Toyota Alabama President David Fernandes had great news for Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) students at the university’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) day.
Fernandes said a new student-led mobility initiative will allow AAMU to collaborate with community residents to better understand their mobility challenges, and then design, prototype and implement a pilot program.
The State of Alabama is the fifth largest producer of cars and light trucks with a strong auto manufacturing presence including Toyota’s engine plant in Huntsville, where Toyota employs 1,400 team members.
With more than 150 Tier 1 and 2 automotive suppliers in the state as well as automakers, there are approximately 57,000 automotive manufacturing jobs in Alabama.
Fernandes currently serves on the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Business Council of Alabama (BCA) Board of Directors, BCA Manufacturing Advocacy Council and Committee of 100.
As president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL), in Huntsville, Ala, Fernandes is responsible for all manufacturing and support functions.
TMMAL, which opened in May 2003, builds V8, V6 and 4-cylinder engines for the Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, Highlander, Camry, and RAV4 models.
The plant employs over 1,400 team members and has expanded four times since beginning production with a total investment of $864 million and an annual capacity of about 710,000 engines.
Before being appointed the president at TMMAL, Fernandes served the organization as vice president.
He was general manager of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. Powertrain division and also served as a general manager in the Production Engineering division of Toyota Engineering and Motor Manufacturing North America in Erlanger, Ky.
Fernandes was general manager of the North American transmission business at Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia (TMMWV), where he began his career with Toyota in 1998 as a group leader.
Prior to his career with Toyota, Fernandes was general manager at Rolls-Royce Aircraft Engine Corporation.
Fernandes graduated from Purdue University in Indiana with a bachelor of science in Business Administration and a bachelor of science in Human Resource Management.
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