Shoichiro Toyoda

Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda, KBE, AC (February 17,1925-) was a chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation between 1992-1999 and is now "honorary chairman" of Toyota.

Shoichiro Toyoda was born in 1925, as a child of Kiichiro Toyoda. and graduated from Nagoya University in 1947 with a degree in engineering. He joined Toyota in 1952 and later earned an engineering doctorate, with his doctoral thesis centered on fuel injection.

Dr. Toyoda became managing director at Toyota in 1961. After promotions to senior managing director in 1967 and executive vice president in 1972, he was named president of Toyota's marketing organization in 1981. Dr. Toyoda assumed the presidency of the newly integrated Toyota Motor Corporation, upon the merger of the sales and production organizations in 1982, and later served as chairman from 1992 to 1999. Dr. Toyoda became honorary chairman of Toyota in 1999.

Automotive technology, quality control and factory management have been primary emphases for Dr. Toyoda throughout his career, and he received the Deming Prize in 1980 for his contributions to quality control. In 1984, he received Japan's prestigious Medal with Blue Ribbon for outstanding public service through business.

Dr. Toyoda, who is a prominent spokesman for the automotive industry, has served as chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

He also has served as both vice chairman and chairman of the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren), and currently serves as its honorary chairman. [Basu, Shankar. (1999). [http://books.google.com/books?id=vzqvLf6I5JwC&pg=PA55&dq=Shoichiro+Toyoda&lr=&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U29n8NBga3iLpejS-Rb4DGYFgWz7w "Corporate Purpose: Why it Matters More Than Strategy," p. 55.] ]

In 1996, Dr. Toyoda assumed duties as chairman of the Economic Council of Japan's Economic Planning Agency.

In 1997, Dr. Toyoda was selected as chairman of the Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition.

In 2000, he was the second Japanese (after Eiji Toyoda) to receive the top honor of the FISITA Medal, bestowed by the France-based Federation Internationale des Societes d'Ingenieurs des Techniques de l'Automobile (the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies).

In 2002, he was selected as honorary chairman of Nippon Keidanren.In 2006, Mr. Toyoda was appointed Special Envoy of the Prime Minister for EXPO 2005 Aichi Japan in February and assumed the position of president of Kaiyo Academy in April.

Dr. Toyoda enjoys traditional Japanese music, gardening and golf. He and his wife, Hiroko, have a daughter and a son.

He was appointed as a member of the Hong Kong Chief Executive's Council of International Advisers in the years of 1998-2005 [http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200311/06/1106201.htm] .

Honors

*Deming Prize-1980
*Medal of Honor with Blue Ribbon-1984
*Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)-1995
*Order of Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela, First Class-1995
*Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure-1995
*Order of the Southern Cross of Brazil-1996
*Order of Merit of Turkey-1998
*Commander of the Legion d'Honneur of France-1998
*Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy-1998
*Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold (with Star) of Austria-1999
*Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)-1999
*Commander of the Order of Isabel the Catholic of Spain-2000
*FISITA Medal of France-2000
*Commander's Cross of the Bundesverdienstkreuz-2001
*Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, 1st Class-2002
*Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland -2004
*Knight Grand Cordon (First Class) of the Order of the Direkgunabhom of Thailand-2004
*Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Portugal-2005
*Commander of the Equatorial Star of Gabon-2005
*Grand Cross of the Order of Juan Mora Fernandez,Placa de Plata of Costa Rica-2005

Notes

References

* Basu, Shankar. (1999). [http://books.google.com/books?id=vzqvLf6I5JwC&dq=Shoichiro+Toyoda&lr=&client=firefox-a&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 "Corporate Purpose: Why it Matters More Than Strategy." London: Taylor & Francis. 10-ISBN 0-815-33374-9; 13-ISBN 978-0-815-33374-6

External links

* Toyota Motor Corporation: [http://www.toyota.com/about/our_business/operations/manufacturing/alabama/stoyoda.html Honorary Chairman, bio notes] .