Mazda Toyota Manufacturing gives back at Community Appreciation Event

On Thursday, June 30, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) held a Community Appreciation Event in which company leaders expressed their gratitude to the local community for the roaring success of the facility, which recently introduced two new SUVs to the American market: the Corolla Cross from Toyota and the CX-50 from MazdaMazda. 

The event featured a number of notable guests including Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield, Mayor Tommy Battle, Mazda Motor Corporation CEO Akira Marumoto, and Toyota Motor Corporation CEO Akio Toyoda, as well as Team ONE partner companies who have contributed to the success of MTM. 

“MTM could not be where it is today without the commitment and support we received from our community, our government stakeholders, and our Team ONE partners,” said Masashi Aihara, President of MTM. 

MTM kicked off the event by giving back to the community in the form of $180,000 in funding to 10 local nonprofits as part of its inaugural Mazda Toyota Manufacturing Grant Fund. 

According to Greater Huntsville Community Foundation President and CEO Melissa Thompson, MTM reached out to the foundation several months ago in order to form a partnership with the goal of giving back to the community. 

Thompson noted that the foundation received 60 different project proposals, but that the ones selected today stood out: “These projects that were funded today really were aligned with their mission for economic development, education, and really to improve quality of life.” 

Thompson cited the example of KTECH, which gives opportunities to students that translate into the workforce at MTM, as well as programs such as Agape, which works with foster children and “really just spoke to the hearts of the grants committee members and just really helps improve quality of life.” 

“What we’re proud about is that Mazda Toyota is obviously bringing lots of jobs to this community, but in addition, they are bringing a deep investment into this community’s quality of life and they’ve demonstrated that today with $180,000 coming right back into the nonprofits that are making this community great.” 

Recipients of funding included Huntsville Hospital Foundation, Agape of North Alabama, the United Way of Madison County, Limestone County Career Technical Center, Madison County Career Tech Center, Drake State Technical College, Madison City Schools, the Cap and Gown Project, Athens State University Foundation, and KTECH. 

“I’m extremely proud of the fact that Mazda is calling Alabama its home for its first United States manufacturing facility…this project was Alabama’s largest economic development project in the last decade. Folks, this is a $2.3 billion dollar investment, and that’s not happening by chance,” said Governor Ivey.

“It’s a testament to the world’s satisfaction and confidence in Alabama’s automotive industry. We have a lot to offer businesses, and that will only continue especially as we keep forging strong partnerships with companies like these.” 

Marumoto credited the hard work of the MTM team along with Governor Ivey, Mayor Battle and the City of Huntsville, and the state of Alabama for helping it successfully overcome the challenges of the past several years. 

He also expressed gratitude to Toyota for its partnership: “It has been humbling to watch our two companies cooperate together to develop ideas and solutions that no one company could singularly achieve,” Marumoto said. “This success would [not be] possible without respecting each other, learning from each other, and uniting together for this branding synergy.” 

After taking the stage, Akio Toyoda noted that this was his first overseas trip since the pandemic began. “So when I tell you how great it is to be with you today, believe me–I mean it.” 

“As we grow and develop here at MTM I hope you will continue to think of us as good neighbors, the kind that doesn’t play the music too loud or let the dog get into your yard,” he added, eliciting laughter from the audience. “But seriously, we know how fortunate we are to be here and we’ll never take a place in your community for granted.” 

“This community, and our team members and our suppliers, are why we are standing here today celebrating the opening of our joint factory on time as promised despite enormous challenges and delays brought on by Covid,” Toyoda continued. “I have the greatest respect and gratitude for all of you.” 

“Every time you get to build something from scratch like this beautiful factory you have an opportunity to do it better and aim higher and be an example to the rest of the world. I think that’s what we’ve done here,” Toyoda said. 

“If two rivals like Toyota and Mazda can come together, work side by side, and build new cars for both of our brands, well, perhaps we can inspire others to put aside their differences and work together for the greater good. Because if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the world is a much smaller place than we realized. We all have so much more in common than we think and life is too short not to make the most of every opportunity.”

Images provided by Dawn Suiter, writer for the Huntsville Business Journal, and Mazda Toyota Manufacturing.