Don Esmond is senior advisor to TMS President and CEO Jim Lentz. He will play a major role in ensuring a smooth transition following his retirement in July 2012, after more than 30 years with Toyota.

 

Esmond most recently served as senior vice president, automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. in which he was responsible for all TMS automotive operations, including the Toyota Division, the Lexus Division, sales administration, Toyota Logistics Services, Toyota Motor Sales de Mexico and Toyota de Puerto Rico.

 

Esmond joined Toyota in 1982 and served as corporate fleet and truck manager, and national fleet manager. He became vice president of field sales for Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, in 1989. He later served as vice president of the large car sales team where he launched the new Camry. He held the position of group vice president of the Toyota Sales Division and most recently was senior vice president and general manager, Toyota Division.

 

Prior to joining Toyota, Esmond had a 12-year career with Ford Motor Company, where he held various field positions, including national account executive, assistant and general field manager for the Seattle Lincoln-Mercury District sales office, merchandising manager and zone manager at the Los Angeles District sales office.

 

Additionally, Esmond spent five years in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as captain, naval aviator and helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, 45 Air Medals and a Purple Heart. In 1999, Esmond received the prestigious Semper Fidelis Award from the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation (MCSF). The Semper Fidelis Award is presented annually to an individual who has displayed “dedicated and inspirational civic and community leadership.” Esmond was later named as a director of the foundation, which raises money and awards college scholarships to the deserving sons and daughters of US Marines and the children of former Marines. In 2006, Esmond was appointed to serve on the Defense Advisory Board for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

 

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business and economics from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.