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Join us for a conversation on mentoring and sponsorship, focusing on the importance of each in both your personal and professional life as well as the differences between them. Our speakers will be John Ridgeway, retired Corporate Manager of Toyota Financial Services, and John Ridgeway Jr., Director of Retirement Client Services for Principal Financial Group. Scroll down to read their bios.
John Ridgeway retired in March 2019 as the Corporate Manager of Toyota Financial Services (TFS) in Owings Mills, Maryland. His primary responsibility was managing over 500 team members, who provide services to both Toyota and Lexus customers and dealers on the East Coast. John has over 44 years of Executive Management experience primary in operations. Prior to joining TFS, John served as Senior Vice President of Card Services at Bank of America and National Director of Field Operations at Sears Credit. In these roles he has led a legacy of improving business initiatives and made a keen interest in developing managers.
John embraces the two pillars of Toyota which is “respect for people” and “continuous improvement.” John is committed to employing a diverse work place and has an interpersonal style of managing and connecting with all levels of associates. In addition to John’s primary responsibility of managing operations, John served on the Chairman’s Diversity Council at Sears, built continuous improvement programs (Kaizen) in the Customer Service Centers, led several initiatives that improved associate engagement, and process improvements. He was one of the pioneers at Sears Credit launch of Rapid Credit. Through his leadership the Baltimore CSCE launched Witt, the first Business Partnering Group in TFS and Field Operations. At the time of his retirement John inspired all of the Service Operation Centers to establish a Business Partnering Group increasing the number to eight.
During his time at Toyota, John supported several ongoing community service initiatives in the Baltimore area. Some of these initiatives include corporate sponsorship of the annual Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Chamber of Commerce Blooming 5K runs in support of Lifebridge Health’s Cancer and Infusion Centers at Sinai and Northwest hospital, Boys and Girls club of Metropolitan Baltimore, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland, Graves Honor Program, Morgan State University, Tom Joyner Foundation HBCU School of the Month and Junior Achievement. Through the support of TFS and its mentorship of the youth at James McHenry Elementary School John supported the company’s efforts in enhancing the school’s goal to receive their certification for the Maryland “No Child Left Behind” Act. He served on the President’s Advisory Council for Stevenson University, Baltimore County Workforce Development Board, and National Boys and Girls Club Taskforce for Youth Employment.
John is active in numerous civic and philanthropic organizations to include Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (Boulé), Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc., Beta Gamma Sigma National Honor Society, NAACP (lifetime member), and Masonic Lodge #21.
Currently, John Ridgeway is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Delaware State University. He is also on the foundation board of the Maryland-Pennsula United Methodist Church. John has been recognized by several organizations to include NAACP, Metro Baltimore County Boys and Girls Club and Delaware State University (National Alumni Association, New Castle Alumni Association, and the College of Business). He has also been recognized as distinguished alumni by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and inducted in Delaware State University Athletic’s HOF.
John Ridgeway Jr. is a Director of Retirement Client Services for Principal Financial Group. John has oversight over the Client Service teams supporting Defined Benefit providers. In addition, John oversees the Learning and Development team supporting all Defined Benefit roles.
A native of Wilmington Delaware, John joined Principal in 2005 after graduating from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. In his 16 years with Principal, he has held several leadership roles supporting retirement products, in addition to spending 3 years overseeing Principal’s Leadership Development Program. In addition to his daily role, John is a member of the Cross-Enterprise Leadership Program (XEL) and current Co-Chair of Principal’s African American/Black Employee Resource Group. In 2018 he was named one of Finra’s 40 under 40 Rising Stars of Retirement.
Outside of work John also resides the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa and Black Excellence Des Moines. John and his wife Nicole are also licensed foster care providers and enjoy staying active in the community.