Toyota Material Handling Vice President of Legal & General Counsel Lea Ann King (left) and Toyota Assembly Team Leader Kim Douglass (right) are recipients of the 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive.

Toyota Material Handling’s King and Douglass honored with 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award

Posted on Sep 18, 2023 in Shifting Gears

Lea Ann King, Kim Douglass recognized for their leadership and contributions to the industry

Toyota Material Handling has announced Lea Ann King and Kim Douglass are recipients of the 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award. The award, given annually by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive, honors female supply chain leaders and executives whose accomplishments, mentorship and actions set a positive example for women at all levels of the supply chain network.

Bill Finerty

“Lea Ann and Kim are exceptional leaders who are paving a path for women in the supply chain and material handling industries,” said Bill Finerty, Toyota Material Handling President & CEO. “These women embody Toyota’s founding principle to contribute positively to society and make the world a better place for all while encouraging others to do the same.”

Lea Ann King

King, Toyota’s Vice President of Legal and General Counsel, is a dynamic leader who inspires others. King founded the Toyota Women’s Impact Network (T-WIN), the company’s women’s initiative that ensures Toyota has an inclusive culture and attracts diverse talent. She is a champion for women in all roles and creates mentorship and teaching opportunities for female professionals. King also showcases her commitment to the supply chain industry by serving on the board of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), including her most recent position as chair of the ITA’s lawyer’s committee from 2016-2019. She continues to advocate for women in the legal field, regardless of the industry.

Kim Douglass

Douglass, an Assembly Team Leader at Toyota, is a trailblazer and role model in the material handling and supply chain industry. Last year, Douglass became the first woman to medal in the Toyota Material Handling Group’s Global Skill Competition, earning the gold in the 2022 competition for Assembly. Since her historic win, Douglass has committed to advocating for other women within the organization. She represents Toyota’s commitment to encouraging more women to pursue careers in the material handling industry. She also serves as an ambassador for the Toyota Women’s Impact Network. Douglass advocates for women to receive the skills training, professional development, mentoring and coaching they need to have successful careers in the material handling manufacturing world.

Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive received over 400 submissions for this year’s award, which set the publication’s record for any of its award categories. Of that number, 118 were submitted by male counterparts, and 39 women were self-nominated.