By Heather Tressler

Record Staff Writer

Dennis Cuneo, a former resident of Ridgway and Senior Vice President of Toyota Motors, North America, was an important piece to the puzzle for economic stimulus as well as the beginning of an automotive era.
Cuneo is a current resident of Cincinnati, where he is retired from a successful life in the automobile business.
He began his journey here in Ridgway where he attended St. Leo's School and later graduated from Elk County Catholic in 1967. Afterwards he studied at Gannon University to receive his bachelor's degree and then earned his Master of Business Administration from Kent State University. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and has been recognized for his work on diversity, human relations and philanthropy.
Cuneo has also published several articles on organizational change, labor relations and international negotiations.
Cuneo says he established a good foundation and he couldn't have done it growing up anywhere else but Ridgway.
"I grew up in Ridgway. I was born and raised," said Cuneo. "I lived in a community where you didn't have to lock your doors, in fact we didn't even have locks. There was a lot of small town values, with a sense of family and community. If anything ever happened to you the community was there;  the neighbors would tell your parents if you were bad or they would bring you chicken noodle soup when you were sick."
Cuneo's success began with 25 years of service with the company Toyota. He was also part of the start-up team of NUMMI, (a joint venture with GM in California) which was Toyota's first assembly plant in America. At NUMMI, he was the vice president in charge of legal, governmental and environmental affairs and product planning. Because of this venture, Cuneo was named to the top 10 list for economic influences by the Southern Business Development.
Some of the memories Cuneo has from Ridgway are playing softball in Johnsonburg, hunting on the railroad tracks and the beautiful hills and scenery that is found in the area. These are things that Cuneo misses about Ridgway.
"I really miss a summer day like today," said Cuneo. "When its summer vacation and I was playing baseball, hunting on the railroad tracks or just goofing around."
Cuneo has lived in Manhattan, New Orleans, Washington D.C. and San Francisco. He said they all give him fond memories, but nothing compares to Ridgway. He said unlike these cities, every time he visits Ridgway, it seems that nothing has changed.
Cuneo explained how he had designed a train set that was inspired by an old business, Russel Snow Plows, that originated in Ridgway. The business closed in 1955, but the company provided plows for trains. Cuneo mentioned that some plows are still in existence. Interestingly enough, the train set he designed was featured in a train magazine.
Cueno also mentioned his appreciation for the residential beauties that remain in Ridgway.
"Whenever I come home to visit, I really appreciate the victorian homes," Cuneo said. "I stayed at the Towers Victorian once, and I noticed the Hyde wood work. Hyde wood work is everywhere. I never really appreciated these houses when I lived there."
Cuneo's aunt, Helen Pontzer, remains in Ridgway, and many of his extended family members live in Elk County.
"I've accomplished quite a bit in my life. I never thought I'd work for Toyota, let alone become a senior executive," Cuneo said. "There was one time when I went to China, and I realized that I was working for a multi-national auto company, and I was also a small town guy."
Cueno said that he has his two wonderful parents, Clifford and Erma Cuneo, who now reside in Holland, Mich., and is appreciative of his success because they gave him a solid beginning.