Anthony B. Hatch was honored by being named the 2019 North American Rail Shippers Association (NARS) “Person of the Year”. Tony has been a senior transportation analyst on Wall Street for over thirty years, starting at major financial institutions (Salomon Brothers; Argus, PaineWebber, Natwest Markets) prior to starting his independent analyst/consultancy at the turn of the century. Mr. Hatch's coverage has been focused on the freight transportation segment, particularly surface transportation. Mr. Hatch is known for his knowledge of the intermodal area, where the various modes of freight transport converge, on which he has held several dozen specialized conferences, prior to co-founding and co-leading RailTrends in the 21st century, the rail industry’s most comprehensive conference (www.railtrends.com). Mr. Hatch provides not only “traditional” yet independent institutional transport research but also provides “bespoke” research such as due diligence and other services to “new” players in transport investment such as private equity, infrastructure and activist and other hedge funds in such areas as intermodal, short lines, rail maintenance and construction, railcar leasing and 3pls, as well as specific research for or concerning major railroads in North America as well as in Brazil, China, the UK, India and, especially, Australia. In addition to assignments with various trade and government organizations (such as the Association of American Railroads, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, the United Transportation Union, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Railway Association of Canada, the Intermodal Association of North America, the North American Association of Rail Shippers, AREMA/NRC/RSI, the Railway Association of the UK, Australian railways, Railinc/Steelroads), various other freight shipper and supplier organizations (including NITL, NGFA, and NEARS/SEARS/MARS/SWARS, etc), and management consulting firms such as Pwc, Oliver Wyman/ Mercer Management, etc. He has also worked with an extensive list of private equity/infrastructure firms in the space, both here and globally. Mr. Hatch, when directly on “the street”, was named to various honor rolls, including the institutional investor (“ii”) and Wall Street Kournal all-star teams and he garnered the top spot in the prestigious Greenwich poll. He is a past president of the motor carrier analysts association. His career highlight had been testifying before congress on railroads, starting in 1998, among other testimonies. Mr. Hatch graduated from Harvard College with an a.b. In American History in 1982. He lives in New York City, and enjoys baseball (watching – LA Dodgers! - and playing), real football (spurs), Harvard sports, in addition to history (British, US, Canadian), politics, and sports cars.

Chuck Baker joined ASLRRA as President in February 2019 after a 15-year career in the railroad industry. Before joining ASLRRA he was a Partner at Chambers Conlon & Hartwell (CC&H), where, in addition to the ASLRRA, he represented clients such as the National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association (NRC), the OneRail Coalition, the American Railway Development Association, Norfolk Southern, and Canadian National. For the NRC, Mr. Baker also served as its President. In that capacity, he had responsibility for all of the association's core financial, operational, and legal programs, including the federal legislative and regulatory program in front of both Congress and the Administration. For the OneRail Coalition, a coalition of freight rail, intercity passenger rail, commuter rail, rail labor, and rail supply industry interests, Mr. Baker coordinated the group’s activities and messaging. Prior to joining CC&H, Mr. Baker worked with the Surface Transportation Policy Project in Washington, D.C. Mr. Baker has also worked for Deutsche Bank Securities as an investment banker specializing in Corporate Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions in San Francisco, CA. Mr. Baker is a native of Baltimore, MD, and a graduate of Rice University in Houston, TX.

Ottensmeyer has served in his current role since 2015. From 2008 to 2015, he was executive vice president sales and marketing, and from 2006 to 2008, he was executive vice president and chief financial officer. Prior to joining KCS, Mr. Ottensmeyer served as Chief Financial Officer of Intranasal Therapeutics, Inc. from 2001 to May 2006. From 2000 to 2001, he served as Corporate Vice President Finance and Treasurer for Dade-Behring Holdings, Inc. From 1993 to 1999, Mr. Ottensmeyer served as Vice President Finance and Treasurer at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation and BNSF Railway and their predecessor companies.

