TEMA executives and team members celebrate the beginning of construction on the Lexus assembly line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), Jan. 8, 2014.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) President Wil James leads the ceremony celebrating the launch of construction on the Lexus line at the plant on Jan. 8, 2014.

Toyota Alabama Production Team Member Ken Arsenault (left to right), Toyota Motor Corporation Managing Officer Koichi Sugihara, Toyota Alabama President Jim Bolte, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America President Simon Nagata and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley celebrate Toyota Alabama's 3 million engine and the new production line, Feb. 18, 2014.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (left to right) Toyota Alabama President Jim Bolte and Toyota Alabama GM of Administration Emily Lauder celebrate the production of the 3 millionth engine at the Huntsville plant, Feb. 18, 2014.

Johnson Controls, Inc. received a Superior award  at Toyota’s Annual Business Meeting on March 11, 2014.From left to right:  Noby Tanaka, Executive Advisor Purchasing & SED; Chris Nielsen, Senior Vice President; Rob DePotter, Vice President;Albert Lewis, Global Director, Supplier Diversity & Business Development; Osamu “Simon” Nagata, President & CEO, TEMA; and Robert Young, Vice President Purchasing, TEMA.

Otics USA, Inc. received a Superior award  at Toyota’s Annual Business Meeting on March 11, 2014.From left to right:  Noby Tanaka, Executive Advisor Purchasing & SED; Chris Nielsen, Senior Vice President; Steve Parks, Vice President Operations; Takashi Harada, President & CEO; Osamu “Simon” Nagata, President & CEO, TEMA; and Robert Young, Vice President Purchasing, TEMA.

Taiho Manufacturing of Tennessee, LLC received a Superior award  at Toyota’s Annual Business Meeting on March 11, 2014.From left to right:  Noby Tanaka, Executive Advisor Purchasing & SED; Chris Nielsen, Senior Vice President; Toru Takasu, Senior Advisor; Nancy Cottrell, President, Plant Manager; Vanessa Williams, Administration Manager; Osamu “Simon” Nagata, President & CEO, TEMA; and Robert Young, Vice President Purchasing, TEMA.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky President Wil James (left) presents Dr. Mary Sias, president of Kentucky State University, with a $375,000 check to establish the Toyota Engineering Scholarship on March 18, 2014.

Elected officials, Toyota executives and team members pose with a Corolla designated for export during a ceremony at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi on April 17, 2014.

U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing Chandra Brown speaks at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi Corolla export line-off ceremony on April 17, 2014. 

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Vice President of North American Business Strategy Nihar Patel speaks at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi Corolla export line-off ceremony on April 17, 2014. 

Bee Bold Apiaries co-founders Eric Hanan and Joseph G. Lelinho install a hive on the Montclair Historical Society's working farm, thanks to a donation from Toyota. National Pollinator Week is June 16-22, 2014, a celebration of the valuable ecosystem effort by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

Bee Bold Apiaries co-founders Eric Hanan and Joseph G. Lelinho install a hive on the Montclair Historical Society's working farm, thanks to a donation from Toyota. National Pollinator Week is June 16-22, 2014, a celebration of the valuable ecosystem effort by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

Toyota and supplier team members help remove debris from areas damaged by the April 28th tornado.

Toyota and supplier team members help remove debris from areas damaged by the April 28th tornado.

Toyota and supplier team members help remove debris from areas damaged by the April 28th tornado.

Toyota engineers and scientists gather for a dinner June 19, 2014 that recognized the attendees for the 1355 patents that were awarded in 2013.

State of Michigan Senior Automotive Adviser Nigel Francis addresses Toyota engineers and scientists at a June 19, 2014 dinner that recognized the attendees for the 1355 patents that were awarded to them in 2013.

Toyota engineers and scientists gather for a dinner June 19, 2014 that recognized the attendees for the 1355 patents that were awarded in 2013.

Supplier Tierra Kavanaugh Turner (left) speaks with Lisa Bell of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America at the Toyota Opportunity Exchange. Now in its 25th year, the Toyota Opportunity Exchange is October 27-28, 2014 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati.  

