'Auto Trends' Black History Spotlight: Two Of The Highest-Ranking Black Executives In Auto History Recently Shattered Glass Ceilings

 

Chris Reynolds (Photo Credit: Toyota)

Over the past two months, two Black auto executives in the industry have cracked through the thick glass automotive ceiling making history in industry.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Chris Reynolds, who is currently the executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Toyota Motor Corporation, will be retiring a the end of May to assume a new role. Reynolds will join Toyota's global Board of directors. In this role, he will serve as a member of the Board's Audit and Supervisory Committee in addition to his duties as a Board member, according to a press release. This board overseas both Toyota and Lexus. 

'Auto Trends' Talks To The Only Black Executive Who Managed A $3.2 Billion Car Ad Budget (Two Shows)

Professor Mike Jackson (Photo Credit: MJ)

With DEI being such a lightning rod in schools of higher learning and in corporate America these days, it’s no coincidence America was having this same conversation two decades ago when Mike Jackson was recruited from the beverage industry by Roy Roberts, who at the time was the highest-ranking Black auto executive in the industry.

Jackson, who is currently an advertising professor, oversaw an eye-popping $3.2 billion media budget in North America during his tenure at General Motors, before exiting the industry briefly and then resurfacing a few years later at a startup EV company in a senior leadership role. 

'Auto Trends' Talks With The Black History Maker Steering The Lexus Brand

Dejuan Ross, Lexus U.S. general manager, is posing with the all-new GX. (Photo Credit: Toyota)

When the Lexus brand was birthed by Toyota in 1989, our guest Dejuan Ross, was still in high school. Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and BMW were the luxury elites at the time.

Like Lexus, Acura and Infiniti were also launching their luxury nameplates. This was an opportunity for Toyota, Honda and Nissan to move their brands upmarket with the hopes of rivaling the American and European legacy makes.

Decades later, Lexus has done just that. In fact, it has pulled ahead of both Acura and Infiniti, whom both currently lag a flagship coupe and sedan in their portfolio.