Keith Creel became the first President and CEO of CPKC on April 14, 2023 with the combination of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. Mr. Creel previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Pacific (CP), a position he assumed in January 2017, becoming the 17th person to lead CP since 1881. Under Mr. Creel's leadership, CP achieved industry-leading safety performance and delivered more efficient ways to connect customers to domestic and global markets, playing a prominent role in connecting communities across North America. Mr. Creel was appointed CP President and Chief Operating Officer in February 2013 and joined the CP Board of Directors in May of 2015. Prior to joining CP, Mr. Creel was Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer at Canadian National Railway (CN). He held various positions at CN including Executive Vice-President Operations, Senior Vice-President Eastern Region, Senior Vice-President Western Region, and Vice-President of the Prairie Division. Mr. Creel began his railroad career at Burlington Northern Railway in 1992 as an intermodal ramp manager in Birmingham, Alabama. He also spent part of his career at Grand Trunk Western Railroad as a superintendent and general manager and at Illinois Central Railroad as a trainmaster and director of corridor operations, prior to its merger with CN in 1999. He currently serves on the board of the Association of American Railroads. Mr. Creel holds a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Jacksonville State University and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Mr. Creel has a military background as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, during which time he served in the Persian Gulf War in Saudi Arabia. Recognized for his leadership at CP, he was named by Progressive Railroading as Railroad Innovator for 2014 and by Railway Age as Railroader of the Year in 2021 and co-Railroader of the Year in 2022. The Globe and Mail newspaper’s Report on Business Magazine named Mr. Creel its 2021 CEO of the Year and 2021 Strategist of the Year. He is honored to be married to his wife of over 30 years, Ginger, and proud father of Tanner and Caitlin.

Larry Gross is a forty-three-year veteran of the freight transportation sector. He is the President and Founder of Gross Transportation Consulting of Durango, CO, an independent consulting practice specializing in the North American intermodal sector (www.intermodalindepth.com). Larry is an acknowledged expert on intermodal who is quoted often in the press and makes frequent appearances before the transportation community, including the “Intermodal Analyzed” webinar series for the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). He produces Intermodal in Depth, a monthly deep-dive analytical report on the intermodal sector and authors a monthly column for the Journal of Commerce. He has played a key role in the creation of educational content for students studying Supply Chain Management as the author of numerous business case studies, many of which have been used over the years in the “IANA Academic Challenge” competition. Larry posts frequently on intermodal matters on LinkedIn using the name linkedin.com/in/intermodalist. He can be reached at lgross@intermodalindepth.com.

Richard (Dick) specializes in rail transportation equipment markets. He has an extensive background in marketing, business development, asset management, operations and sales in the rail industry; spending more than 15 years with a major rail equipment leasing company, and 10 years with several railroads, managing functions responsible for domestic and global research and market intelligence, fleet/competitor analysis, market forecasting, new market development, strategic planning and operations.

Beth Whited is a railroad industry leader and the first female president in the history of Union Pacific. Her experience includes leadership roles in disciplines that touch nearly every part of operating the world’s largest freight rail network. Over the past 35 years, Whited has led multiple functions across Union Pacific, spanning Strategy, Marketing and Sales, Sustainability, Finance, Investor Relations and Workforce Resources. As executive vice president-Sustainability and Strategy, she helped lead the development and implementation of Union Pacific’s strategic vision as it strives to become the nation’s No. 1 supply chain logistics provider while guiding its efforts to reach net zero by 2050. Whited’s team led historic labor negotiations, securing unprecedented quality of life and paid sick leave agreements for Union Pacific’s craft professionals. As part of her Marketing and Sales leadership positions, she led the department for two years, the Chemicals business for four years and served as president of subsidiary Union Pacific Distribution Services. Whited’s industry-leading efforts have been recognized through a myriad of awards, including the 2021 Railway Woman of the Year by the League of Railway Women and Progressive Railroading, and Constellation Research’s ESG50 List reflecting her commitment to sustainability. Additionally, Union Pacific was the only railroad named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, underscoring its environmental and sustainability efforts. Engaged in both business and community activities, Whited is a member of the Board of Directors of RPM International Inc., serving on the Compensation Committee. She’s a member of the Humanities Nebraska Board, the Omaha Symphony Board and the Aksarben Foundation Board of Governors. She was a founding member and former president of Union Pacific’s LEAD (Lead, Educate, Achieve, Develop) women’s initiative. Whited graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa. She and her husband Kelvin have three children.

