Toyota Motor Sales, USA Announces Corporate Communications Reorganization

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News of December 27, 2001

Toyota Motor Sales, USA Announces Corporate Communications Reorganization

Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales, (TMS) USA announced organization changes within its Torrance-based Corporate Communications Division. The division, previously named External Affairs, has been restructured and renamed in order to better define its responsibilities and more efficiently direct company communications.

"The new division title and organization more accurately reflect the broad base of communications and strategies we develop for multiple audiences, both inside and outside the company," said Irv Miller, group vice president, corporate communications.

Along with the name change, the division has been realigned into four primary functional areas, reporting to Miller:

External Communications, reporting to National Manager Mike Michels, is responsible for all product news activities for the Toyota and Lexus sales divisions as well as corporate media relations.

The Toyota Division product news department will continue under the guidance of National Manager John Hanson. Holly Ferris, previously Lexus Public Relations Administrator, has been promoted to Toyota Product News Manager, reporting to Hanson. Nancy Hubbell will continue as National Manager of Lexus Division public relations. Julie Alfonso, previously Toyota Product News Manager, reports to Hubbell as Lexus Public Relations Manager. Xavier Dominicis joins the external communications group as National Media Relations Manager, covering general TMS business issues with added responsibility for diversity communications. Dominicis was previously National Manger, Corporate Contributions & Toyota USA Foundation.

Field Communications, headed by National Manager Joe Tetherow, oversees Toyota’s group of regionally based communications offices and public relations agencies in key markets, including the Northeast, Southeast, Washington, D.C., the Midwest, Gulf States, the Southwest, southern California, northern California and the Pacific Northwest. This network provides local service to news media and will work closely with Toyota and Lexus regional sales offices and dealers. Regional contacts continue to be:

Midwest (Detroit): National Manager John McCandless
Northeast (New York): Manager Wade Hoyt
Washington, D.C.: Manager Martha Voss
Southeast (Miami): Manager Bill Ussery
Gulf States (Dallas): Hopkins & Associates Public Relations
Gulf States (Houston): Bates Worldwide Public Relations
San Francisco Bay Area & Pacific Northwest: Michael Dobrin Public Relations

Internal Communications, led by National Manager Ron Kirkpatrick, is responsible for internal audience communications, including employee communications, flagship publications, executive communications, intranet Web sites and the Toyota USA Archives and Vintage Vehicle Museum.

Strategic Planning & Administration, directed by Corporate Manager Gloria Jahn, is a new department with responsibilities for business development, strategic and long-range planning, division administration, corporate philanthropy and the Toyota Video Production Center. Reporting to Jahn is Tracy Underwood, who is promoted to National Manager, Corporate Contributions & Toyota USA Foundation. Rhonda Glasscock, formerly Community Relations Senior Administrator, has been promoted to Corporate Contributions Manager, reporting to Underwood.

Also reporting to Miller is the TMS Regulatory Affairs and Safety Planning Department, led by National Manager Michael Love. This group is responsible for long-range planning related to environmental and safety regulations.

(Dec. 17, 2001)

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