Jason Puckett has been named the new president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, effective January 4, 2021.
Puckett, who currently serves as vice president of administration at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, started his career with Toyota in 1997 as a specialist in assembly preceding TMMI’s start of production. Since then, he has held several roles in manufacturing, bodyweld and stamping, production control and at Toyota’s manufacturing and engineering headquarters as general manager of corporate strategy.
Current TMMAL President David Finch, who has been on assignment at Toyota Motor North America since 2019 and been with the company close to 30 years, will return to Toyota South Africa Motors as senior vice president, manufacturing. Finch has been instrumental in leading Toyota’s Alabama plant’s $288 million expansion effort, which includes a new 150,000-square-foot V6 engine assembly line and the creation of 450 new jobs. The expansion was announced in March, 2019, with Finch arriving at the plant in May of that same year.
When Finch came to Alabama, he replaced David Fernandes, who had led TMMAL for three years. At that time, Fernandes became senior vice president, manufacturing at Toyota South Africa Motors. With these latest executive moves, Fernandes is returning stateside to become president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi. In addition to his time in Alabama, Fernandes has held numerous roles within Toyota Motor North America’s Manufacturing and Production Engineering groups. He began his career with Toyota in 1998 as a group leader at the company’s West Virginia plant.
Current Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi President Sean Suggs will assume full responsibilities as group vice president for social innovation based in Plano, Texas.
The Alabama plant in Huntsville manufactures 4-cylinder, V-6 and V-8 engines.