Dean Piacente serves as the Chief Executive Officer for OmniTRAX, Inc., one of North America’s largest privately held transportation services companies.  As CEO, Dean oversees the daily operations of the company’s Short Line Railroads, Terminal Services, Transload Services, and Industrial Development / Real Estate Services. One of the industry's most respected rail executives, Dean amassed a diverse thirty-two-year career with CSX Corporation, a multibillion-dollar Class I Railroad Company.  Piacente's deep commercial, terminal operating, and finance experience is derived from multiple assignments and senior leadership roles including CSX Vice President Sales & Marketing, Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis, and President of CSX’s bulk transloading business TRANSFLO. Dean's industry service also includes board of director appointments to various transportation associations. A New York native and Florida State University graduate, Piacente holds executive education credentials from Harvard Business School and Columbia University.

Michael O. Miller was appointed President of G&W's North American operations in October 2018. He joined the company as Chief Commercial Officer for North America in September 2010 and was previously General Manager of Norfolk Southern's Modalgistics Supply Chain Solutions, where he improved customers' supply chain efficiencies through rail, transload and intermodal service. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Strategic Development for Derivion Corp and held logistics-related positions with Georgia-Pacific and Roadway Express. Mr. Miller holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and a master's in business management from North Carolina State University.

Alan Shaw is President and Chief Executive Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation. Since 1827, Norfolk Southern has safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. In his current role, Shaw oversees all areas of the company’s business, building a customer-centric and operations-driven organization. With 28 years of achievement at Norfolk Southern, he is one of the most respected leaders in the industry. Shaw has helped the company build the strongest intermodal franchise in the eastern U.S., positioning the railroad for growth in consumer-oriented, service-sensitive markets. He has also led support for numerous innovations in customer-facing technology, sustainability, and new product offerings. Shaw joined Norfolk Southern in 1994 as a Cost Systems Analyst and steadily moved into positions of increasing responsibility. Throughout his career at the company he has served as Business Development Manager (1998-2003); Director and Group Vice President, Coal Transportation Services (2003-2009); Group Vice President Industrial Products/Chemicals (2009-2013); Vice President Intermodal Operations (2013-2015); and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (2015-2021). Currently, Shaw serves on the board of directors of Norfolk Southern and the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He also sits on the board of trustees of Virginia Wesleyan University and Pace Academy in Atlanta, as well as the Roanoke College Parent Leadership Council. Shaw earned a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering and an MBA in finance from Virginia Tech. He completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School and is a CFA charterholder.

Marc Brazeau is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Railway Association of Canada (RAC). Brazeau has more than two decades of transportation industry association experience. Between 1995 and 2015, he worked for the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA), where he spent more than seven years as the President and CEO. In that role, he implemented advocacy strategies, represented the association with elected politicians and senior government officials to defend the interests of its members, and liaised with media on all matters related to the Canadian automotive aftermarket industry. Mr. Brazeau holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Ottawa and a three-year Public Relations diploma from Humber College. In addition, he holds the internationally recognized Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation, which is built on abilities that demonstrate the essential skills of efficient and effective not-for-profit management. Mr. Brazeau is bilingual.

Ashley Wieland is the President of the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC). Wieland previously worked for the NRC in roles that covered operations, conference planning, government affairs and grassroots events. Most recently, she served as director of state government relations for the American Traffic Safety Services Association, where she built the association's state government relations program from the ground up, NRC officials said in a press release.

As the Association of American Railroads (AAR’s) president and CEO, Jefferies advocates for and works with member railroads to ensure the continued viability of America’s railroad industry. Prior to assuming the role on January 1, 2019, Jefferies was the senior vice president of AAR’s government affairs where he led the development, promotion and implementation of legislative priorities for the AAR. Before joining the AAR, Jefferies cultivated more than a decade of experience working within government. From 2009 to 2013, Jefferies served as a senior policy advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. In this role, Jefferies provided policy guidance on a host of transportation issues, including railroad economic regulation, rail safety and passenger rail. Jefferies also led the successful development, negotiation and reauthorization of major infrastructure legislation and managed the successful conference of Committee legislation relating to the 2012 surface transportation reauthorization law, MAP 21. Jefferies began his career in government serving as a Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Lexington, Kentucky, before transitioning to the federal government. Prior to serving in the United States Senate, he worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Government Accountability Office. In these roles, Jefferies led program reviews on a variety of issues including infrastructure development, international trade, major weapon systems acquisition and federal contracting.

