Thursday’s virtual Rooster Booster event set for 7:30 a.m. will feature Susan Elkington, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky (TMMK). TMMK is Toyota’s largest vehicle manufacturing plant in the world.
The virtual event is hosted by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services.
There is no cost to attend the virtual Rooster Booster, and it can be streamed via Facebook Live or Zoom. The program will also be available on Chamber’s YouTube channel following the conclusion of the event.
About Elkington
As president of TMMK since 2018, Elkington oversees an $8 billion operation, which employs more than 10,000 people and in one year can produce as many as 550,000 vehicles and more than 600,000 engines. TMMK is Toyota’s largest production facility globally, producing the Camry, Avalon, Lexus ES 350 (including hybrid versions of all three), and RAV4 Hybrid, plus four-cylinder and V6 engines in Georgetown.
Elkington joined TMMK in January 2017 as senior vice president, overseeing the plant’s manufacturing and administrative functions. Prior to this role, she served as General Manager, Production Control Division at Toyota Motor Corporation’s (TMC) global headquarters in Toyota City, Japan, supporting Toyota’s 53 manufacturing plants worldwide.
Elkington began her career with Toyota in 1998 in Princeton, Indiana, as an assembly engineering specialist. By 2013, she held the position of Manufacturing Vice President at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI).
She currently serves on numerous charitable and corporate boards, including the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. She is a member of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce board and its executive committee, and a member of the board of trustees of the University of Evansville. She is also a non-executive member of Toyota Motor Corporation Australia’s (TMCA) Executive Management Committee (EMC).
Throughout her career, Elkington has been recognized as a leader in the automotive industry. She was included in Automotive News’ 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry (2020), is an inaugural inductee into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame (2020), a STEP Ahead Honoree (2014), and an ATHENA of Southwest Indiana Award Finalist (2013).
Elkington earned her mechanical engineering degree from the University of Evansville.
About New Beginnings
In 1978, a group of concerned citizens recognized the need for rape victim advocacy in the Owensboro-Daviess County area. This group called itself Citizens Against Rape and launched a court and medical advocacy program. In 1979, the fundraising campaign commenced, and various sources provided the program with temporary limited funding. When these funds were depleted in 1981, Green River Comprehensive Care Center and the Owensboro City Commission agreed to fund the program for a few months.
By late 1982, the Rape Victims Services program had received more funding from the Owensboro City Commission and became an autonomous program under the umbrella of the Owensboro Spouse Abuse Center (now known as OASIS). With the help of the City of Owensboro and the Daviess County Fiscal Court, funding made it possible to hire a full-time director in that year.
In the fall of 1985, United Way of Owensboro also agreed to fund the agency, making it possible to grow even more. On July 1, 1988, RVS declared itself an independent agency.
In 2000, the agency changed its name to New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services to be more inviting to the public. The name change was also more inclusive of the services provided and what they hope to offer the people they serve — a new beginning. New Beginnings provides free therapy, crisis intervention services, legal and medical accompaniment, and prevention programs for all ages. Volunteer advocates are a critical part of the agency, providing advocacy after business hours to our 4 regional hospital locations.
As of 2021 the agency employs 19 staff members, has relocated to a professional office building purchased in 2006, and serves the entire seven-county Green River Area Development District. They also have offices in Henderson and Ohio counties.
