Detroit, MI - Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS) announced that James E. Press has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer in charge of all corporate operations. In addition to his current duties, including the Toyota and Lexus sales operations, Customer Services Division, Toyota Industrial Equipment Division, external affairs and planning and development, Press will assume responsibility for finance, administration and legal operations.

James E. Press

Photo: Toyota

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"The position of chief operating officer will provide a consolidated reporting structure allowing for more efficient and streamlined decision-making," said TMS President and CEO Yoshimi Inaba. "In addition, the choice of a North American executive to fill this role is a very important step forward in Toyota's efforts to assign more responsibility to American management."

Press joined TMS in 1970 and has worked in a wide variety of positions including the service, marketing, product planning, market representation, advertising and distribution departments. His field experience includes an assignment with Southeast Toyota Distributors, Inc. and he has been general manager for the San Francisco and Cincinnati Toyota regions.

He also has served as senior vice president of corporate planning and senior vice president and general manager of the Lexus Division.

Press is the current Chairman of the Board of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a 13-member coalition of vehicle manufacturers in the United States. He also is an officer of Toyota Motor North America, an umbrella organization that oversees all Toyota operations on this continent.

(Jan. 08, 2001)