CN
Matthew McClaren has been promoted to Vice President, Safety at CN. His journey from Conductor in 1999 to his new role “is a testament to his dedication, expertise, and leadership,” the Canadian Class I reported July 24 on LinkedIn. “Over the years, he has been a driving force in enhancing our safety programs and fostering a culture of safety at CN. We’re excited to see Matt’s continued impact as he leads our efforts to uphold the highest safety standards and drive innovative solutions for a safer future.”
McClaren was selected by Railway Age readers as one of 10 influential leaders in 2021.
At CN, he held Conductor and Yard Supervisor positions before taking on a management role, Assistant Transportation Manager. He has also served as Superintendent Illinois, Superintendent Chicago/Iowa Zones, General Superintendent, and General Manager in Network Operations. He became Chief Mechanical Officer-Car in 2021, overseeing the inspection, maintenance, asset planning and safety for all railcars across the CN network, and moved on to Assistant Vice President, Safety in 2022.
TriMet
Dr. LaVerne Lewis has been elected as the TriMet Board’s new President, effective Aug. 1. She was appointed to the Board in 2021 by former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, and represents District 6, which includes East Multnomah County and communities such as Fairview, Troutdale, and Gresham. TriMet provides light rail, commuter rail, and bus service in the Portland, Ore., region.
The TriMet Board is made up of seven volunteer members appointed by Oregon’s governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Each member represents a district within TriMet’s tri-county service area. Board leadership also includes District 1 Director Thomas Kim, who will serve as Vice President, and District 7 Director Kathy Wai, who remains in her role as Secretary/Treasurer.
Lewis succeeds District 2 Director Osvaldo “Ozzie” Gonzalez, who was selected as Board President in 2023. Gonzalez in June announced his intent to resign from the Board, due to a residential move outside the boundary of the district he was appointed to represent, according to TriMet. Lewis fulfilled three years of service to the Board before being named President on July 24.
Lewis spent nearly 18 years with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, where she retired as a Corrections Deputy, and also worked as a training instructor at the Oregon Public Safety Academy’s Department of Public Safety Standards and Training for seven years.
As the owner of small business LaVerne Lewis LLC, Lewis shares her 40 years of experience in taxation and accountancy in personal, corporate and nonprofit services. She is a credentialed tax accountant in the State of Oregon and licensed to practice before the Internal Revenue Service as an Enrolled Agent.
Lewis previously served on the Mt. Hood Community College Board of Education and currently works as an adjunct instructor in the Business Administration Department at Portland Community College. She founded the nonprofit Women-SEW, which fosters the development of sewing collectives for women and girls in refugee, immigrant and BIPOC communities, to develop sewing skills and pursue economic and leadership empowerment. Lewis also is President of the Faith Northwest United Methodist Foundation’s Board of Directors and active in her local church.
