Eiji Toyoda dies at 100
Posted by Samar Huneidi on Sep 17, 2013
Eiji Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corp.’s longest serving president and who spearheaded the automaker’s expansion in the United States, died today at the age of 100. His career was 57 years.
Toyota Motor said in a statement that the cause was a heart failure.
Eiji was the cousin of the founder of the company, Kiichiro Toyoda, which bears a slightly different version of the company name. He was also one of five presidents who come from the family.
Toyoda became their president in 1967 and served for 15 years, then in 1982, Toyota Motor and Toyota Motor Sales Co. merged from Toyota Motor Corp. and Toyoda became the chairman of the combined company serving until 1992.
Eiji had 3 sons and a daughter with Kazuko, his wife. Toyota said that funeral services will be held for close family members only.