Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) has promoted former president and COO Jim Press to president of Toyota Motor North America, the North American subsidiary of Toyota in Japan.
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He replaces Hideaki Otaka in the New York-based post after the Japanese executive resigned on Monday night after his former assistant, Sayaka Kobayashi, charged him with sexual harassment in a $US190m lawsuit file on 1 May.
Jim Lentz, formerly TMS group vice president and general manager of the Toyota division has been nominated executive vice president of TMS in Torrance, California, pending approval at the 23 June annual shareholders’ meeting. He effectively takes over Press’ duties but does not replace him.
Reporting to TMS chairman and CEO Yuki Funo, Lentz’ responsibilities would include sales, marketing and distribution in the United States and he would remain general manager of the Toyota division, with additional responsibilities over sales administration and logistics.
From 1982, Lentz’ career with Toyota includes assignments in merchandising, distribution, field operations, sales administration, truck sales, and marketing.
As vice president of Scion, Lentz was responsible for the initial launch of the new line of vehicles in the US.
