President of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama Named
15 February 2000
President of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama Named
LINCOLN, Ala.--Feb. 15, 2000--American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today announced that Mikio Yoshimi will become president of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC (HMA) effective April 1, 2000.Yoshimi, currently an executive vice president of Honda of America Mfg., Inc. in Ohio, and a director of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has extensive business experience in the U.S. and, in the past, has been deeply involved in the start-up of two different Honda plants in America. He has been a key member of the HMA project team since its inception and was involved in the selection of Alabama and the development of the operations plan for the new plant.
Yoshimi, 52, is currently responsible for several departments at Honda of America Mfg., including Administration, Accounting and Finance, Company Communications Services, Information Services and Environmental Health and Safety.
Yoshimi first came to the U.S. in 1979-80, working at Honda of America Mfg. (Honda's first plant in North America) during the start-up of motorcycle assembly operations. He returned to Japan in 1980, where he assumed management responsibilities in several areas over the next 12 years. Yoshimi returned to the U.S. in 1992, as vice president of Human Resources and Administration at American Honda, where he served until joining Honda of America Mfg. in June 1998. Yoshimi also served as a director of Honda South Carolina Mfg. during its start-up in 1998-99.
Active in the community, Yoshimi is chairman and CEO of American Honda Education Corporation - which founded the Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center, a unique year-round residential high school in Colorado. He also has served as a director of the National Youth Program Using Minibikes (NYPUM) - a program supported by Honda for more than 30 years, which reaches out to boys and girls, ages 11-15, who may be having difficulties at home, in school or in society.
Honda announced plans to build a new vehicle and engine plant in Lincoln, Alabama in May 1999. Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC, was established in December 1999. The plant will employ approximately 1,500 associates when it reaches its annual capacities of 120,000 vehicles and 120,000 engines. Production is scheduled to begin in spring 2002.
Honda began operations in North America in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Today, more than 19,000 associates are employed by Honda in America in the design, development, engineering, assembly and sales of Honda and Acura products. Honda operates nine manufacturing facilities in North America that produce automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, power equipment, transmissions and engines, using domestic and globally-sourced parts.