By Judy Clabes
Editor, NKyTribune
A young mechanical engineer was drawn to Kentucky by the intrigue of working with a brand-new automobile manufacturing plant from ground zero. For the next 24 years, starting from a position as group leader in the facilities area, he meandered his way up and around the company’s various U.S. sites.
Today, Wil James is back at his starting point with Toyota NA. The difference is, as president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky since July 2010, he’s running the place.
He and his wife Michaelene live in Lexington. They have three daughters.
James grew up in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, on the smallest street in Norfolk’s Lamberts Point. It was one block long and had two houses. His mom, a licensed practical nurse, and his dad, a truck driver, became owners of a charter bus company. For a black boy growing up in the 1950s, he had the luckiest and most powerful combination of influences: a loving, intact family, encouraging a strong work ethic and instilling high expectations, a strong church influence, and a solid education.
He took his mechanical engineering degree from Old Dominion University to positions at Babcock & Wilcox and Olin Corp. before being attracted to a “big muddy pit” in Georgetown in 1987, employee No. 276 for the first wholly owned Toyota manufacturing plant in the U.S.
As he has grown in his thorough knowledge and experience of the Toyota way, the plant has grown too. It now employs nearly 7,000 team members, builds five Toyota models at an 8-million clip a year, and is a major corporate citizen.
James took the leadership reins on the heels of a recession and the largest recall in the company’s history, circumstances that tested his management skills, knowledge, training, and personal character traits. Then, just as he could see the light at the end of those tunnels, the effects of a March 11 8.9-magnitude earthquake and an ensuing tsunami half-way ‘round the world were felt full force in Georgetown. The emotional impact was as significant as the business impact. An even greater test.
He passed with flying colors.
“Those are challenges, and life is full of those kinds of things,” said James, 55. “It’s how you choose to deal with it. . .We’re OK. Through all that we’re a stronger company.”
And through it all, there were no layoffs. Though production was cut, team members were dispatched to do community service work, got more training, and focused on finding opportunities for improving operations and cutting costs. Executives took pay cuts and got no bonuses.
Full production resumed at all Toyota plants in the U.S. on September 13, well ahead of expectations.
The Georgetown plant, James notes, is still the highest decorated plant in North America for the quality of its product. “That’s a huge accolade for our team members, something everybody connected to this plant should be proud of. “
Q. What was your greatest personal challenge over the past year?
A. Getting reoriented with everything at TMMK takes a lot of time, so time with family has been a real challenge
Q. As head of TMMK , you play many roles? What’s your favorite?
A. As communicator, I love talking with team members and sharing where we need to go and why.
Q. What advice do you have for today’s young college students who’ll be job hunting in a still tough economic climate?
A. Be patient but keep going. Try to clarify what you would like to do but take whatever you can get to get your career started.
Q. You have always been a champion of workforce diversity. What particular advice do you have for young people of color?
A. Be careful not to assume everything that doesn’t work out is discrimination. Sometimes there are things we need to improve, so listen to feedback closely.
Q. What Toyota are you driving?
A. I always drive what we build, so I’m now driving the 2012 Camry SE and I love it.
Judy Clabes is editor and publisher of the NKyTribune. Email her at judy@nkytrib.com or call 513.324.4178.