DULUTH, Ga. -

Asbury Automotive Group announced Monday it appointed longtime Toyota executive William Fay to its board of directors.

The appointment of Fay was effective Thursday.

Asbury chief executive officer David Hult said the appointment of Fay could place Asbury in a stronger position to execute on its five-year strategic plan that the company released in December.

Fay, who spent more than 38 years at Toyota Motor North America, started with Toyota in 1982 and was most recently senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota North America (Toyota & Lexus divisions).

He served in that role from 2017-2020.

His previous management roles with Toyota Motor Sales included group vice president and general manager (Toyota Division) from 2014 to 2017; group vice president —Toyota Marketing from 2010 to 2014; vice president —Toyota Sales from 2007 to 2010; and general manager (Boston/Los Angeles regions) from 1995 to 2007.

Asbury said Fay’s background provides the company with additional automotive manufacturer expertise. Asbury’s board has appointed Fay to the audit committee and the capital allocation & risk management committee.

Board chairman Tom Reddin said that because of Fay’s proven record in sales, marketing, operations, dealership relations, customer experience and omnichannel, he is a valuable new addition to the board and will enhance its overall composition.

“We are pleased to add someone with Bill’s vast automotive experience and OEM perspective to the Asbury Board,” Reddin said in a news release.

Hult said Fay’s leadership experience and results obtained while he ran Toyota and Lexus operations in the United States and Mexico will be helpful to Asbury. 

“His operating results across hundreds of diverse markets in the United States and Mexico are extraordinary,” Hult said.

Fay added: “I look forward to supporting [Asbury’s] aggressive growth targets across all operations with great focus to the continuing innovation in the customer experience.” 

Fay's election brings the total number of Asbury directors to nine. Eight are independent.