During its Annual Meeting on July 21, the Kentucky Chamber announced that Wil James, Jr., president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky will chair the board of directors when the term of Planter’s Bank president/CEO Elizabeth McCoy of Hopkinsville ends on Oct. 1. Kevin Canafax, vice president of public affairs for Fidelity Investments – Midwest Region, has been named chair-elect for 2015.
In July 2010, James became the seventh president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. He leads Toyota's largest automotive manufacturing plant in North America, while also championing quality initiatives for Toyota’s fourteen North American manufacturing operations. James is the first African-American to serve as president of Toyota’s Kentucky plant, located in Georgetown, which manufactures the Camry, America’s best-selling car, and was recently named the new home of the first U.S.-produced Lexus.
James holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University and in 2013 was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering from the University of Kentucky.
Canafax leads public affairs teams responsible for public policy, government relations and community relations initiatives for Fidelity’s sites in Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and Jacksonville, Florida. He joined Fidelity in 1994 as a director in regional communications and public affairs. From 2000 to 2004, he served as national regional vice president of public affairs. He has introduced many successful cross-regional and cross- company strategic initiatives during his tenure including the One Fidelity Forum program.
Canafax has a degree in broadcast management arts from Southern Ohio College in 1985 and a Master of Science degree in business administration from Xavier University in 2000. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Cincinnati and Leadership Kentucky programs.
