Following recent top management defections to Chrysler and Ford, Toyota on Tuesday announced the appointments of two executives to leadership positions at its North American operations, both effective immediately.
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Jim Lentz, currently executive vice president of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, has been promoted to president. TMS is the sales, marketing, distribution and customer service arm for Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles in the United States.
“Jim Lentz is especially well qualified to lead TMS into the future as it marks 50 years in America,” said TMS chairman Yuki Funo. “His experience spans all major operational areas and he has an outstanding sense of what our customers, dealers and associates expect from Toyota.”
A veteran of 29 years in the auto industry, Lentz joined Toyota in 1982, serving in a variety of positions including merchandising, distribution, field operations, and sales administration as well as vice president of marketing services for Central Atlantic Toyota, a Maryland-based private distributorship.
In 1995, Lentz was promoted to general manager for Toyota’s San Francisco region, and later became general manager of the Los Angeles region. As vice president of Scion, Lentz was responsible for the initial launch of a new line of vehicles.
Lentz also served as group vice president of marketing, Toyota Division, and subsequently was named general manager of TMS’ Toyota division, where he oversaw all sales, logistics and marketing activities for Toyota, Scion and Central Atlantic Toyota distributors. In June 2006 he was appointed to his most recent position as TMS executive vice president. Lentz also is a member of the TMS board of directors.
Dian Ogilvie, currently TMS senior vice president, general counsel and chief environmental officer, has been appointed senior vice president and secretary of Toyota Motor North America (TMA) in New York. She will report to TMA president Shigeru Hayakawa. TMA is the holding company for Toyota’s US sales and manufacturing companies. Ogilvie’s new responsibilities will include administration, corporate communications, industry and government affairs, planning and research, environmental affairs and diversity.
Ogilvie joined Toyota in 1985 and has been responsible for all legal affairs for TMS, including internal audit, state government affairs, risk management and she has served as the company’s chief environmental officer.
Prior to joining Toyota in 1985, Ogilvie worked as a lawyer and as clerk to a US district court judge.
TMA last September said that Jim Press, TMA president and the first US executive to become a Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) senior managing director, had quit to become a vice chairman and president at Chrysler.
Press is now in charge of North American sales, international sales, global marketing, product strategy, and service and parts.
The previous month Chrysler recruited Lexus US marketing chief Deborah Wahl Meyer as vice president and chief marketing officer, responsible for the marketing and advertising initiatives for the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands globally plus sales promotions and brand events and global marketing strategic direction.
Last Friday, Ford said Jim Farley, group vice president and general manager of Lexus, but soon to be the blue oval’s group vice president of marketing and communications, would also head US marketing, sales and service for the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands when he joins Ford from TMS in mid-November.
