Exciting Changes at Sunshine Toyota: Welcoming Ryan O’Connor as Our New Dealer Principal

We’re thrilled to announce a change in the winds at Sunshine Toyota with our new Dealer Principal, Ryan O’Connor, taking the helm from July 1st.

If you’ve visited us before, you may recognise his face as Ryan has been a dedicated employee of Sunshine Toyota for the last 10 years. He started his career here as a Trainee Sales Consultant and moved through the ranks to become our General Manager in 2023. So it was only natural that when Darren Venning, our current Dealer Principal, announced his retirement earlier this year, Ryan became his successor.

Originally from the UK, Ryan has been living on the Sunshine Coast for the last 15 years. Here, he met his wife Sam, and together, they’re raising their three beautiful kids. Ryan has become an integral part of our community, both personally and professionally and we’re excited for what’s to come.

Over the past decade, Ryan has demonstrated his commitment to Sunshine Toyota, our community, and our partnerships. He embodies our mantra of "Feelin’ good now" in everything he does.

On that note, we say a bittersweet goodbye and thank you to our current Dealer Principal, Darren Venning, who has lived, breathed, and taken our dealership to the next level over the past 12 years. Darren spent a large part of his time building up our brand, community connections, and business relationships, as well as mentoring our strong management team. So the community can rest assured that while our captain is changing, the rest of our management team remains the same.

Our commitment to our customers, community, and "Feelin’ Good Now!" will always be steadfast. Ryan looks forward to engaging with the community, understanding the unique needs of our customers, and continuing the tradition of excellence that Sunshine Toyota is known for.

We wish Darren and his wife Lisa all the best in their retirement and want to thank them for all they have done for our dealership and the community throughout their 12-year tenure. Darren and Lisa plan to do some travelling in the coming months but will always call the Sunshine Coast home.

Here’s to a bright future together!