Toyota Motor Corp. will split its manufacturing and components operations in North America by powertrain, and it will install one of its leading female executives to oversee production operations of battery-electric vehicles.
Meanwhile, Mike Sweers, who led Toyota’s sweeping global redesign of its body-on-frame vehicles, has been promoted to head of the automaker’s North American R&D efforts as well as its chief technology officer. The appointments were among executive changes announced Friday by Toyota Motor North America.
Susan Elkington, who has been president of the automaker’s massive Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky plant in Georgetown since 2018, will start Monday in the newly created position of senior vice president for electric vehicle supply. Elkington will have responsibility over Toyota’s component manufacturing for EVs, including the battery plant it is building in North Carolina. Remaining component operations will continue to be the responsibility of Norm Bafunno, who will now have the newly created title of senior manufacturing executive.
In her new role, Elkington “will be responsible for accelerating the company’s electrified transformation, with a focus on battery and electric vehicle production and supply strategy,” the automaker said. Elkington was named one of the Automotive News 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry in 2020. She will report to Takefumi Shiga, Toyota Motor North America’s executive vice president of engineering and manufacturing.
Toyota promoted Kerry Creech, vice president of manufacturing at Georgetown Assembly, to succeed Elkington as president of the plant. In May, Toyota said it would begin assembling a new three-row electric crossover at the Kentucky factory beginning in 2025.
Sweers, who has been senior vice president of the product development office and global truck executive chief engineer, will also assume his new roles Monday. As executive vice president for R&D and chief technology officer, Sweers will report to Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor North America. He succeeds Shinichi Yasui, who returned to Japan to become chief project leader, hydrogen factory at Toyota Motor Corp.
Toyota also said that Chris Nielsen, executive vice president for product support and chief quality officer, would assume responsibility for purchasing and supplier development in North America, effective Monday. Bob Young, Toyota’s group vice president for purchasing supplier development, will report to Nielsen.