Martin Lew is the CEO and Founder of Commtrex, the largest and most trusted electronic marketplace for rail shippers to directly connect with freight car owners/lessors, railroads, storage locations, transloaders, rail service providers, and industry data. Prior to Commtrex, he was the Head of Sales and Origination (Americas and Europe) for Mabanaft Coal Trading, Vice President and Lead Originator at J.P. Morgan on the Coal and Environmental Markets Desk, Associate in the North American Coal and Emissions Group at Bear Stearns, and CEO/Co-Founder of Equate Systems. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Boston College Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in political science and communications from the University of Southern California.

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.

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.

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.

John Orr is EVP and Chief Operating 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. Appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2024, Orr leads Norfolk Southern?s railway operations, including safety, transportation, network planning and operations, engineering, and equipment maintenance. Orr is helping to accelerate the execution of the company?s balanced strategy to deliver safe and reliable service, continuous productivity improvements, and smart growth. Orr joined Norfolk Southern from Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, and oversaw network operations planning and design, labor relations, and regulatory affairs. In this role, he led the integration and optimization of operations following Canadian Pacific Railway?s acquisition of Kansas City Southern (KCS) in December 2021. At KCS, Orr was Executive Vice President of operations, where he shaped and guided the execution of their service-focused precision scheduled railroading initiatives. Orr began his career at CN as a conductor and held various operating and network positions at the company, including Chief Safety and Sustainability Officer, ultimately being promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Transportation Officer. Orr holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from University of Waterloo and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.

Tracy Robinson was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of CN on February 28, 2022, and is responsible for CN's strategic direction and leadership. Prior to joining CN, Ms. Robinson was Executive Vice-President of TC Energy, President of Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines and President of Coastal GasLink, where she was responsible for the operation and profitability of the company's federally- and provincially regulated natural gas pipeline assets. Ms. Robinson helped advance TC Energy's relationships with Indigenous partners across the country, including the development of agreements with a number of Indigenous communities in Alberta and the advancement of agreements with all 20 of the First Nations along the Coastal GasLink corridor. Ms. Robinson's deep experience in the railway industry stems from her 27 years at Canadian Pacific Railway. There, she served in executive roles in the commercial, finance and operation functions, including as General Manager of Transportation Services, Vice President and Treasurer, and Vice President of Marketing and Sales. She is a member of the Campaign Committee and the Dean's Advisory Council at the Edward's School of Business of the University of Saskatchewan. She has also represented TC Energy on the Board of the Canadian Gas Association. Ms. Robinson holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Saskatchewan. She received her Institute of Corporate Directors designation in 2015.

As General Manager, Shannon is responsible for leading the development and launch of the RailPulse platform, as well as managing the operations, strategy, and growth of the coalition. Shannon has over 25 years of experience in leading technology organizations, with a focus on IoT and remote condition monitoring. He has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, safety, and performance in various industries. Most recently, he was the Business Unit Manager for Parker Hannifin's Diversified Technologies Business Unit. There, Shannon?s team developed IoT-based sensor technologies and software platforms that lead to better, more accurate remote condition monitoring of industrial equipment. Prior to Parker Hannifin, he served as Senior Vice President for Savi Technology, a Lockheed Martin company, where he led development and commercialization of IoT solutions for the defense, transportation, and logistics sectors. He is passionate about advancing the rail industry and creating value for RailPulse's customers and stakeholders.

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.

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.

Tom Williams serves as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. He is responsible for BNSF's sales and marketing activities, customer service and economic development. 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 2014, Tom was promoted to vice president, Industrial Products Sales. He later served as vice president, Industrial Products, responsible for marketing and sales for chemicals, plastics and petroleum products, and since 2017, Tom served as BNSF's group vice president, Consumer Products.

Adriene has always been drawn to those problems where the optimal solutions may not be the obvious ones. In a word: puzzles. 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. Adriene is 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. She is driven 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.

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.

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.

Justin Broyles rejoined R. J. Corman in 2018 after serving for three years as Chief Commercial Officer for Patriot Rail. Prior to that, he held various leadership positions within R. J. Corman focusing on emergency services, storm response, construction, and national account management. He brings over 20 years of railroad industry experience. As Executive Vice President, Commercial Affairs, he oversees all commercial activity, including managing the marketing and sales teams, for R. J. Corman’s 18 short line railroads. Justin is responsible as well for all Class I account management for all R. J. Corman companies and for the company’s storm team efforts. Justin has a robust background in corporate account management, rail related services, new business development, negotiations, mergers/acquisitions, supply chain logistics, and growing strong client relationships. He also holds a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from Southern Illinois University. Justin serves on the Executive Committee of the American Short Line and Region Railroad Association Board of Directors as Vice President, East Region.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Michael O. Miller was appointed CEO of Genesee & Wyoming?s North America on September 2023, prior to his current role, Michael served as President of G&W North America for five years, overseeing both commercial and operating functions, and he joined G&W as Chief Commercial Officer in September 2010. Before G&W, he managed Norfolk Southern?s Modalgistics supply chain organization, 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.

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.

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.

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 Pinsly in April 2022 as President and CEO.

Al Sauer co-founded Regional Rail, a North American short-line rail holding company, in 2007 and currently serves as the President & CEO. Under his leadership, the Regional Rail platform has grown to span 16 short-line railroad operations across multiple regions in the U.S and Canada, in addition to a Diamondback Signal subsidiary that provides railroad crossing signal design, construction, inspection, and maintenance services for shortlines throughout the US. Mr. Sauer began his career in marketing roles with the New York, Susquehanna & Western / Delaware & Hudson Railway and then Canadian Pacific, after it acquired the Delaware & Hudson Railway in 1990. In 1995, he joined RailAmerica, where his responsibilities increased significantly as the company grew to become the largest short-line holding company in the industry. His last position with RailAmerica was Senior VP of Marketing/Chief Commercial Officer, where he oversaw more than 50 short-line railroads throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2004, he joined OmniTRAX as Executive VP of Marketing and Strategic Planning, covering 17 short-line railroads across North America and commercial activities for the Port of Churchill, Manitoba. Mr. Sauer holds a B.S. in Transportation Management & Marketing from Syracuse University.

