Toyota Announces Two Key Leadership Changes

TORRANCE, Calif., June 22 -- Toyota today announced two leadership changes, effective June 27, to help manage and coordinate the company's growing operations in North and South America.

Yuki Funo, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS), has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer for TMS and chief officer, The Americas Operations. In this new position, Funo is charged with coordinating and unifying all Toyota companies in North and South America.

Jim Press, executive vice president and chief operating officer of TMS, has been appointed president of TMS with responsibility for sales, marketing and distribution in the United States. Press is the first American president of TMS.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,422 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states.

Toyota directly employs over 37,000 people in North America. The company's investment in North America is $16.6 billion. North American-produced vehicles include the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, and the Lexus RX 330.