Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Indiana-based Toyota Material Handling–the largest manufacturer of forklifts in the world–is getting a new chief executive.
Jeff Rufener, president and CEO, plans to retire at the end of the month after leading the company for the past 10 years, the Columbus-based company announced Tuesday.
Senior Vice President of Sales Bill Finerty, who has led the company’s sales teams for more than five years, will succeed Rufener starting Jan. 1.
Rufener joined Toyota Material Handling in 2011 after more than 30 years with Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America. Rufener oversaw the move of the company’s headquarters from California to Indiana, which was completed in 2014, and multiple expansions of TMH’s Indiana campus. Rufener also managed the integration of Toyota’s two Columbus-based companies–Toyota Material Handling USA and Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing–into a single company in 2020.
“On behalf of the entire Toyota family, we would like to thank Jeff for his leadership and impact during his 10 years with the company,” said Brett Wood, senior executive officer of Toyota Industries Corp. “Jeff led TMH through some of the largest, most transformational challenges in history, and he did so with grace, with empathy, and with compassion. He embraced each challenge, and always saw the positive opportunity in change.”
Rufener was involved in overseeing several key acquisitions, including the $260 million purchase of Indianapolis-based logistics firm Bastion Solutions in 2017.
Finerty has more than 30 years of industry involvement, and previously held several executive leadership roles at Caterpillar Inc. Toyota Material Handling has reached records in sales, profit and market share under his sales leadership.
“Bill has done an exceptional job leading Toyota’s sales teams to record-breaking success,” Wood said. “His leadership style fits our culture perfectly, and he has a passion to help Toyota succeed in everything we do. It will be difficult for anyone to fill Jeff’s shoes, but I’m confident that Bill is prepared to succeed in this role, and the transition will be smooth because we are promoting from within.”
In addition to forklifts, Toyota Material Handling produces or offers reach trucks, order pickers, pallet jacks, container handlers, automated guided vehicles, tow tractors, aerial work platforms and fleet management services. It offers its products through more than 230 dealers in North America.
The manufacturer has produced more than 750,000 forklifts at its 1.5 million-square-foot Columbus facility. The company has more than 1,400 employees.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.