Adriene has always been drawn to those problems where the optimal solutions may not be the obvious ones. In a word: puzzles. “As a systems engineer by training, I’m always intrigued by situations where there is complexity and what might seem obvious on the surface could be driving you to an action that is really not in your best interest – and I seek out those kinds of problems where you must dig deep to fully understand the influences and forces at play that need to be addressed to deliver the desired result,” she says. After graduating university, there was nothing more exciting as a new consultant at Oliver Wyman than to be able to work on tough network optimization and corporate restructuring problems across the transportation sector. “I was fascinated by and determined to find solutions to the hard problem of running a reliable and cost-effective transportation system that meets the needs of customers with a wide variety of operating constraints and rules of engagement,” Adriene says. If you’re intrigued and energized by solving new and unique puzzles that crop up every day and you must find a solution that will get the freight delivered, you’ll find a home in transportation – and you won’t regret it for a minute! In her late 20s, she joined a US Class-1 railroad to lead their newly formed service design function. For the next 25 years, she worked in leadership roles for transportation providers – from railroads to intermodal to truck brokerage to international freight forwarding and contract logistics. “The common thread was always a transformational challenge that needed to be solved – whether in a line commercial or operating role or in the strategy/development chair,” says Adriene. The interconnected and interdependent nature of the global transportation ecosystem makes disruptions extremely costly, as witnessed by the COVID-19 pandemic. But she’s excited by the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. “The global supply chain is full of potential and has an imperative to be more resilient and more efficient. The ability for multiple parties to integrate information and orchestrate operations across organizational boundaries holds the promise of unlocking a tremendous amount of value for the world – and to eliminate costly bottlenecks and failures within the system,” Adriene says. “We will need to treat the global supply chain as a shared and vital asset and develop trust-based standards that allow for greater integration and visibility across the ecosystem and methods of responding to and optimizing our responses to disruptions at scale.”

Mr. Titterton was elected Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Rail North America in August 2018 and Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer in June 2013. Since joining GATX in 1997, Mr. Titterton has served in a variety of roles within GATX in the areas of sales, customer experience, marketing, business development, government affairs, strategy, structured finance, investment analysis, and fleet management. Mr. Titterton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Harvard College and is a CFA charterholder.

Martin J. Oberman was designated Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on January 21, 2021. Marty was sworn in as a member of the Board on January 22, 2019. He is serving in his first, five-year term following his confirmation by the United States Senate on January 2, 2019. His current term expires December 31, 2023. Marty has had an extensive career in both the public and private sectors. In 2013, Marty was appointed to the board of Metra, the Chicago region’s commuter railroad, the second largest in the U.S. In 2014, he was unanimously elected Metra chairman and served until the end of 2016. While at Metra, he gained approval for the agency’s first long term fare program aimed at tackling the agency’s multi-billion dollar state-of-good-repair backlog, and led the Board’s effort to institute transparency and professional management in an effort to overcome an historic culture of politics and patronage abuses at the railroad. Most recently, he served on the board of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) until November 2018. Since 1975, Marty also maintained a successful practice in Chicago as both a trial and appellate lawyer. Marty graduated from Yale University and the University of Wisconsin Law School, cum laude, and served as a Note Editor of the Wisconsin Law Review. He has been married to his wife, Bonnie, since 1971, and has two children, and three grandchildren. Marty is a native of Springfield, Illinois.

