Toshiba Executive Resigns to Lead Seiko Unit : Rehfeld Joins Short List of Americans Running U.S. Arm of a Japanese Firm

John Rehfeld has resigned as vice president and general manager of Toshiba America’s Information Systems Division in Irvine to head operations of Seiko Instruments USA Inc., it was announced Tuesday.

As president, chief operating officer and a board member of Seiko Instruments USA in Torrance, Rehfeld will become one of a small group of Americans to head the U.S. operations of a large Japanese firm. Seiko Instruments USA is a subsidiary of Seiko Instruments Inc. in Japan.

Rehfeld said he is joining Seiko effective Feb. 10 because it is a good career opportunity.

“Organizationally, I’ve moved from being a division general manager to being president of a company with seven operating divisions,” Rehfeld said. “Essentially, I’m doing the job my boss was doing at Toshiba.”

Seiko Instruments USA employs about 300 people and had 1988 sales of $130 million.

Rehfeld said his move to Seiko signals an expanding role in the company for U.S. executives, and added, “We’ll do everything we can to attract and retain the best American management.”

Rehfeld is credited with steering Toshiba into a dominant position in the fast-growing market for so-called laptop computers--small, lightweight machines that are easily carried by executives, salespeople and journalists.

The Seiko subsidiary hopes to broaden its product line in the area of consumer electronics, as well as high-resolution graphics and high-resolution computer printers, Rehfeld said.

Seiko Instrument USA’s current president, Hiroshi Fukino, will become chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the subsidiary. Reinosuke Hara, current chairman of the board, is stepping down from that post but will continue as president of Seiko Instruments Inc. in Japan.

At Toshiba America’s Information Systems Division, Mark Tanaka, assistant general manager for personal computers, will immediately assume the position of interim general manager of the division, company officials said.

The Information Systems Division employs about 450 people and expects sales for fiscal 1988 ending March 31 to total about $450 million from the manufacture of personal computers and printers. It is a unit of Japanese electronics giant Toshiba Corp.