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Homegrown Leader to Take the Wheel at Dubbo City & Gilgandra Toyota
In a move that underscores the strength of regional talent and internal career development, Dubbo City Toyota, Gilgandra Toyota and Lexus of Central West have announced a planned leadership transition that will see long-serving executive Justin Sultana appointed Dealer Principal and Tristram Quinn promoted to General Manager.
The appointments follow the decision by current Dealer Principal Ben Thompson to take on the role of Dealer Principal at Motorama Toyota in Brisbane. While relocating for the position, Mr Thompson will remain a Director of Dubbo City Toyota, Gilgandra Toyota and Lexus of Central West alongside fellow Director David Hayes.
For the dealership group, however, the story is not about succession. It's about what succession represents.
At a time when many regional communities continue to grapple with the perception that ambitious careers require a move to a capital city, the appointments offer a different narrative.
Two of the group's most senior leadership positions will continue to be held by people who have built their careers from the ground up within regional New South Wales.
"We've always believed that great careers can be built right here," Mr Thompson said.
"Developing people has never been a slogan for us. It's been a business strategy and a responsibility."
"I am passionate about building high-performance teams founded on a strong, values-led culture that empowers people to thrive. It's our people who drive sustained success across our business, and being able to promote from within means that we are succeeding."
The leadership transition reflects a philosophy that has shaped the business for many years: invest heavily in training, create clear pathways for progression and give capable people opportunities to grow.
That approach has seen employees develop from apprenticeships and entry-level roles into specialist, management and executive positions, all while remaining in the communities where they live and raise their families. The business has consistently positioned talent development as a key objective of its culture strategy.
Mr Hayes said businesses have a broader role to play in strengthening regional communities.
"My passion lies in building a business that not only serves its customers but also strengthens the community," he said.
"When local businesses create opportunities for local people, the benefits extend well beyond the workplace. Strong careers create confidence, stability and help keep talented people in our region."
For incoming Dealer Principal Justin Sultana, the appointment is both a professional milestone and validation of what regional businesses can achieve.
"Regional dealerships should never see themselves as second-tier operators," Mr Sultana said.
"I am passionate about driving sustainable growth across our PMA, leveraging the strength of the Dubbo region and the capability of our people to deliver performance on par with metro dealerships."
"One of the greatest opportunities we have is proving that people don't need to leave regional NSW to access rewarding careers, professional development and leadership opportunities."
"Our goal is to continue bridging regional excellence with metropolitan standards while remaining proudly connected to the communities we serve."
Mr Quinn, who will step into the General Manager role, said continuing to build capability across the organisation will remain a key priority.
"I am passionate about driving continuous improvement, refining existing processes and introducing new ones that empower our people to perform at their best," he said.
"Long-term success comes from creating systems and structures that allow people to grow. When you invest in your team, customers feel the benefit and the business becomes stronger as a result."
For Mr Thompson, the measure of success is not the appointment itself, but what it signals about the future of regional Australia.
"If we're serious about the future of regional communities, we need to create opportunities that encourage talented people to stay, grow and lead here," he said.
"Seeing Justin and Tristram step into these roles is evidence that those opportunities exist. That's something our entire team, and our community, can be proud of."
