Atsuhiko “Art” Shimmura is the executive vice president of DENSO’s North American headquarters, DENSO International America, Inc. (DIAM). Located in Southfield, Mich., Shimmura is responsible for overseeing the Business Function Division, which includes: Legal, Environment, Safety & Health, Human Resources, Finance, Corporate Planning, Corporate Communications, Facilities, Purchasing, General Administration, Internal Audit, Intellectual Properties, and Information Systems.

Shimmura joined DENSO Corporation in 1980, where he served in the company’s Human Resources department responsible for Compensation & Benefits and Associate Relations. In 1988, Shimmura was instrumental in researching the Maryville, Tenn., site as a U.S. manufacturing location and later served as DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee’s Human Resources coordinator in Maryville from 1989 to June 1995.

In 1995, Shimmura returned to Japan and served as project leader for Business Planning of the Electronics Division and later led the Electronics Systems Business Group as general manager from 2004 to March 2008.

Prior to being named executive vice president of DIAM in April 2009, Shimmura served as president of DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, where he led a major cost-savings campaign to help maintain stability of the company during the challenging economic downturn.

Shimmura earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1980 from Nagoya University, in Nagoya, Japan. After graduation, he joined DENSO Corporation (formerly Nippondenso Co., Ltd.) in April 1980.