WASHINGTON -- Toyota Motor Corp. has hired Eastman Kodak's top lobbyist to oversee its Washington office, a newspaper has reported.
Stephen Ciccone, Kodak's vice president for global public affairs, will lead the Japanese automaker's Washington office and public policy efforts starting Oct. 24, The Detroit News reported.
Ciccone joined Kodak in 1988 and has been its chief lobbyist in New York state, where Kodak is headquartered, as well as head of state government affairs for the company, the newspaper reported.
Toyota has been without a permanent Washington chief since Jo Cooper retired a year ago.
Cooper joined Toyota in 2004. She had been CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers for five years.
She oversaw Toyota's public policy staffs during the automaker's unintended acceleration crisis in 2009 and 2010. Toyota came under fire from members of Congress and safety advocates for its handling of the matter.