As President, Urszula Soucie manages the day-to- day administration of REMSA including membership communication, recruitment, and retention, the monthly newsletter, accounting, the annual directory, the scholarship program, and supporting the planning and execution of the Railway Interchange Conference. Prior to joining REMSA, Ms. Soucie worked for a Wisconsin based consulting firm and was Research Assistant to several transportation studies. Ms. Soucie received her B.A. in Humanistic Studies from McGill University in Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Prior to forming RDC in conjunction with his partner Bob Pietrandrea, Mr. Posner entered railway service at Conrail, serving the Operating, Marketing and Sales departments in Detroit, New York and Philadelphia. He serves as Chairman of RDC; Iowa Interstate Railroad; RDC-Deutschland; RégioRail; and The Hawthorne Group. He also serves as a director of Eurorail; and a director of Vivarail. A graduate of Princeton University (BS-Civil Engineering), Mr. Posner also holds an MBA (Finance) from the Wharton School. He serves as Chairman of the EBT Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed to restore and operate the East Broad Top Railroad; Iowa Interstate’s alternate director at the Association of American Railroads; a member of the Transportation Research Board; Agriculture and Food Transport Subcommittee; a board member of the Independent School Chairpersons’ Association (ISCA); and as an Emeritus Trustee and former President of the Winchester Thurston School. He teaches an undergraduate course on rail deregulation at Carnegie Mellon University and has lectured and published extensively on railway matters. He was a contributor to the book Railway Transformation, published in 2010 by Eurail Press under the auspices of the Community of European Railways. His philanthropic activities range from support of the Jewish community in the Former Soviet Union to Operation Lifesaver. He was named among “75 People You Should Know” for Trains magazine’s 75th anniversary; is the recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International for his work in Guatemala; and is an occasional contributor to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on regional affairs. RDC’s history is profiled in the book Railroaders Without Borders by Prof. H. Roger Grant (Indiana University Press, 2015). He writes haiku and speaks English, Spanish, French and Russian.

Patty Long is the President of the Railway Supply Institute. Long brings over 25 years of executive experience in trade associations to RSI, most recently serving the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) as interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer with oversight of industry relations, member engagement, HR, government and regulatory affairs, and sustainability. Earlier in her career, Long worked as the Director of Communications with the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) and spent 18 years at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), rising to Vice President, Policy Research and Member Communications. Patty also taught ethics for over a decade as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. She is a native of the Washington, DC area and is the mother of four daughters.

Kenneth Mannka is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Nexxiot. With over twenty years in the transportation and railroad sector, Ken is a seasoned expert in the dynamics of rail operations. Throughout his career, he has adeptly managed large-scale rail operations, laying a foundation for his commitment to enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability in the industry. This experience, combined with his roles in safety, training, and compliance, has positioned him as a key advocate for rail leaders eager to integrate digital advancements. At Nexxiot, Ken is spearheading the expansion of innovative digital solutions across the US rail system, aiming to set new standards for the future of transportation.

Rob is the key leader for the IANA’s operations and business development activities, including industry technology products and services providing the leadership, vision, and management necessary to ensure that IANA has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and staffing resources in place to effectively grow the organization, ensure financial strength, and operating efficiencies, while ensuring a high level of service and value to IANA’s members and customers. Rob came to this position from the organization’s Board of Directors. In addition, he served on IANA’s Intermodal Interchange Executive Committee from 2012 to 2019. This body governs the language of the Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement (UIIA). Prior to this, Rob spent over 25 years in Port, Terminal and Ocean Carrier operations, holding roles such as Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Logistics, as well as positions in Procurement, Vessel Planning, Equipment Control and Risk Management. Rob spent significant time and attention collaborating through the Ocean Carriers Equipment Management Association (OCEMA), serving for several years as the Chairman of the Operations Council as well as service on the boards of Consolidated Chassis management and various individual chassis pools. He spent much of the first half of 2016 leading the North American Ocean Carrier effort on successfully implementing the SOLAS VGM Requirement in the United States. Passionate about education, Rob trained as a ship’s navigator and earned a B.S. in Marine Business and Commerce from the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler. He returned to earn an M.S. at SUNY Maritime and later taught graduate courses there for almost 10 years in an adjunct position. He also holds an M.B.A. from Centenary University of New Jersey.

