CPKC
CPKC announced via X (formerly Twitter) that Patricia Bouchard, Specialist OC Training, Placement and Development, has been recognized as one of the 2023 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards by WXN.
Bouchard started her railway career in 2016 as a Rail Traffic Controller for CPKC in Calgary. Her experience as an EMT helped her thrive in a high-pressure setting, and she quickly rose to the top. Bouchard is a strong advocate for learning and sets an example for others with a supportive atmosphere where everyone can flourish and achieve their objectives. She is an influencer who goes beyond her job description, continually striving to enhance procedures and empower those around her.
“Thank you for inspiring tomorrow’s leaders,” wrote CPKC in the post.
Additionally, CN Environmental Coordinator, Auditing and Assurance Cheyenne Lakatos was also named as one of the 2023 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards by WXN.
Lakatos is an advocate for mental health and wellness for all. She has been mentored by strong women and chose to mentor others. She started a mental health program, Common Connections, in Jasper, Alberta. The program was awarded the CN People’s Choice Award in 2022. Lakatos also volunteers an average of 1,000 hours per year for the community of Jasper.
NS
NS recently announced its newest interactive storefront at the JA Chick-fil-A Discovery Center in Atlanta. Funded by the Class I railroad, the storefront provides middle school students the opportunity to learn about railroads’ essential role in the nation’s economy. A three-year grant of $105,000 also includes programmatic support for thousands of students.
To celebrate the opening, NS and the JA Chick-fil-A Discovery Center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the company’s employees participated in a volunteer day at the storefront alongside more than 100 sixth-grade students from Champion Theme Middle School in Atlanta.
“We are proud to be partnering with an organization like Junior Achievement,” said NS CFO and JA board member Mark George. “This collaboration underscores Norfolk Southern’s dedication to investing in the communities we serve and inspiring the next generation of leaders. We hope our storefront and the financial education it provides will offer students a hands-on understanding of the vital role Norfolk Southern plays in our global economy.”
JA BizTown, a program where students operate simulated storefronts across various industries, helps them gain real world context for their classroom learnings by starting and running a simulated business. Students involved in the NS storefront, the Class I says, will have the opportunity to learn more about the company and the vital role rail plays in delivering the goods that power the American and global economy. The storefront also features a miniature version of NS’s Network Operations Center (NOC) to help students understand the role technology plays in rail.
“We are delighted to have Norfolk Southern partner with Junior Achievement of Georgia,” said JA of Georgia President and CEO John Hancock. “Having Norfolk Southern represented in JA BizTown at the JA Chick-fil-A Discovery Center has already opened the eyes of so many students to the career possibilities Norfolk Southern has to offer.”
According to NS, the JA Chick-fil-A Discovery Center of Atlanta served more than 30,000 students in the 2022-2023 school year. Each activation features a CEO of the Day, a student responsible for leading the storefront. The first student to be NS’s “CEO” of the day was Champion Theme Middle School sixth grader, Jarrett Tolbert.
“My favorite part of working at Norfolk Southern was helping out my teammates because they were really nice and we worked together,” Tolbert said. “The coolest thing that I learned was how transportation works and what Norfolk Southern does.”
This partnership, NS says, is just one of the railroad’s commitments to investing in education and the future workforce. Earlier this year, NS announced its second annual class of Thoroughbred Scholars, granting more than 100 children of its employees needed funds to pursue higher education.
