Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has announced the upcoming retirement of F. Norman (Norm) Bafunno, III, a senior manufacturing executive at TMNA. Bafunno will retire on September 5, concluding a nearly 29-year career with Toyota.
Throughout his tenure, Bafunno held various leadership roles in manufacturing and provided strategic direction in safety, environment, facilities, logistics, vehicle and powertrain manufacturing, and engineering. He also oversaw North American unit plants producing automotive components like engines and transmissions.
“Norm’s unwavering commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement has been foundational to our success in North America,” said Takefumi Shiga, executive vice president of Production Engineering and Manufacturing at TMNA. “We are grateful for Norm’s leadership, vision, and dedication throughout his remarkable career. While we will miss his presence and expertise, we wish him all the best in this exciting new chapter.”
Bafunno began his journey with Toyota Indiana in 1997 as general manager of Production during the plant’s startup phase. He later became senior vice president of Production, Manufacturing Planning, Administration and Quality. His career also included serving as vice president of Production Engineering at Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing.
In 2010, he was named President of Toyota Indiana – marking the first time an American led that facility. Before his current role as TMNA’s One Toyota North American Competitiveness Officer, he worked on improving North America’s global competitiveness by leading regional executives from R&D to Sales & Marketing.
Bafunno played a significant role in selecting the site for Toyota’s first U.S. battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina and guided its initial operations. Additionally, he served as an executive advisor to Business Partnering Groups within Toyota while engaging with community organizations such as the American Red Cross.
Toyota remains committed to sustainable mobility through its brands and dealerships across North America. The company employs nearly 64,000 people who have contributed to designing nearly 49 million vehicles at its 14 manufacturing plants.
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