Jim Press leaves Toyota to join Chrysler as president

Well this is interesting....

Jim Press leaves Toyota to join Chrysler as president

Dale Jewett Automotive News September 6, 2007 - 9:25 am EST UPDATED: 9/5/07 10:03 a.m. EST

Jim Press, Toyota Motor Corp.'s top executive in the United States, today was named a vice chairman and president of Chrysler LLC.

In his new job, Press has the same title as Tom LaSorda. Chrysler said LaSorda will be responsible for manufacturing and suppliers, while Press will be responsible for sales and marketing, product strategy and service and parts. Both will report to Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli.

Press worked for Toyota for 37 years.

Press, who was president and chief operating officer of Toyota North America and a director of the Japanese automaker, will be responsible for Chrysler's North American sales, international sales, global marketing, product strategy, and service and parts, Chrysler said.

Press is the second high-ranking Toyota executive to defect to Chrysler in the last month. In late August, Lexus division vice president of marketing Debra Wahl Meyer, joined Chrysler as the company's chief marketing officer.

Press joins Chrysler after 37 years with Toyota and two months after DaimlerChrysler AG sold a majority stake in the carmaker to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management in a $7.4-billion deal.

"Part of my new responsibilities will be strengthening and energizing the dealer body," Press said in a statement. "This is something I was passionate about at Toyota and will be passionate about at Chrysler."

Meanwhile, Toyota named Shigeru Hayakawa to replace Press as president of its North American operations.

You may e-mail Dale Jewett at snipped-for-privacy@crain.com

PRESS RELEASE: Press leaves Toyota for Chrysler Chairman and CEO Robert L. Nardelli teams former Toyota chief With Vice Chairman and President Thomas W. LaSorda

"World-class supply and demand leaders"

Joins Nardelli and LaSorda in new Office of the Chairman and On Board of Directors of Chrysler LLC

Press to run North American Sales, International Sales, Global Marketing, Product Strategy, and Service and Parts

AUBURN HILLS, MICH. -- Chrysler LLC Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli today announced the appointment of James Press as Vice Chairman and President. Press, who was President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motors in North America Inc. and a Director of the parent company, will now be responsible for North American Sales, International Sales, Global Marketing, Product Strategy, and Service and Parts for Chrysler LLC.

"Tom LaSorda and I are thrilled that one of the most successful executives in the history of the auto industry has joined our leadership team at the New Chrysler," said Nardelli. "Our top team now consists of a world-class 'supply' leader in Tom and an equally world-class 'demand' leader in Jim."

"I've known Jim for many years and know that he will hit the ground sprinting," said LaSorda. "I look forward to partnering with him and Bob as part of the Office of the Chairman."

Press joins LaSorda as a Vice Chairman and President, reporting to Nardelli. LaSorda's responsibilities will continue to include Manufacturing, Procurement and Supply, Employee Relations and Global Business Development and Alliances.

"I am grateful for the support and opportunities I received during my three-plus decades at Toyota," said Press. "I relish this new opportunity with the Chrysler team to be a part of the resurgence of a true American icon here and around the world. Part of my new responsibilities will be strengthening and energizing the dealer body. This is something I was passionate about at Toyota and will be passionate about at Chrysler."

Press joins Chrysler after 37 years with Toyota, where he most recently served as the first non-Japanese President of Toyota Motor North America Inc., responsible for sales, engineering and the company's

15 manufacturing plants with 41,000 employees in North America. He was also the first non-Japanese executive selected to the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation.

During his tenure at Toyota, the company grew from an upstart new company selling 100,000 vehicles per year to the second largest auto company in the United States.

PRESS RELEASE: Toyota Motor North America Announces New President

NEW YORK -- Toyota Motor North America announced today that Jim Press, TMA president and a Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) senior managing director, will resign from both positions effective September 14,

2007. Shigeru Hayakawa, currently TMA's executive vice president, will be named president of TMA and will continue to serve as a TMC managing officer.

Press joined Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. in 1970 and has been a key driving force behind Toyota's U.S. operations for 37 years. Regarding his departure from Toyota, Press said, "Toyota has been the centerpiece of my life. This was the most difficult decision I have made, but I am truly looking forward to an exciting new chapter in my career."

TMC President Katsuaki Watanabe commented, "Jim has played a significant role in strengthening Toyota's presence in the U.S. I was looking forward to him playing a bigger role as a member of our management team, so I am sorry to see him leave. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for all he has done for Toyota."

