associates who have contributed greatly to my business and to our community.” Street earned a B.B.A. at the University of Oklahoma in Norman in 1971. After college, he started selling Buicks at a dealership in Oklahoma City, where he received awards for sales volume and was named sales manager. In 1975, Street moved to Fowler Toyota AMC Jeep in Norman as general sales manager until 1982. “During that time, I took the Fowler dealership to the number one volume Toyota dealer in Oklahoma and to the top 10 volume Jeep dealership in the United States,” he said. With such great business success, Street channeled his experience and sales acumen into his own venture and became the Toyota dealer in Amarillo in 1982 with the help of two silent partners, who he was able to buy out in eight years. “Street Toyota has won the Toyota President’s Award 21 times,” he said of this prestigious honor that is presented to dealerships that excel in all aspects of their operations. As a sales and volume leader for Toyota and an auto industry veteran, Street is also uniquely qualified to advocate for his fellow dealers and has served the Texas Automobile Dealers Association as vice chair, district director and a member of the legislative committee. “During my tenure, I worked with our team to lobby both state and federal lawmakers to support legislation that strengthens dealerships’ business and finance operations,” he said. “I have also solicited corporate sponsors that financially support staff overhead at the association.” In the area of community service, Street is committed to helping the most vulnerable populations of Amarillo. He is a major benefactor and longtime board member of the Guyon Saunders Resource Center, a safe daytime refuge that offers basic services for those who are experiencing homelessness. “Amarillo has the highest homeless rate per capita of any city in Texas,” he said. “It is the only low-barrier daytime shelter of its kind in our city.” And Street is also galvanizing the community to build a new facility called Transformation Park, which would house the Guyon Saunders Resource Center and provide a daytime shelter and temporary cabin-style housing. “My wife, Laura, and I have donated more than $1 million to this public-private project which is set to break ground in October,” he said. “As a member of the board, I have assisted in raising money for this important venture, which is funded jointly by the community, the city of Amarillo and local churches.” The couple has also recently gifted $2.5 million to West Texas A&M University to establish the Laura and Joe Street School of Nursing in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The gift will provide operational support, scholarships, graduate assistantships and professorships. “We did this to help secure nurses for the huge regional medical complex in Amarillo that serves a four-state area,” he said. To encourage his team to get involved in giving back to the community, Street sponsors employees to participate in Leadership Amarillo & Canyon, a program that promotes leadership development, community awareness, and social consciousness. He is also a supporter of the United Way of Amarillo & Canyon Loaned Executive program, for which he “loans” three of his employees to help with the organization’s annual fundraising campaign. “The dealership spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to support local nonprofits and special events in our community,” Street said. “Our goal is to always be a major supporter of initiatives that have a significant impact on improving lives in our community.” For his good works and charitable giving, Street was named the 2013 Man of the Year by Amarillo Globe-News. Other groups he supports include Scouting America Golden Spread Council (former treasurer and sponsor of annual events); Panhandle Fellowship of Christian Athletes (board member, board president and top-level sponsor); Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Amarillo Chamber of Commerce; Amarillo Sod Poodles (minor league baseball team); West Texas A&M University (football and basketball programs); Amarillo Symphony; Lone Star Ballet; local rodeos and many others. DEALERS’ CHOICE 18
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