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana President Norm Bafunno announces the plant will invest $100 million and add 300 jobs by summer 2016 to boost production of the popular Highlander midsize sport utility vehicle on Aug. 22, 2014.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana President Norm Bafunno is interviewed on Aug. 22, 2014, after an announcement that the plant will invest $100 million and add 300 jobs by summer 2016 to boost production of the popular Highlander midsize sport utility vehicle.

Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith speaks during the announcement on Aug. 22, 2014. The plant will invest $100 million and add 300 jobs by summer 2016 to boost production of the popular Highlander midsize sport utility vehicle.

Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) Senior Vice President  of Production Control Randy Pflughaupt speaks during the announcement on Aug. 22, 2014. The Toyota Indiana plant will invest $100 million and add 300 jobs by summer 2016 to boost production of the popular Highlander midsize sport utility vehicle.

Rosa Santana, owner, president and CEO of Forma Automotive, LLC, celebrates as she’s welcomed to Toyota Texas as a new on-site supplier.  Forma Automotive represents the first direct, Tier 1, Hispanic woman-owned enterprise to supply Toyota in North America.  They will assemble Tacoma truck beds at Toyota Texas. 

Joe DaRosa, president of Toyota Texas welcomes Rosa Santana, owner, president and CEO of Forma Automotive, LLC as a new on-site supplier at Team Texas.  Forma Automotive represents the first direct, Tier 1, Hispanic woman-owned enterprise to supply Toyota in North America. They will assemble Tacoma truck beds at Toyota Texas.

Owner of Superior Maintenance Co. Kevin Shurn (left to right) speaks with Jim Holloway, general manager of supplier relations for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA), and TEMA President/CEO Osamu “Simon” Nagata at the Toyota Opportunity Exchange.

Rosa Santana (right) speaks with Matt Bonne, purchasing manager for TEMA, at the Toyota Opportunity Exchange. Santana’s Forma Automotive recently became the first Hispanic woman-owned direct supplier for Toyota.

Toyota Indiana presents the Gibson County Fairgrounds with a donation.

As part of its environmental effort, Toyota Alabama has a rainwater harvest pond. Solar panels power the pumps that send the water to the plant for processing.

TMMWV executives and team members celebrate the line-off of the plant's first 6 speed high torque automatic transmission from its second automatic transmission line, Nov. 10, 2014.

TMMWV President Millie Marshall and team leader Randy Hensley give a thumbs up after transmission inspection. TMMWV executives and team members celebrated the line-off of the plant's first 6 speed high torque automatic transmission from its second automatic transmission line on Nov. 10, 2014. 

Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) and the Electrochemical Society (ECS) have partnered to develop the ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowship. Young professors and scholars are encouraged to pursue research in green energy technology that may promote the development of next-generation vehicles capable of utilizing alternative fuels. 

Toyota?s Georgetown, Ky. facilty will begin its first-ever Lexus production later this year. The move represents a $360 million investment and 750 new jobs to produce 50,000 units per year.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

Toyota Mississippi celebrates the 500,000th Corolla to roll off the line in February 2015.

From left, Andrea Tunchez sits in the lap of Jorge Tunchez making paper plate tambourines with Alida Calderon and Elizabeth Tunchez at La Grange Elementary’s United Way Born Learning Academy, driven by Toyota, earlier this year. La Grange Elementary in La Grange, Ky., is one of 41 Toyota-funded academies in Kentucky.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, left, shakes hands with Mike Price, vice president of administration, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky. 

Mike Price, vice president of administration, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, announces the 10 new Toyota-funded academies while, from left, Terry Tolan, executive director, Governor’s Office of Early Childhood; Kevin Middleton, president, United Way of Kentucky; and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear look on. 

Mike Price, vice president of administration, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky; Terry Tolan, executive director, Governor’s Office of Early Childhood; Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear; and Kevin Middleton, president, United Way of Kentucky, stand with the coordinators of the 10 new Born Learning Academies funded by Toyota in Kentucky. Gov. Beshear joined Toyota in announcing the expansion of the early learning academies to include 36 new schools, during an announcement at the Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., today. (Photo Credit: Bill Wine)