A fascination for mechanical systems that lead to a career
Interview with Raul Perez
General Manager - Accessory EngineeringService Parts & Accessories Development ,Toyota Motor North America, U.S.A., Inc.
Share some important facts about your background, family origin and education
RP: I was born in Los Angeles to Mexican parents who migrated to California one year before my birth. I have three older siblings who were born in Mexico, so I am the first of my family to be born in the USA; my two younger siblings were also born in the USA. My family and I lived in Los Angeles for about 30 years until college and marriage situations required us to move to different cities. I now live in Plano, Texas, but the rest of my family still lives in the Los Angeles area within 10 miles of each other. My father was born in Mexico City, where he worked as a baker while growing up. At 21, he came to the USA and joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War (he was never deployed to war). He returned to Mexico City after two years in the army and returned to working as a baker. My mother was born in Monterrey, Mexico where she grew up on a cattle ranch. She attended a local university and graduated with a degree in biology. She was the first female from her town to attend college, so it was a very big accomplishment during the 1950s. She met my father while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, and they were married shortly after. Five years later, they moved to the USA. I attended grammar school and college in the Los Angeles area. I have a Mechanical Engineering degree from California State University and an MBA from Loyola Marymount University.
What made you pick your college studies and majors?
RP: I chose my college studies and majors based on my overall interest in mechanical systems, math, disassembling and reassembling (sometimes) lots of toys, clocks, radios, etc., while growing up. I also enjoyed riding motorcycles and working on cars as a teenager, so I wanted to learn more about how these vehicles were designed and built. As for my business degree, after working at Toyota for 15 years in the technical area, I decided to pursue our business operations side, so I obtained an MBA.
What have been constant values and skills you have worked with during your professional career?
RP: Working with integrity, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction are the constants I always aspire to. The skills I leverage the most are communication and relationship building.
How did the opportunity to work for Toyota arise?
RP: Toyota did a recruiting event at the college my sister was attending, and she eventually got a job at Toyota. She thought it was a great company, and after a few months, she sent my resume to the HR department so I could apply for a summer internship program. I transitioned to a full-time employee a short time after that.
Can you share facts about your role and position at Toyota?
RP: I am the General Manager of Service Parts and Accessory Engineering. I am responsible for design and development of Toyota and Lexus service parts and accessories.
What do you think we can do to promote more Latino(a) professionals in corporations like Toyota?
RP: To promote more Latino professionals within corporations like Toyota, we must be deliberate about our intention to make this a priority. We must have very specific goals and targets, but we must also ensure we are providing appropriate mentoring and guidance to those Latinos that wish to be promoted. It needs to be a partnership between the company and the individual where both sides are equally investing in achieving the goal.
** Editor’s pick:To promote more Latino professionals within corporations like Toyota, we must be deliberate about our intention to make this a priority.
**Phot credit: Courtesy of Toyota Motor North America