Toyota Material Handling North America announces executive appointments

Toyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA) says it has further strengthened its North American operations and distribution channels of its Toyota and Raymond lift truck brands with two executive appointments.

Effective immediately, Brett Wood has been promoted to executive vice president of TMHNA. TMHNA manages both the Toyota and Raymond brands' North American material handling equipment business and manufacturing organizations. Wood, who joined Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A. Inc. (TMHU) in 1989 and served as its president from 2009 to 2011, will continue to serve on the boards of TMHU and Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg. Inc. (TIEM), Toyota's forklift manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ind. In his new role, Wood will lead strategic assignments in sales, marketing, and operations to accelerate synergies between TMHU, TIEM, and Raymond.

Jeff Rufener has been named the new president of Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A. Inc. Rufener joins Toyota after most recently serving as vice president of marketing for Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. (MCFA). Rufener has more than 30 years of experience in the material handling field. He held a variety of positions at MCFA in sales, product marketing, fleet management, purchasing, and various other management, staff, and field positions. He also serves as the president of the Industrial Truck Association, which represents manufacturers of industrial trucks and their suppliers that do business in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.