Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.'s (TMHU) National Marketing Manager Melinda Beckett-Maines was recently named 'Member of the Year' by the Irvine Chamber of Commerce. Beckett-Maines was honored for her work in serving as the chair of the Education Committee for six years and most recently leading the Ethic Forums as sub-committee chair.

"I am honored to receive this distinction from the Irvine Chamber of Commerce," said Beckett-Maines. "The Chamber and its educational initiatives represent an important voice in the community on behalf of the hundreds of local businesses it represents and the local schools it reaches."

The Ethics Forum and Education Committee work with businesses, educational institutions and government to help prepare the future workforce. The program involves local business leaders helping moderate ethical decision making processes in mock scenarios with Irvine high school students in the Irvine Unified School District.

"Melinda has been a long-standing member of the Irvine Chamber and we applaud her work in advancing the Ethics Forum which has reached more than 2,000 Irvine students in local high schools," said Tallia Hart, president and CEO of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce. "Her dedication and commitment to the community were apparent in selecting our 'Member of the Year' honoree."

Beckett-Maines has been a Toyota associate for nearly 20 years where she has held several senior-level positions. As national marketing manager, she is responsible for overall management of TMHU’s branding, marketing/communications, public relations and advertising efforts nationwide. This position is critical as TMHU continues evolving as an independent U.S. company and retains and grows its title as the No. 1 selling lift truck manufacturer in the material handling industry.

Beckett-Maines resides in Irvine with her husband, Tom, and their two sons.

About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.
Celebrating more than 40 years of established operations in North America, Irvine, Calif.-based Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc., (TMHU) is the supplier for the No. 1 selling lift truck brand since 2002. In addition to the full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand, the company’s extended industrial equipment solutions include: Aichi aerial work lifts—scissor lifts, crawler and wheeled boom lifts—Automated Guided Vehicles, and electric and diesel tow tractors.

Quality is the hallmark of the Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM), a zero-landfill facility.

TIEM is a member of the National Safety Council, complies with the ISO 14001 standard from the International Organization for Standardization, and has been honored for its environmental management systems and dedication to continuous improvement.

Toyota's commitment to excellence in customer service extends throughout the U.S. and Canada. Seventy-three authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers, with a total of 224 dealership locations throughout North America, offer comprehensive customer service and support, including one-stop shopping for both new and used lift trucks, rentals, parts and service, fleet servicing and financing.