Jim Lentz is retiring as CEO of Toyota Motor North America, bringing an end to a 38-year career in which he helped preside over the ascension of the Japanese-owned company into one of the pillars of the American auto industry.
Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, chief operating officer of Toyota North America, will succeed Lentz, the company announced Thursday.
Lentz’s retirement will become effective April 1, the company said in a press release, after a number of milestones that included overseeing Toyota’s rise to a bread-and-butter brand in the U.S. auto market that is mentioned in the same breath as its Detroit Three rivals, the company’s transition to a strong player in an era dominated by SUVs and pickup trucks, and the forging of stronger relationships with Toyota and Lexus dealers and financial-services partners.
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