New Leadership, New Vision – Renowned Machine Tool Manufacturer Welcomes New President

The former President of ALFING Corporation was welcomed at the northern Chicago suburb headquarters following Howard Michael’s retirement after 25 years of service as President.

CHICAGO, Illinois – JTEKT Toyoda Americas Corporation welcomes their new President and COO, Michael Defer. The change in management took place after former President Howard Michael retired from his 25-year long position as President. Prior to JTEKT Toyoda, Defer served as an executive at ALFING, Chiron, and Heller. Defer began his new role at JTEKT Toyoda on January 3, 2022.

Defer highlights the strong reputation Toyoda holds in its industry, especially with its reliability and production-oriented engineering. With the position it holds in the broader JTEKT corporation, “JTEKT gives us an expansive offering to customers, where we can go into many different industries. We will build on the good reputation of the Toyoda brand.”

Stepping into his role with diverse experiences, Defer offers a vision outside of the traditional industries and applications. Listing previous experience in industries ranging from aerospace to automotive, Defer is confident that, working closely with his team, they will take the company further, both within its traditional areas of expertise as well as into new growth markets.

For more information, please visit www.toyoda.com