Saul Garcia, president of Kyocera Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., takes the podium to address employees and Mexican government officials at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for wireless phone operations on June 29. Standing, from left, are Rocio Ruiz, Mexico’s under secretary of industry and commerce; Sergio Tagliapietra, secretary of economic development, Baja California; Harsh Karande, vice president of Kyocera Wireless Corp.; Jesús González, mayor of Tijuana; Fernando Canales Clariond, Mexico’s secretary of the economy; Eugenio Elorduy, governor of Baja California; Rod Lanthorne, president of Kyocera International Inc.; and Robert Whisler, president of Kyocera America Inc.

Baja California Gov. Eugenio Elorduy Walter good-naturedly teases Saul Garcia Huerta that he is “the only Japanese who looks like a Mexican.” The jovial Garcia is proud of the distinction behind the jest. Of some 70 Japanese companies that operate assembly plants in Mexico, only one — Kyocera — has a Mexican citizen to head those operations.

Garcia was named president of Kyocera Mexicana earlier this year. What happened when he called his wife, Beatriz, on his cell phone to tell her the news is now part of Kyocera lore. She said she didn’t believe it. “I’m serious, it’s the real truth. I’m not kidding,” he said. “No, you are,” replied his wife. “Call me later.”

Tijuana-born and raised, Garcia distinguished himself as a schoolboy on a national academic test. That earned him a scholarship to a prep school in Ensenada. He went on to Tijuana’s Technical Institute, where he eventually obtained a master’s degree in industrial relations.

While still studying, he joined Permabyte Mexicana, a subsidiary of TDK, which manufactured floppy disks. In 1994, Garcia joined Kyocera as manager of industrial relations, security and purchasing. Kyocera colleagues say Garcia’s ability to relate well to people was a key strength.

When seasonal market fluctuations required that workers be laid off, Garcia handled the process so well that the workers looked forward to the time they would be called back to work. No kidding. With numerous maquiladoras competing for temporary workers, Garcia’s people skills are considered a great plus.

Today, about 2,000 employees of Kyocera Mexicana are assigned to work at two separate plants on production lines for ceramics products and wireless telephones. Garcia also has been mentoring two dozen employees who formally will commence production Dec. 10 of photovoltaic panels for solar energy. Among these is Jorge Alberto Chavira Dominguez, who was part of a team sent to Japan to learn Kyocera processes first hand.

As vice chairman of the Maquiladora Industry Association, Garcia, 39, regularly meets in Mexico City with top government officials including President Vicente Fox, about improving trans-border operations. He has been advocating the creation of a third border crossing, between San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, to ease the movement of truck traffic.

— Donald H. Harrison