Patrick Lortie was appointed Senior Vice-President and Chief Strategy Officer of CN in February 2023. In this role, he leads the development and implementation of CN’s corporate strategy, including an enhanced focus on network strategies and interline relationships. Patrick is a recognized expert in designing growth strategies and leading business transformations in the transportation industry. He has advised Boards and Executive Teams on a global basis for more than two decades. Before joining CN, he was at Oliver Wyman, where he led the firm’s global Transportation and Services Practice and oversaw the firm’s activities in Canada. He was also a member of the firm’s Global Leadership Council. Prior to that, he worked for regional airlines in France and Argentina, and for Virgin Trains, a leading passenger train operator in the United Kingdom. Patrick sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Club of Montréal, and is a member of the Business Advisory Committee of the Northwestern University Transportation Center, a leading interdisciplinary education and research institution serving the transportation industry. Patrick holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the École Polytechnique de Montréal, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and a certificate in Strategies for Sustainable Business from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Tom G. Williams was named group vice president, Consumer Products in July 2017. In this role, Tom is responsible for BNSF's domestic and international intermodal marketing and sales, as well as the automotive business. Tom previously served as vice president, Industrial Products, since November 2016. In this role, he was responsible for marketing and sales for chemicals, plastics and petroleum products. Tom joined the former Santa Fe Railway Company in 1993 in Schaumburg, Ill. He held various positions in Intermodal Marketing, Automotive Marketing and Industrial Products Marketing prior to assuming the role of assistant vice president, Intermodal/Automotive Operations in the Service Design and Performance group at BNSF. In February 2014, Tom was promoted to vice president, Industrial Products Sales

Ed Quinn, a 27-year veteran in the transportation and manufacturing industries, returned to R. J. Corman Railroad Group as President and CEO in 2016. Prior to his return, he spent five years serving as the Vice President of a manufacturing and sales company in Lexington, KY. His previous experience with R. J. Corman includes VP of Strategic Contracts and Sales, VP of the Derailment Services Company, and General Manager of the Material Sales Company. He graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and serves as a board member of several industry and charitable organizations.

With more than 28 years in the rail industry, and with most of those years in leadership roles, Ryan has been afforded the privilege to lead high performing teams through challenging times. Those teams have continuously improved safety performance, earnings, and customer satisfaction. Notably, he led the team responsible for the single most prominent rail turnaround in recent history. Between 2014 and 2020 the team took the infamous and bankrupt Montreal Maine & Atlantic and transformed it to industry renowned Central Maine & Quebec Railway. This transformation culminated in June 2020 when Canadian Pacific Railway was granted approval to acquire and control CMQR. Ryan began his career in 1994 with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway predecessor, Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe, as a Switchman and through a series of promotions served as Terminal Superintendent before joining the team at RailAmerica in 2007. While at RailAmerica, he led the turnaround of Indiana & Ohio Railway before being promoted to Regional Vice President for the Midwest Region in early 2011. Following the acquisition of RailAmerica by Genesee & Wyoming, Ryan served in a Senior Vice President role until leaving in 2014 and joining CMQR as Chief Operating Officer. Promoted to President & CEO in early 2017, Ryan and his team dedicated themselves to fostering a culture focused on continuous improvement of safety and developing new business while partnering with connecting carriers to optimize routes and service for their customers. CMQR began operations in June of 2014 and was awarded the 2016 Regional Railroad of the Year by Railway Age Magazine, 2016 ASLRRA Jake with Distinction Award Winner for working injury free in the U.S., and the 2015 Railway Association of Canada Safety Award. Ryan served as President & CEO of CMQR until June 2020 when Canadian Pacific was granted control of the line. He then created LERN, LLC and advised a broad spectrum of clients who operate, invest or place insurance within the freight rail industry. During 2021, Ryan had the unique privilege to serve on the Board of Iowa Interstate Railroad. Following the acquisition by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, Ratledge joined Gulf & Atlantic Railways, LLC in April 2022 as President and CEO.

