Pat Ottensmeyer

President & CEO - Kansas City Southern

As chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's U.S.- Mexico Economic Council, Ottensmeyer ensures the rail industry has a voice at the table, engaging with public- and private-sector leaders to strengthen bilateral commercial ties. He also served as the U.S. chairman of the strategic trade initiatives working group of the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue. Meanwhile, KCS has been nudging the innovation needle, embracing blockchain and all that next-gen positive train control might net. At RailTrends 2018, Chief Innovation Officer Brian Hancock said KCS would be fully automated in six to 10 years. And under Ottensmeyer's watch, KCS is taking what Hatch calls "a bold view of PSR as a growth-driver of looking at change not to please the lowest common denominator (i.e., not just to close yards), but to achieve their credo, service begets growth!"

Before taking the railroad's reins, Ottensmeyer served as KCS's EVP of sales and marketing from 2008 to 2015, and as EVP and chief financial officer from 2006 to 2008. Prior to joining KCS, Ottensmeyer was EVP and CFO of Intranasal Therapeutics Inc. from 2000 to 2006. Before that, he was VP of finance and treasurer for Santa Fe Pacific Corp. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. (1993 to 1999).