Hayakawa joined Toyota in 1977. He started in the overseas department of the Public Affairs Division, where his responsibilities included international media relations, government affairs, investor relations and corporate advertising. In 1994 he began a six year assignment in New York at TMA. He became head of the International Communications Department in 2002 and general manager of the Public Affairs Division in 2005. He was named managing officer of TMC and executive vice president of TMA in 2007.

Reply to
C. E. White
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Well I was hoping somebody in this NG replace Jim.

Reply to
EdV

Good for him. He must be the type who needs a challenge. I wish him the best and hope he is able to bring Chrysler back.

Reply to
badgolferman

"C. E. White" ...

*snipping for brevity*

Sorry, Ed - I can't resist.

Maybe he needs to feel *really needed.*

Seriously, I'd rather try to use my talents to make my workplace better, than to just sit back and tread water with the established success. That's boring.

:-)

Natalie

Reply to
Wickeddoll®

They didn't ask me ;-)

Reply to
Ray O

I met Jim on several occasions when he was only a National Manager and I was a management trainee. Prior to coming to Toyota, he worked for Ford. He is a brilliant car guy who lives and breathes the car business and talks with lowly trainees the same way he talks with his superiors. Toyota will sorely miss his influence and management style. I see Chrysler's business improving greatly if they allow Jim to do his thing.

Reply to
Ray O

So its not about the Money??! = )

Reply to
EdV

"EdV" ...

I'm very blessed to say, no it isn't. We could live just as well without my salary, but I do need to feel "necessary."

:-)

Natalie

Reply to
Wickeddoll®

SHOOT!! I *TOLD* Chrysler I was available!!!

Reply to
Hachiroku

snip

**will now be responsible for North American Sales, International Sales, Global Marketing, Product Strategy, and Service and Parts for Chrysler LLC.**

The way I see it is that Jim is more of Sales and Marketing guy. Doesn't Chrysler need someone with Automotive Engineering expertise so that their cars have better reliability. Or they already have that since they now offer lifetime powertrain warranty?

Reply to
EdV

This is just what I was thinking.

Imagine! Chrysler buiding good cars again! (Although I had very few complaints with my vans and my LHS...)

Reply to
Hachiroku

Chrysler really needs some help. Just out of curiosity , I test drove a Chrysler Seabring today. (I had no plan to buy it--just a test drive because their new lifetime warranty sparked my interest.)

The trunk could have been larger, the dashboard plastics could have been better, but worst of all, the motor was pretty loud.

I told him 17k tops. He wouldn't budge from 18.3. So I told him I would have to consider visiting the St. Louis dealerships 100 miles away. He still wouldn't budge (he's the only Crapsler dealer in Columbia).

Sheesh, I only paid 18k for the Camry in 2006. He wanted more for his bad car than the Camry cost.

I think they're gonna need more than a lifetime powertrain warranty to dig out of the mess they're in.

Reply to
Built_Well

A lifetime powertrain warranty will give consumers more confidence in Chrysler products, but besides good products, it takes a successful and non-adversarial dealer body to make an automaker successful. Dealer satisfaction with Daimler Chrysler as been low recently. Automakers have to listen to their dealers to find out what their customers want.

Reply to
Ray O

And the dealers in turn need to listen to their customers!

Charles of Schaumburg

Reply to
n5hsr

Yup! It seems very obvious, yet the customers' voice is often ignored!

Reply to
Ray O

And this is decidedly going awry in the Toyota world. The current crop of dealers here in Western Mass couldn't care less what you think or want, as long as they sell their cars.

Reply to
Hachiroku

Deal or No Deal!

Reply to
EdV

Exactly...

Reply to
Hachiroku

So you're saying they're getting like the GM dealers we had to deal with in

1973? Our cars are so good, you are going to buy one. Those other guys aren't any competition. High pressure sales tactics, etc. In 1973 we looked at Chevy and the smallest Chevy we could fit our family of 5 in was that joke of a 73 Chevelle 4-door. One of the most BUTT UGLY cars ever built. And he wanted to sell us a lime green one he couldn't get off the lot. Funny how all 5 of us fit nicely in a 1972 Carina we bought used the next year. . . . .

So if that be the case, who'se going to be the next Toyota?

Charles of Schaumburg

Reply to
n5hsr

That's cuz they don't have me to straighten them out ;-)

Reply to
Ray O

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