At one point, engineering major Lance Fulks decided to step away from his university classes and pursue a different path. Today, the University of Alabama in Huntsville alumnus is the general manager of assembly at the future Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S.A. plant.

What stopped Fulks from withdrawing was a chance meeting with Jerrod K. Young, who served as assistant dean for students at the College of Engineering. After his talk with Young, Fulks continued in school’s Industrial & Systems Engineering program. He graduated with a B.S. in engineering in 2002.

Fulks said his time at UAH and the experience gained through those opportunities prepared him for his current role at MTMUSA.

“I consider joining the MTMUS team to be a once in a career opportunity,” he said. “A project this large and with the level of impact it will have on the North Alabama community is unique.”

While the MTMUS plant is under development, Fulks’ day-to-day activities center around hiring and project management. As the automobile plant moves into production, Fulks will be responsible for all vehicle assembly for MTMUS. The company plans to roll out 300,000 vehicles annually at full production.

Fulks caused an international buzz around the business world when he honored Huntsville’s legacy of space exploration by naming MTMUS production lines after Discovery and Apollo.

“Growing up in the Huntsville area the U.S. Space and Rocket Center was a place I visited multiple times throughout my childhood. I still enjoy visiting and I’ve attended family space camp with my son,” he said. “While the region has diversified economically in recent years, it is still best known for the Marshall Space Flight Center and its contribution to space exploration. This inspired me to suggest we honor that legacy by naming MTMUS production lines Discovery and Apollo.”

Fulks said one of the key components of the MTMUS culture is to “Go See.” One of the conditions of employment for some team members is to spend two to four weeks in Japan learning processes from Mazda and Toyota at their corporate headquarters.

Not all jobs at MTMUS will require international travel, but for some employees it will be necessary to train in Japan for three months.

“As someone who has devoted their career to manufacturing, this is a tremendous opportunity to learn from two of the best in the industry,” Fulks said.

Gauging the economic impact of the MTMUS plant in North Alabama will be difficult. The plant plans to hire 4,000 workers, about 1,900 of which will be supervised by Fulks. Suppliers will employ an additional 1,500 to 2,000 workers.

“Studies have shown that there are six indirect jobs created for every direct job created at MTMUS,” Fulks said. “Given the location of the site, the economic impact will not only have an effect on Huntsville and Madison County but also Limestone, Morgan and surrounding counties. MTMUS is truly a game-changer for North Alabama and the Huntsville area.”

Fulks sums up his advice for young people considering a career in the field of engineering in one word, “rewarding.”

“You will have the opportunity to work on projects that make a difference and make a positive impact,” he said. “I also recommend that students, regardless of their major, take advantage of the cooperative education and internship opportunities to get real-world experience before graduating from college.”

Fulks and his wife, Missy Fulks, reside in Decatur. They have two children — Jackson, a student at Austin High School, and Chynna, a nurse in Long Beach, California.