IRVINE, Calif., (May 20, 2009) – Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU) today announced several management changes including the appointment of Mark Steenrod to the position of national dealer development manager; Jewell Brown to national fleet sales & operations manager; and Payman Shabbak, who now serves as national strategic planning and pricing manager.
“The leadership of our managers is especially important now as we navigate the evolving material handling landscape,” said President of TMHU, Brett Wood. “We are proud to recognize the drive of these exceptional associates and their contributions to Toyota – the number one selling lift truck in the U.S.”
Mark Steenrod, a Toyota associate since 1984, has held several positions within the company including market representation manager and his most recent position as sales support manager. In his new role as national dealer development manager, Steenrod is responsible for dealer network development, market representation and dealer financial reporting. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., and resides in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., with his wife, Debbie.
Jewell Brown, a Toyota associate since 1997, has assumed the role of national fleet sales and operations manager. In her new role, she is responsible for the overall development of TMHU’s fleet management program. Previously, Brown held several positions within Toyota, including parts dealer support supervisor and manager of customer satisfaction. In the customer satisfaction department, Brown helped develop and launch the overall program, including the 800-customer satisfaction line in 2004 and the dealer satisfaction survey in 2006. Brown resides in Carson, Calif., with her son, Cameron.
Payman Shabbak is now national strategic planning and pricing manager. A Toyota associate for six years, he oversees Toyota’s pricing structure, incentives, long-term and short-term planning, strategic initiatives and communication with the Industrial Truck Association, where he serves on the statistics subcommittee. Shabbak earned an engineering degree from Sharif University and a master of business administration from University of California, Los Angeles. He and his wife, Samira, live in Irvine, Calif., with their son, Ryan.
About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.
Celebrating more than 40 years of established operations in the United States, Irvine, Calif.-based Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc., (TMHU) has been the No. 1 selling lift truck supplier in the U.S. since 2002 and currently offers a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand.
Built on a reputation of excellence, Toyota remains popular due to its quality, durability and reliability. Quality is the hallmark of Toyota’s world-renowned Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM). Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured at TIEM in Columbus, Ind.
TIEM, and all Toyota manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada, comply with the ISO 14001 standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and have been honored for their environmental management systems and dedication to continuous improvement.
Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Sixty-eight authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers, with a total of 188 dealership locations throughout the United States, offer comprehensive customer service support, including one-stop shopping for both new and Certified Used lift trucks, parts and service, fleet servicing, and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com or call 1-800-226-0009.