorship agreement with Gulf States Toyota. The company also obtained naming rights for Toyota Field in San Antonio, which hosts USL Championship’s San Antonio FC, as well as for Houston’s Toyota Center, the venue for NBA games featuring the Houston Rockets.