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Toyota Announces New Assignments for North American Manufacturing Executives

ERLANGER, Ky.- Toyota announced new assignments for senior level managers at the company's North American manufacturing facilities and headquarters.

"These are exciting and challenging times at Toyota," said Seiichi Sudo, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. "These executives will be vital as we strive to achieve our goals."

The new positions are as follows: (key to acronyms follows)

• Seizo Okamoto, Chairman, TMMI. Mr. Okamoto was previously President and CEO of TMMI.

• Shuichi Koyama, President, TMMI. Mr. Koyama was previously Project General Manager, TMC, Takaoka Plant.

• Takao Gonno, Treasurer, TMMI. Mr. Gonno was previously Group Manager, TMC.

• Norm Bafunno, Senior Vice President, Administration, Corporate Planning, Manufacturing Planning and Production, TMMI. Mr. Bafunno was previously Vice President of Quality Planning and Production.

• Jim Bolte, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Administration and Secretary for TMMAL. Mr. Bolte was formerly Vice President of Manufacturing and Administration.

• Hideki Ohno, Vice President, Quality, TMMNA. Mr. Ohno was previously Department General Manager, TMC, Quality Division.

• Kazuhiro Somiya, Vice President, TMMNA, Production Engineering. Mr. Somiya was previously Vice President of TMMI.

• Yuki Kusakawa, Treasurer and General Manager, Finance, TMMC. Mr. Kusakawa was previously Department General Manager of TMC.

• Craig Grucza, General Manager, Human Resources, TMMK. Mr. Grucza was previously Assistant General Manager of Human Resources.

• Latondra Newton, General Manager, Manufacturing Development Support Center, TMMNA. Ms. Newton was previously Assistant General Manager, Human Resources.

• Dan Antis, General Manager, Production, TMMTX. Mr. Antis was previously Assistant General Manager, Production.