The Broe Group
BNSF Associate General Counsel Tammy Middleton on Jan. 19 will transition to The Broe Group to become Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel for OmniTRAX and Broe Real Estate Group. She will lead legal strategy, risk management and government affairs.
Middleton began her career clerking for U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey and has spent nearly 15 years at BNSF, earning progressively expanded legal responsibility. The Ohio native holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Howard Payne University and a law degree from SMU Dedman School of Law.
“Tammy’s blend of legal strategy and corporate leadership is the ideal addition to our executive team,” OmniTRAX CEO Colby Tanner said. “Given the dynamic state of the rail industry, Tammy’s extensive legal knowledge is perfectly suited to counsel our continued rail and real estate growth.”
“The Broe Group’s rail and real estate platform has earned strong industry attention for its rapid growth and impressive clientele,” Middleton said. “I am excited to provide the legal and risk strategy to continue that impressive momentum.”
OmniTRAX last summer appointed Ryan Dreier as Executive Vice President of Sales and Economic Development.
Koppers
Jimmi Sue Smith on Jan. 5 retired as CFO of Koppers. She will continue to serve as Treasurer, as well as in an advisory role “to assist with a smooth transition” through Feb. 28, 2026, the company reported. The Koppers’ Board of Directors has elected Bradley Pearce, Chief Accounting Officer, to act as interim CFO, in addition to his current role, while an external search is conducted to identify a permanent successor.
Smith had served as CFO since January 2022, leading all aspects of the company’s global finance and accounting, budgeting and forecasting, tax, and investor relations functions, along with advising on key strategic growth initiatives.
Pearce joined Koppers in 2006 and has served as Chief Accounting Officer since May 2019, overseeing the company’s accounting, tax, and external reporting functions, while also playing a role in strategic initiatives. Additionally, Pearce serves as a member of Koppers’ pension committee. Prior to joining the company, he held finance and treasury-related roles in the private sector. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Grove City College.
“Jimmi Sue’s impact on Koppers will continue to be felt long after her departure,” Koppers CEO Leroy Ball said. “Joining the company as VP of Finance and Treasurer just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic, she quickly ascended to the CFO role and helped ensure we remained on solid footing during a perilous time. In addition to successfully optimizing the company’s capital structure, she also spearheaded the effort to increase our emphasis on free cash flow improvement, resulting in more dollars being returned to shareholders in the last two years than at any point in company history. A tireless advocate for several non-profits, Jimmi Sue’s work in the community provided a shining example for all Koppers employees to follow. On behalf of our Board and senior management team, I want to thank Jimmi Sue for her contributions to Koppers and wish her happiness as she embarks on her next chapter.”
“It has been an honor to serve as Koppers CFO, to be part of such a storied company and to work alongside such an amazing group of people,” Smith said. “I am immensely proud of everything the finance team has accomplished during my time at Koppers, including modernizing and improving our capital structure, upgrading our financial systems, and most importantly, reorganizing our work to better develop our talent and improve efficiency. While I look forward to retirement and the opportunity to spend more time with my family, I will miss working with my exceptional colleagues. I leave knowing that Koppers is well positioned for continued success.”
In early 2025, Koppers named James Sullivan as President and Chief Transformation Officer.
STV
STV has promoted Suresh Karre, Derek Overstreet and Michael Randolph to Vice President roles in the Virginia and Washington, D.C., region, where the firm operates four offices.
Karre is a transportation engineering director with more than 20 years of experience leading complex infrastructure projects. Based in STV’s Fairfax, Va., office, he specializes in multimodal transportation with an emphasis on traffic operations and safety, including projects that integrate bus rapid transit, light rail, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. He holds a Master of Science in civil and environmental engineering from Utah State University and a Bachelor of Engineering in civil engineering from Osmania University in India.
Overstreet is a senior project manager and structural engineer in STV’s Richmond, Va., office, with more than 20 years of experience delivering rail transit and highway transportation projects throughout the Southeast. His experience includes work on major bridge, tunnel and passenger rail infrastructure projects. Overstreet earned a Master of Engineering in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute.
Randolph has 20-plus years of experience managing transit, highway, and rail projects across Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia. He is an engineering director in STV’s Washington, D.C., office, leading multidisciplinary teams. According to STV, Randolph is known for his “collaborative approach to innovative project delivery methods, including design-build and progressive design-build.” He earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Maryland.
STV recently appointed Natasha Avanessians as Chief of Staff to the CEO, succeeding Kristen Van Gilst, who transitioned to Deputy Operations Director.
