Shoichiro Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation’s honorary chairmain, has died at the age of 97. Toyoda started his career with the automaker in 1952, focusing much of his experience on quality control and technology. He also earned a doctorate in engineering, writing his thesis on fuel injection.

Toyoda worked in various capacities for the automaker. He ascended to managing director in 1961, then senior managing director in 1967 and executive vice president in 1972. He was named Toyota sales operation president in 1981. When the company’s sales and production organizations merged in 1982, the automaker appointed him president of the newly formed Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyoda served as chairman of the board of directors from 1992 to 1999. He was on the board for another decade, and in 2009 stepped down to become the honorary chairman of the automotive giant.