G&W
Arielle Giordano has joined G&W as Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs for its U.S. operations. Based in Washington, D.C., she brings more than 10 years of experience to the company, which owns or leases more than 100 freight railroads in North America, and whose 4,000 employees provide service to 2,000 customers over more than 13,000 track miles. Giordano was most recently Assistant Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs for Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), managing government affairs at the federal, state and local levels. Before the CPKC merger in 2023, she led U.S. Government Affairs at Canadian Pacific, and, prior to that, was counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, as well as a law clerk for the U.S. Senate’s Committee on the Judiciary. Giordano holds an undergraduate degree in political science and history from Monmouth University and a juris doctorate degree from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. She is a member of the League of Railway Women; earned a Canby Award in 2023 from OneRail; and was named a “Young Leader in Rail” in 2022 by International Railway Journal, a Railway Age sister publication.
“Arielle’s proven, solutions-focused rail industry experience across federal, state, and local levels make her an ideal fit to lead our critically important Government and Industry Affairs team, which plays a key role in G&W’s efforts to be the safest and most efficient freight-rail service provider for our customers and communities,” said Matt Walsh, G&W’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Development.
In other G&W news, Michael Miller, CEO of North American Operations, will be a speaker at the 2024 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference, to be held Nov. 5-6 in Chicago. Part of the Passenger and Freight Rail Technology and Innovation panel, he will address the role autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles will play in the freight industry.
Metrolink
Kevin Gray is the new Chief Technology Officer at Metrolink, a regional passenger railroad that has 545.6 total service line miles and 67 stations spanning Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and San Diego counties (see map above).
As a member of Metrolink’s executive leadership team, he will drive digital modernization, process optimization, and strategic collaboration, while managing the day-to-day activities of the agency’s Integrated Digital and Technology Services Department, including enterprise applications, cybersecurity, train control systems, network operations, fare collections, and technology infrastructure.
Gray spent the past six years as Chief Information Officer for the City of Burbank, Calif., where he oversaw the redevelopment of the city’s website and launched the Our Burbank 311 app, while advancing numerous projects, including partnering with the Burbank Police Department to strengthen the city’s public safety network. Gray has also served as Vice President of Global Media and IT Infrastructure Technology for Viacom and as Vice President of IT Infrastructure for Paramount Pictures. He is President of the Municipal Information Systems Association of California Southern Chapter and serves on the boards of Innovate@UCLA, Southern California Chapter of the Society of Information Management, University of California Irvine Extension Customer Experience 2.0 Program, Evanta Southern California CIO Executive Summit, and Burbank Community YMCA.
“Kevin is the kind of visionary leader who instantly elevates the team,” said Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle, whose contract was recently extended through September 2029. “Beyond his decades of hands-on experience managing information technology functions, Kevin brings a demonstrated ability to identify and leverage opportunities and unite disparate groups around solutions that prioritize the end-user experience.”
“I’m thrilled to join Metrolink at such an exciting time for both the agency and the Southern California community,” Gray said. “From legacy investments in public transportation infrastructure tied to the 2028 Olympics to cutting-edge technological advancements that are accelerating progress toward our state’s ambitious climate action goals, this feels like a watershed moment for transit in our region. Metrolink’s continued evolution from a traditional commuter line to a more robust passenger rail model with more frequent trains and more midday and evening service is helping to change how Southern Californians think about mobility.”
In related news, Metrolink this summer hired Alberto Lara as Chief People Officer.
Kelso Technologies
Kelso Technologies Inc. on Sept. 3 reported appointing Sameer Uplenchwar as Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Richard Lee; and elevating Maureen O’Hanley Doucette to Corporate Secretary, succeeding Kathy Love. Lee and Love were terminated, effective Aug. 30, 2024, according to the company, which specializes in the creation, production, sales, and distribution of proprietary products used in automotive and rail transportation, such as tank car valves; a reason for the terminations was not provided. Kelso Technologies also announced that it has moved its corporate head office from Texas to Canada; it is now located at #305 – 1979 Old Okanagan Hwy, West Kelowna, BC V4T 3A4 Canada.
Uplenchwar brings more than 20 years of expertise in financial and business development, including financial modeling, financial structuring, investment banking, and energy research, to the Chief Financial Officer position. He is currently the co-founder of Helios Corp., which invests in critical minerals, energy, agritech and IT infrastructure. Previously, he served as Managing Director and Head of U.S. Equity Research with GMP Capital LLC in Houston, Tex., and Managing Director with Global Hunter Securities in Calgary/Houston. Before immigrating to Canada about a decade ago, Uplenchwar was Senior Energy Analyst at Morgan Stanley and worked at KPMG and Lasalle/Bank of America.
O’Hanley Doucette has more than 30 years of business experience in banking, hotel sales and administration, IT software, and financial services, including as a Corporate Secretary. She has worked with Kelso Technologies since 2011, serving most recently as Corporate Communications Specialist, and is familiar with the requirements of a public company Board of Directors, the company said.
