Southeast Toyota Finance Announces Leadership Changes and New Initiatives to Drive Future Growth

Bill Shope retires after 35 impactful years with the company; Casey Gunnell Jr. named new president; Charles Gruszczynski and Michael Hollis promoted to group vice presidents

Dan Chait, president and CEO of JM Family Enterprises, announced executive leadership changes for subsidiary Southeast Toyota Finance, a captive financial services company driven to delivering an exceptional experience for Toyota customers in the southeast. These leadership appointments come as Southeast Toyota Finance continues its journey of innovation and transformation through SPARK, a strategic initiative designed to modernize operations, enhance dealer and customer experiences, and position the company for long-term success.

After 35 impactful years with the company, former president Bill Shope retired at the end of March. Shope’s remarkable journey and contributions have left a lasting legacy, including advancing analytic capabilities, strengthening dealer relationships, and launching the SPARK business transformation project, which includes innovative initiatives that will propel the company forward in 2025 and beyond.

In a strategic move to continue this momentum, Casey Gunnell Jr., most recently GVP of Southeast Toyota Finance, was named president. Gunnell’s 27-year tenure with JM Family, including 25 years at sister company Southeast Toyota Distributors, has been marked by significant achievements in various leadership roles. His commitment to the company’s values and associates ensures that Southeast Toyota Finance will continue to thrive under his leadership.

“Casey’s promotion to president of Southeast Toyota Finance recognizes and celebrates his nearly three decades of driving success across our automotive and finance operations,” said Chait. “He’s a proven and capable leader who understands that strong results come from investing in people as much as they come from strategic agility and execution. I am confident that under Casey’s leadership, Southeast Toyota Finance will continue to set industry standards and deliver superior service to our customers.”

Additionally, Southeast Toyota Finance executives announced the promotions of Charles Gruszczynski and Michael Hollis to Group Vice President (GVP). These promotions are closely tied to the company’s SPARK initiatives, ensuring a seamless alignment of leadership and strategic goals.

Gruszczynski, now GVP of Portfolio Management, will oversee Analytics, Data, Portfolio Finance, Risk, and Credit Administration. His leadership will be instrumental in driving SPARK’s Technology & Process initiative, leveraging advanced technology and data to enhance efficiency and deliver flexible solutions.

Hollis, as GVP of Operations, will lead strategies and operations within the Customer Experience Centers and manage strategic partnerships. His role will be pivotal in the Organizational initiative, developing a future-ready workforce equipped with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

Ranked No. 1 in dealer satisfaction among Captive Mass Market-Prime Automotive Finance Lenders for the second year in a row by the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study, Southeast Toyota Finance launches the next evolution of the SPARK program, focusing on four key initiatives to continue exceeding the evolving needs of dealers and customers.

• Transaction: Evolving programs and the customer experience to position Southeast Toyota Finance as the primary consideration in-store and online.
• Vehicle: Creating competitive financing solutions for evolving vehicles and associated technology to achieve market leadership and customer retention.
• Technology & Process: Leveraging advanced technology and process improvements to enhance efficiency and deliver flexible solutions.
• Organizational: Developing a future-ready workforce equipped with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

“This is an excellent leadership team in place as Southeast Toyota Finance continues to grow,” Chait continued. “We look forward to the continued success that their collective efforts will bring to our organization and dealers.”

These initiatives are crucial as Southeast Toyota Finance aligns its efforts around a shared vision for the future. Together, the company will continue to drive success and innovation, ensuring Southeast Toyota Finance remains a leader in the industry.

About Southeast Toyota Finance
Southeast Toyota Finance (part of World Omni Financial Corp.) is a captive financial services company driven to delivering an exceptional dealership and customer experience for Toyota customers in the Southeast. The company offers a broad range of products and services to the 177 Toyota dealers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Southeast Toyota Finance is the leading provider of finance and lease options for new Toyota vehicles within its footprint, consistently ranking at the top in market share and dealer satisfaction. The company is committed to strong dealer relationships and customer service, providing finance, retail and lease programs, college graduate and military rebate programs that drive customer and dealer loyalty. The company’s portfolio of dealer loans includes inventory financing, real estate, and construction loans.

Southeast Toyota Finance is a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises, Inc., a privately held company with $22.8 billion in revenue and more than 5,000 associates, which is headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida.