Toyota honors top dealers with President's Award

Toyota Material Handling USA Inc. recently announced the 2006 winners of its prestigious President’s Award. TMHU selects its top dealers each year from a nationwide network of 69 dealers and 189 dealership locations, recognizing them for demonstrating excellence in parts, service and equipment sales, customer satisfaction and overall dealership operations. This year, 16 winners earned the coveted award and were acknowledged at Toyota’s national dealer meeting at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, Calif.

“Every year, we are astounded by the commitment and drive demonstrated by our top dealers,” said Shankar Basu, president and chief executive officer of TMHU. “It is because of their tireless efforts that Toyota continues to strengthen its position as the number one lift truck supplier in the industry.  We applaud their hard work and commitment to earning this award.”

The winners are:

• Vann Williford of Atlantic Coast Toyotalift, Winston-Salem, N.C.
• Ron McCluskey of Brodie Toyota-Lift, Lawrence, Mass.
• Jeff Fischer of Florida Lift Systems, Inc., Orlando, Fla.
• Robert Whittingham of Forklifts of St. Louis Inc., St. Louis, Mo.
• Stuart Thompson of Garrison Toyota Material Handling, Nashville, Tenn.
• Brian Hull of Hull Toyota Lift, Elkhart, Ind.
• Joe Clark of Mid-South Lift Trucks, Inc. (The Lilly Company), Memphis, Tenn.
• James L. Shoppa of Shoppa’s Material Handling Ltd., Fort Worth, Texas
• Jeff Fischer of Southern States Toyotalift, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Larry McKevitt of Summit Handling Systems Inc., North Haven, Conn.
• Michael Elliott of SwiftLift Inc., Victor, N.Y.
• Thomas J. Mitchell of Toyota Materials Handling, Irondale, Ala.
• Richard Andres of Toyota Material Handling Northern California, Hayward, Calif.
• Leslie Doggett of Toyota Lift of South Texas, San Antonio, Texas, a Doggett Equipment Company
• Fred Stanley of Westquip Inc., Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Andrew Williams of Williams Toyota Lift Inc., East Sparta, Ohio

The President’s Award, TMHU’s highest honor, has been awarded to select dealers since its inception in 1990 to acknowledge their outstanding business accomplishments.