Toyota Shuffles, Reorganizes U.S. Management

Toyota promotes Bob Carter to the auto maker’s second-highest marketing position in the U.S.

Carter, previously group vice president and general manager-Toyota Div. at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., takes over as senior vice president-automotive operations overseeing the Toyota Div. and sales administration. He replaces Don Esmond, who becomes a senior advisor and will help ensure a smooth transition prior to his retirement.

Both will report to President and CEO Jim Lentz.

The U.S. division also is integrating its customer-service operations into the sales and marketing department. Future technology planning now comes under overall product planning.

Toyota says in a statement that Mark Templin continues as Group Vice President and General Manager-Lexus Div. Templin has concurrent responsibility as General Manager - Lexus Product and Marketing Planning Div.-Toyota Motor on a global basis.

As Lexus Division GVP and general manager he will report to Lentz, while in his global role he will continue to report to Toyota Managing Officer Kazuo Ohara.

Group Vice President-Marketing Bill Fay becomes Group Vice President and General Manager with the Toyota Div. and will continue to report to Carter.

Reporting to Fay are Scion Vice President Jack Hollis, vice president-Toyota marketing; Doug Murtha, who replaces Hollis at Scion and is named vice president-product planning; and Vehicle Supply Chain Vice President Nancy Fein, appointed vice president, customer service–Toyota.

Randy Pflughaupt, group vice president-sales administration, remains in that position and also reports to Carter.

Strategic Resources Group Vice President Chris Hostetter is named strategic planning group vice president, reporting to Lentz.

Hostetter will lead a team that includes Strategic Research and Advanced Product Strategy under Flaurel English; Knowledge Resources under John Kramer; and Business Strategy, which now will include vehicle export operations, under Nihar Patel.

Lexus Customer Service Vice President Andrew Coetzee is promoted to the newly created position of group vice president-product planning. This will now include advanced technology under Jon Bucci. Coetzee reports directly to Lentz.

Customer Relations Vice President Peggy Turner becomes vice president-Lexus Customer Service, replacing Coetzee. She will report to Templin.

Customer Services Division Group Vice President Fletcher Davidson becomes group vice president –product support and will continue to report to Bob Daly, senior vice president –TMS.

Dealer Operations TCS Vice President Dave Camden becomes vice president-service and parts support. He will continue to report to Davidson.