Toyota Motor Corporation
Shoichiro Toyoda, was born in 1925, and graduated from Nagoya University in 1947 with a degree in engineering. He joined Toyota in 1952 and later earned a doctorate in engineering. His doctoral thesis was about fuel injection.
Dr. Toyoda became managing director at the Company in 1961. After promotions to senior managing director in 1967 and to executive vice president in 1972, he was named president of the Company'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 the Company 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 honorary chairman of the organization. In 1995, Dr. Toyoda was awarded Knight Commander of the British Empire, U.K.; Order Francisco de Miranda, First Class, Venezuela; and Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Emperor of Japan. In 1996, Dr. Toyoda assumed duties as Chairman of the Economic Council of Japan's Economic Planning Agency, and was awarded the Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil. In 1997, Dr. Toyoda was selected as Chairman of Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition. In 1998, Dr. Toyoda was awarded the Order of Merit, Turkey; the Legion D'Honneur, Commandeur, France; and the Grande Ufficiale, Italy. In 1999, Dr. Toyoda was appointed Honorary Companion (AC) within the General Division of the Order of Australia. He was also honored by the government of Austria with the Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold with Star. In 2000, Dr. Toyoda was awarded the highest level (Comendador) of the Medal of Isabel la Catolica by H.R.H. Juan Carlos, King of Spain, and also the FISITA Medal, as only the second Japanese (after Eiji Toyoda) to receive the top honor bestowed by the France-based Federation Internaionale des Societes d'Ingenieurs des Techniques de l'Automobile (the International Federation of Automative Engineering Societies). In October 2000, he was named Chairman Emeritus of telecommunications company DDI Corporation (KDDI).
Dr. Toyoda enjoys traditional Japanese music, gardening, and golf. He and his wife, Hiroko, have a daughter and a son.