Toyota Mississippi Names New President

Toyota Motor North America announced Erik Skaggs has been promoted to president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi (TMMMS) effective October 23.

Skaggs joined Toyota in 1993 as an engineer at its Georgetown, Kentucky site where he held leadership roles in quality control, body operations and production before becoming a general manager in 2015. In 2020, Skaggs transitioned to Toyota Mississippi as the vice president of manufacturing and most recently served as vice president of administration.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead and continue to develop Toyota Mississippi,” Skaggs said. “I’ve seen first-hand the commitment and dedication our workforce and community have to offer, and I’m looking forward to future opportunities for growth and development as a company and as a community partner.”

Current president, David Fernandes, will transition to his new role as senior vice president of manufacturing at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Huntsville, Alabama, after three years of strong leadership in Mississippi.

“It’s been a privilege to be a part of the continued development of this plant alongside such hardworking, dedicated employees who are passionately focused on the safety and quality of our vehicles,” said Fernandes, Toyota Mississippi president. “Northeast Mississippi is known for inspiring others throughout the state with many initiatives centering on education, community development and workforce. And, I’m proud to have played a role in that during my time at Toyota Mississippi.”

Under Fernandes’ leadership, the plant opened a new 15,000-square-foot, interactive experience center and produced more than 500,000 Corolla’s, the world’s best-selling vehicle.

Toyota Mississippi represents a $1.2 billion total investment with approximately 2,400 employees.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE: TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 33 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 24 electrified options.