Former Toyota VP of Retail Market Development Joins Pinnacle Team
Southlake, Texas – May 13, 2025 — Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions, a leading national dealership brokerage firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Dennis J. Thornhill to its team as Executive Advisor. Thornhill is a seasoned automotive executive with nearly four decades of leadership experience from Toyota Motor North America.
Thornhill will leverage his extensive experience in dealer operations, franchise policy, and market representation to guide clients through complex transactions. His long-standing dealer relationships across the dealership landscape, including many of the largest dealer groups, will strengthen Pinnacle’s presence and reinforce its relationship-first approach to dealership mergers and acquisitions.
“Dennis brings a rare combination of institutional knowledge, strategic vision, and deep-rooted relationships across the automotive industry,” said Bill Scrivner, founder and CEO of Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions. “The leadership style, passion and values of Dennis align perfectly with our culture, and we’re thrilled to have him as an incredible resource to our team and clients,” added Mike Sims, president of Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions.
Throughout his 39-year career, Thornhill held numerous senior roles spanning field operations, national distribution, sales, insurance, and dealer network development. Most recently, he spent over two decades in Toyota and Lexus’s Market Representation division, serving as the Vice President of Retail Market Development (RMD), where he led dealer franchise strategy, acquisition planning, facility branding standards, business management and the Toyota Dealer Investment Group (TDIG), which aligned Toyota with future dealer partners. He’s been a passionate liaison with diversity dealers and led key initiatives with huge success, earning him NAMAD’s Distinguished Service Award in 2022.
“Joining Pinnacle feels like a natural next step,” said Thornhill. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked side-by-side with dealers, OEM leaders, and transaction facilitators, and what always stood out was the value of trusted relationships and what more I could do to help. Pinnacle embodies that principle at its core.”
In addition to his operational expertise, Thornhill also played pivotal roles with Toyota’s San Francisco and New York regional offices and helped shape national initiatives around sponsorships, auto shows, and brand experiences for Lexus. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration – finance from California State University, Long Beach. He also jointly serves on the Advisory Board of Open Road Capital based in Fairfax, VA.
About Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions
With more than 850 dealership transactions completed across the country, $40 billion in completed transactions, and 85 years of combined experience, Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions is a trusted partner to both buyers and sellers. It provides expert guidance and customized strategies that drive value and long-term success in every transaction.
To learn more about Pinnacle’s services or to schedule a confidential consultation, visit www.pinnaclemergers.com.
