• December 18, 2009

Three major players are leaving Toyota. The company says Irv Miller, group VP, environmental and public affairs, will retire, effective Feb. 1. Miller is a long-time executive with the company, having started in 1980 as region merchandising/fleet manager in the San Francisco regional office.

Miller also held marketing positions at the company for Toyota and Lexus divisions and advertising/ merchandising in the Toyota division. Miller became an officer of the company in 2001.

Dave Danzer, group VP, strategic and product planning, will also retire, effective Feb. 1. Danzer joined Toyota Motor Sales in 1985 as national advertising programs manager. He has held such posts as national advertising manager, national merchandising manager, corporate manager, Toyota marketing, and Lexus marketing.

Another marketer, Steve Sturm, group VP of Americas strategic research and planning and corporate communications for Toyota Motor North America, Inc., will retire on Jan. 1. Sturm started his career with Toyota 28 years ago as parts sales development manager and has held a variety of positions, including corporate manager of Lexus marketing, VP, marketing for Toyota Motor Sales marketing, and VP, North America planning. In January 2007, Sturm was promoted to group vice president.

The company has not announced their replacements. --Karl Greenberg