Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Names Vice President of Diversity

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 27 -- As part of Toyota's commitment to its sweeping North American 21st Century Diversity Strategy, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (TMS) has named Guillermo Hysaw to the newly created position of vice president of diversity. Hysaw, a 15-year-veteran of TMS, assumes his new position March 1.

Hysaw will be responsible for oversight and direction of the company's diversity strategy, ensuring its timely implementation and integration into overall business strategy. He'll not only serve as the company's most senior advisor on diversity issues but also as the principal liaison with outside organizations. Hysaw will report to TMS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Press.

``Diversity is imperative in achieving our goal to become the most respected and successful car company in America,'' said Press. ``The appointment of a new vice president of diversity brings us one step closer to creating an inclusive company that values its employees, its business partners and its customers.''

Toyota unveiled its 10-year, $7.8 billion diversity strategy last summer. The plan calls for dramatic increases in Toyota's investments in minority purchasing, advertising, dealer development, corporate giving and career training.

To help guide the effort, Toyota recently named a blue-ribbon North American Diversity Advisory Board drawn from the top echelons of business, law and government. Chaired by former Labor Department Secretary Alexis Herman, the board holds its first meeting this week.

``Diversity is not an affirmative action program,'' Hysaw said. ``It's not a minority development program. It's about inclusion. It's about commitment and change. Everybody has a role, and everybody contributes. This isn't a program. It's a process. We're striving for a cultural transformation.''

Before being named to his new position, Hysaw served as TMS corporate market representation and dealer development manager, where he was responsible for market planning, dealer placement, business management, dealer development and dealer facilities for Toyota.

Hysaw began his career at Toyota in 1987 in the Lexus Division. Since then, he has served in a wide variety of positions, including corporate manager of Toyota Certified Used Vehicles, national fleet marketing operations manager, national marketing development manager, marketing development manager and national advertising manager.

Prior to joining Toyota, Hysaw spent 16 years with General Motors Corp. A resident of Irvine, Calif., he earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. He earned a master's degree in marketing as well as an MBA in finance and an advanced MBA in strategic management from Claremont Graduate School in Claremont, Calif.

Hysaw is past president of the 100 Black Men of Los Angeles Inc.; and a member of the National Black Master's in Business Administration Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Beta Psi Lambda Chapter of Los Angeles.

Established in 1957, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is the sales, marketing, distribution and customer services arm of Toyota in the United States. Based in Torrance, TMS employs approximately 6,700 employees nationwide. Last year, it sold more than 1.7 million vehicles through approximately 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers in the 49 continental states.