Joseph R. Hinrichs, a leader with more than 30 years of experience in the global automotive, manufacturing, and energy sectors, was named President and Chief Executive Officer of CSX in September 2022. Hinrichs brings to CSX a commitment to operational excellence, experience building global businesses through investment in people and culture, and a deep understanding of balancing safety and efficiency in a complex industry. Hinrichs previously served as President of Ford Motor Company’s global automotive business. In that role, he led the company’s $160-billion automotive operations, overseeing Ford’s global business units and the Ford and Lincoln brands, as well as leading all of Ford’s automotive skill teams, including Product Development, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Labor Affairs, Marketing and Sales, Government Affairs, Information Technology, and Sustainability, Safety and Environmental Engineering. Other titles he held at Ford include President of Global Operations, President of the Americas, President of Asia Pacific and Africa, Chairman and CEO of Ford China, and Chairman & CEO of Ford Canada. Hinrichs has also held executive roles in global manufacturing and materials planning, and logistics. Hinrichs is recognized for his dedication to operational excellence, successfully managing and growing complex P&Ls, consistently increasing profits, and engaging with the workforce. In his recent roles, he spearheaded global business growth as he oversaw the construction of new overseas manufacturing plants, developed and launched new vehicles and services, and improved product quality. Further, Hinrichs is lauded for working seamlessly with a variety of stakeholders and managing large teams. In his latest role at Ford, Hinrichs oversaw nearly 200,000 employees and 10,000 Ford and Lincoln dealers around the world. During his time as President of the Americas, he led the team to deliver the three most profitable years in the history of Ford’s North American business unit and its best ever quality rankings. Throughout his career, Hinrichs has been motivated by people and focused on forging strong relationships to generate successful business outcomes. Hinrichs has a proven track record in building collaborative relationships with labor leaders and represented workgroups during his time at Ford and GM. With a people-first mentality, Hinrichs believes listening to and learning from the workforce is critical to finding the right solutions and creating a winning culture. An Ohio native, Hinrichs began his career with General Motors in 1989. After joining as an engineer, he requested a production management position and quickly ascended to plant manager. Following his tenure at Ryan Enterprises from 1998 to 2000 where he oversaw the private equity firm’s investments in small entrepreneurial businesses – including those made in the manufacturing sphere – Hinrichs joined Ford to run its Van Dyke Transmissions Plant. Hinrichs ascended through roles of increasing responsibility, assuming his first global role just two years into his career at Ford. Hinrichs serves in multiple advisory and board roles of various companies including The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Exide Technologies, Luminar Technologies, microDrive, and First Move Capital. Hinrichs previously served as a senior advisor at Boyden California, an operating advisor at Assembly Ventures, as well as a director at Ascend Wellness Holdings, GPR, Inc., Rivian Automotive, Inc. and Ford Motor Credit Company. He was Chairman of the National Minority Supplier Development Council from 2016 to 2019 and also served on the boards of CEO Climate Dialogue, Climate Leadership Council, and the US-China Business Council. Hinrichs has received numerous awards and recognition during his automotive career. In 2019 he was named an Automotive News All Star as the top global operations executive in the automotive industry. Upon his retirement in 2020, J.D. Power honored Hinrichs with a rare individual Distinguished Service Award recognizing his contributions to improving quality in the automotive industry. In 2015 he was named a Kentucky Colonel by the governor of Kentucky for his leadership in supporting successful manufacturing in the commonwealth. Hinrichs holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering magna cum laude from the University of Dayton and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He also holds an Honorary Doctor of Human Letters from Tiffin University and an Honorary Doctor of Science and Business Administration from Cleary University.

David Schaar is a Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group and leads the North American Transportation and Logistics business. He is based in Philadelphia. He focuses on business strategy, transformative change, and operations improvement. David works with clients on a range of functional topics, including growth strategy, operating performance improvement, and procurement. In his recent client work, David has addressed corporate strategy, finance transformation, and technology modernization for a range of clients in the rail space. Beyond the freight rail sector, David also serves clients in passenger rail and transit.

Rajeet is a partner with PwC’s Technology Consulting practice. He has over 17 years of experience with the firm. He is a leader in digital technology and modernization in the travel, transportation, and hospitality sector, with 17 years of professional experience in technology, management, and operations consulting. Rajeet leads strategy and execution of technology-enabled business transformations, orchestrating agile operating models, advising on digital and emerging technology investments, and integrating data/applications/cloud platforms to drive technology asset modernization objectives. He has experience in advising clients and leading consulting teams in the following domains: Business Strategy and Planning, Business and Operations Analysis, Business Architecture Design, IT Strategy and Agile Delivery, IT Financial Management, Financial Analysis and Modeling, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, Digital Transformation Strategy, and Execution. Rajeet recently led the implementation of supply chain projects in the IT shared services and supply chain organization over a four-year business transformation period.