A railroader, Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena has more than 40 years of industry experience with a demonstrated track record of driving best-in-class operating and service results. His vision for the railroad is clear: Safety, Service and Operational Excellence will equal Growth. Vena knows railroading firsthand, beginning his career as a Canadian National Railway (CN) laborer in maintenance of way, then a brakeman, conductor, locomotive engineer, trainmaster and superintendent. He progressively held roles of increasing responsibility, including senior management positions in Operations, Marketing, and Sales spanning CN?s east, west and southern regions across the U.S., ultimately becoming executive vice president and chief operating officer. As Union Pacific chief operating officer from 2019-2020, Vena oversaw a team that achieved efficiency savings and delivered the best service product in the company?s history. He served as senior advisor to the chairman in 2021 and returned to Union Pacific as CEO in August 2023. His most recent experience as a board member is with Direct ChassisLink, Inc. (DCLI), serving on its Board of Directors as chair of the Audit Committee. He also recently served on the FedEx Board of Directors? Audit, Finance and Governance, Safety and Public Policy committees. Vena grew up in the mountains of the Canadian Rockies in Jasper National Park. He and his wife, Karen, have sons Michael and Joseph. Vena received an undergraduate and graduate degree early in his career.

Robert Babcock was named President and CEO of Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroads (LA&L) in September 2022. Mr. Babcock was most recently General Manager/Vice President/Senior Vice President of the Indiana Rail Road (INRD), where he was responsible for train operations, car/locomotion repair, systems safety and training, customer service, engineering and intermodal marketing and operations. He was previously General Manager of the Baltimore, Louisville & Appalachian Divisions and Managing Director of Car Management at CSX Transportation, and Superintendent of Operations at BNSF Railway. Mr. Babcock started his rail career as a business development manager at Santa Fe Railway. Mr. Babcock holds a BS in Transportation Management from Indiana University and is a board member of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers.

Patrick Fuchs was sworn in on January 17, 2019, as a Member of the Board for a term of office expiring on January 17, 2024, following his confirmation by the United States Senate on January 2, 2019. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Fuchs was senior professional staff member working on surface transportation and maritime issues for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under the leadership of Chairman John Thune of South Dakota. Mr. Fuchs has played an integral role in the development and enactment of major railroad legislation, including the first reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board since its creation in 1996 and the first passenger rail reauthorization in over seven years. He also worked on legislation to improve rail project delivery, rail financing, and hazardous materials safety, all of which were enacted as part of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), the five-year, $305 billion surface transportation authorization. Mr. Fuchs helped develop and enact the first reauthorization of the National Transportation Safety Board in over a decade. He also worked on legislation to increase safety by addressing opioid abuse in transportation, reforms enacted as part of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. His work also includes the most recent authorization of the Federal Maritime Commission as well as three authorizations of the Maritime Administration, enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Years 2017, 2018, and 2019. Prior to serving Chairman Thune, he was a policy analyst and Presidential Management Fellow at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he managed railroad and maritime regulatory reviews. During his time at OMB, Mr. Fuchs worked on regulations pertaining to rail safety technology, rail tank car safety, and railroad operating practices, among other issues. He has also worked for the U.S. Department of State, where he received the Meritorious Honor Award for extraordinary contributions to substantive economic analysis. His experience also includes time with the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education. Mr. Fuchs graduated with distinction in economics and political science and earned an M.P.A. from the University of Wisconsin, where he received the Director's Achievement Award for his outstanding academic record. Mr. Fuchs and his wife, Katherine, were born and raised in Wisconsin.

Karen J. Hedlund was sworn in on January 3, 2022, as a Member of the Board for a term of office expiring on December 31, 2025, following her confirmation by the United States Senate on December 16, 2021. Karen was named Vice Chairman of the Board on January 9, 2023 and on January 9, 2024. Karen served in the Obama Administration as Chief Counsel of the Federal Highway Administration from 2009 to 2010, and as Chief Counsel and Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration from 2010 to 2014. Since stepping down from that position, Karen has advised governmental authorities and private investors on the development of passenger rail and transportation-oriented development projects. Prior to joining the FRA, Karen had a long career as a legal advisor to governmental agencies and private lenders and investors on the development of a broad range infrastructure projects across the United States, including rail, transit, highways, airports, water and energy facilities. She practiced with leading national law firms in Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, DC. Karen is a graduate of Harvard University (AB) and Georgetown University Law Center (JD). Karen has two children and two grandchildren in Brooklyn, New York, who love to ski and hike with her near her home in Colorado.

Michelle Schultz was sworn in on January 11, 2021, as a new member of the Surface Transportation Board. Michelle was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 18, 2020. Michelle served as Vice Chairman of the Board from February 2022 to January 2023. For the previous 14 years, Michelle served in various leadership roles with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which serves the public transportation needs of over one million daily riders in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. She is regarded as a leading lawyer and policy professional in the public transportation space. Most recently, Michelle served as SEPTA?s Deputy General Counsel, where her responsibilities included: representing the agency before the Federal Railroad Administration and Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; serving as lead counsel on a major railroad reconstruction project; overseeing compliance, regulatory, and legislative issues; and, serving as lead counsel on real estate transactions and c