PLANO, Texas, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today announced executive changes to support the company's continued focus on regulatory excellence, sustainability and corporate governance.
Sandra Phillips, senior vice president, Enterprise Integrity, chief legal officer, corporate secretary, and chief sustainability officer, will retire effective July 31, 2026. Throughout her tenure, Phillips played a critical role in strengthening Toyota's legal, regulatory, compliance and sustainability functions, helping guide the company through a dynamic policy and business environment.
Tom Stricker, group vice president, Regulatory Affairs and Environmental Sustainability, will retire effective June 30, 2026, following a long and impactful career advancing Toyota's regulatory, environmental and sustainability initiatives. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the company's environmental strategy and strengthening stakeholder partnerships.
Chris Yang, senior vice president, Enterprise Strategy and Solutions, will expand his responsibilities to include chief legal officer and Enterprise Integrity. Yang will continue in his roles as deputy chief compliance officer and deputy chief risk officer for Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), and Yang's appointment as chief legal officer is consistent with TMC's vision of a globally aligned legal, compliance, and risk team. In this role, he will oversee the company's legal, compliance and audit functions.
Liz Gibson, group vice president and general counsel, will assume the roles of group vice president, Regulatory Affairs and Environmental Sustainability, corporate secretary, and chief sustainability officer reporting to Yang. In this role, Gibson will lead Toyota's U.S.-based corporate sustainability strategy and oversee regulatory policy and compliance.
Kim Cockrell, senior vice president, chief human resources and administrative officer, will take on additional responsibilities for sustainability and community impact, as well as corporate security and emergency management.
"These leadership changes reflect both our deep bench of talent and our commitment to continuity as we build for the future," said Ted Ogawa, president and CEO, TMNA. "We are grateful to Sandra and Tom for their many contributions and look forward to the continued impact of Chris, Liz, Kim and the broader team."
About Toyota Motor North America
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota's plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America
