CN
CN’s Tracy Robinson received the Canadian Business Leader of the Year award from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Montreal, the Class I railroad reported via LinkedIn on May 14. George Cope, former CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada, took home the Canadian Business Leader Lifetime Achievement Award. “We are incredibly proud and inspired by their exceptional leadership and contributions,” CN wrote.
Railway Age earlier this year selected Robinson as its 61st Railroader of the Year.
“Robinson continues the sweeping leadership evolution the railroad industry has been undergoing for the past few years,” Railway Age Editor-in-Chief wrote in the magazine’s January issue. “She continues to break new ground, bringing fresh ideas and a perspective based on change, growth, and service. She is leading CN during challenging times, strengthening and transforming the company and solidifying its position in the North American and global supply chains. While she brought many years of experience to CN, including leadership positions at Canadian Pacific and in Canada’s energy sector, she is dedicated to developing a new generation of railroaders from diverse backgrounds.”
Robinson was named President and CEO of CN in February 2022 following more than 30 years in Canada’s railroad and energy industries. She joined CN from TC Energy, where she was Executive Vice President, and President of Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines and Coastal GasLink. Prior to joining TC Energy, Robinson spent 27 years at Canadian Pacific, including in executive roles spanning Commercial, Operations and Finance. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan. Among many honors, she was named the 2023 New CEO of the Year by The Globe and Mail Report on Business magazine.
Also on May 14, CN reported the grand opening of its transload logistics facility in Flat Rock, Mich., which is slated to facilitate the transfer of steel coils from rail to truck and streamline the distribution process. Spanning 20,000 square feet, the facility is designed specifically for inbound train operations. It is equipped with a 50-ton overhead crane and a 10-car track capable of receiving covered gondolas transporting steel coils.
Target Steel, the facility’s first customer, “will convert a large part of its traffic from trucks to rail for steel coils,” according to the railroad, which noted that the resulting “streamlining of operations and removal of a substantial number of heavy weight trucks off highways, is expected to reduce related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%.”
The facility was part of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Rail’s Freight Economic Development Program, “which covers up to 50% of the costs of a rail project that will improve access to the state’s rail system and keep our economy moving by increasing rail volumes,” according to Peter Anastor, Director of MDOT’s Office of Rail. “This grant will help CN’s customer gain access to the rail system, ensuring rail is a viable option for the movement of their goods.”
“We are excited to open this state-of-the-art facility in Flat Rock,” CN Vice President, Supply Chain and Business Development Helen Quirke said. “It is a testament to CN’s commitment to sustainable logistics solutions.”
“Target Steel is thrilled to embark on this transformative journey alongside CN as we expand our automotive manufacturing capabilities,” said Michael Simone, Vice President of Target Steel. “The addition of CN’s transload facility in Flat Rock symbolizes not just a logistical solution, but a testament to the partnership and creativity between our companies.”
One week after CN announced that subsidiary CNTL (CN Transportation Ltd.) reached a second tentative agreement with Unifor-affiliated owner-operators, the railroad reported that agreement’s ratification. The four-year agreement covers approximately 750 owner-operators under contract with CNTL in Canada until Dec. 31, 2027, CN said on May 14. CNTL handles first- and last-mile trucking container pickup and deliveries; it moves an average of 1.5 million containers per year between CN’s 23 intermodal terminals and customer locations.
“We are pleased that CNTL reached this new agreement with Unifor through collaborative negotiations,” CN Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Remi G. Lalonde said. “We are committed to working with owner-operators to support business needs and ensure that they can deliver critical first mile and last mile services to our customers.”
NS
The CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency) Program partners are celebrating the fifth year of their commitment to enhancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education in Southside Chicago schools and educational institutions, according to NS. The public-private partnership, aimed to help “eliminate bottlenecks, enhance safety, and stimulate economic growth in the region,” includes the Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration and Federal Railroad Administration, and Association of American Railroads, which represents NS, Amtrak, Belt Railway of Chicago, BNSF, CN, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, CSX, Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, Metra, and UP.
As part of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (75th St. CIP), CREATE partners have allocated more than $700,000 to support STEM initiatives across Chicago Public Schools, Leo High School, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Chicago Public Library through the Library Foundation, NS reported May 14.
2024 marks the fifth consecutive year of grants, with $200,000 pledged for the 2024-25 school year. NS said it contributed $100,000 to match the CREATE partners’ donation. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker recently announced these grants during an event at Leo High School, alongside officials from IDOT and CREATE Program partners, according to NS (see picture, top).
“Norfolk Southern is committed to the long-term growth and vitality of Chicago, understanding the critical role STEM education plays in shaping the future workforce,” NS Director Corporate Giving Kristin Wong said. “We’re proud to partner with Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Public Library Foundation, investing in the innovators and leaders of tomorrow within our communities.”
“The impact of CREATE goes beyond any economic indicators,” Gov. Pritzker said. “It lies in the way it has connected and invested in our people—from workforce development to community improvement projects and of course, STEM education.”
UP
UP ranked No. 43 on a list of 50 top companies for workplace fairness, according to Fair360, which has assessed workplace fairness in corporate America for more than 20 years. The railroad also ranked No. 7 on Fair360’s list of 12 top companies for veterans. Representing UP at the recent awards ceremony were Debra Schrampfer (Chief Diversity Officer and Assistant Vice President, Workforce Resources) and Amy Bang (Senior Manager-Diversity and Inclusion, Workforce Resources), according to the railroad’s May 14 LinkedIn post (see photograph, above).
Data submitted by companies for the annual Fair360 Top 50 companies for Workplace Fairness competition is said to provides Fair360 “with a trusted measure of employer and investor data transparency, equitable human capital outcomes for U.S. employers, and the effectiveness of workplace fairness strategy, policies and practices.” According to Fair360, the Top 50 survey offers a “comprehensive overview of total workforce and top four levels of management across the dimensions of gender, ethnicity, orientation, age, disabilities and veteran status.” Beyond establishing the Top 50, the survey “helps us rank top companies within specific industries such as utilities, hospitals and health systems, and regional companies as well as noteworthy companies and past winners who are in the Hall of Fame,” according to Fair360. “The data within the survey also yields an additional 15 lists focused on talent development, leadership accountability, executive representation of people of color and more.” Companies with more than 750 U.S. employees are eligible to take the survey. “Participants, including companies that do business with Fair360 through our Benchmarking and Branding offerings, do not receive any preferential treatment,” Fair360 reported. “Companies cannot buy a spot on the Top 50 list or Specialty Lists. The Top 50 process is not pay-to-play.”
