LOS ANGELES (Aug. 21, 2012) - Jim Lentz, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., will provide keynote remarks at the first-ever Western Automotive Conference in Los Angeles in November.

The half-day conference, presented by the National Automobile Dealers Association and J.D. Power and Associates, will be held at the Biltmore Hotel on Nov. 27. Press days at the Los Angeles Auto Show run Nov. 28-29.

Lentz will provide his perspective on the U.S. auto industry and how changing consumer behavior will impact the types of vehicles produced and sold. He will also discuss how emerging technologies will influence vehicle design.

Highlights of the conference, hosted by the Los Angeles Auto Show in association with the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association, include a cross-section of speakers and panel discussions that will include manufacturers, dealers and suppliers, as well as media, advertising and marketing.

Lentz oversees all North American sales, marketing, product planning, corporate planning and corporate affairs. He also oversees product distribution for Toyota, Scion and Lexus in the United States. 

Early-bird registration, which includes discounted rates, ends Oct. 26.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings and more, visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About the Los Angeles Auto Show

As the first major North American auto show of the season, the 2012 L.A. Auto Show will host some of the industry's most important new-vehicle debuts and set the tone for the rest of the year. The dates are Nov. 28-29 for press and Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 for the public. Media registration opens in September. Following press days, the event is one of the best-attended public auto shows in the world. To receive the latest show news and information, follow the L.A. Auto Show on Twitter, visit the Facebook page and sign up for alerts at LAAutoShow.com.