(Toyota: ERLANGER, KY) -– Toyota recently announced that it has formed a new North American Quality Task Force led by senior automobile manufacturing executive Steve St. Angelo, who is executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America (TEMA). He will guide the implementation of regional improvements in concert with the Special Committee for Global Quality led by Toyota Motor Corp.’s president, Akio Toyoda.

St. Angelo was appointed to the new role of chief quality officer for North America. He will serve with counterparts from the other regions on Toyoda’s committee, which meets for the first time on March 30 in Japan.

Each regional task force is specifically charged with executing a six-point action plan outlined by Toyoda on Feb. 5. Its elements include improved quality assurance; enhanced customer research; strengthened quality management training; incorporation of best practices through outside professionals; closer cooperation with regulatory authorities; and improved regional autonomy.  

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