Established in 2016, our annual awards are presented to top North American railroaders under the age of 40 for making an impact in their respective fields or within their companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico. They represent freight and passenger railroads, as well as the supply and consultant/contractor and government communities. Candidates, who were required to be under age 40 as of Jan. 1, 2026, were judged on criteria that included industry experience and education, leadership skills, industry contributions, and community service involvement.
“Submissions covered job content and brought it to life by describing impacts, results, and, wherever possible, describing examples applying leadership skills and dynamic thinking. Most importantly, it was not just about ‘getting the job done’ but making sure safety was foremost. One take-away I noted this year was that change was not feared but embraced. It was recognized as an opportunity to develop oneself in order to achieve business success,” said former Michigan State Center for Railway & Education Nick Little, program judge.
While in high school in Britain, Little started his career with clerical and operating internships at Plymouth on British Rail’s Western Region in the early 1970s. He won a scholarship program with the British Railways Board that gave him a supply management degree plus training in all aspects of BR’s organization. Little then spent 15 years with BR in many locations, including Derby and London. In 1995, he came to MSU, initially for one year on loan to work on a research program, but stayed to follow his passion of helping to develop future generations of railway industry expert managers and leaders. He took charge of MSU’s Railway Management Certificate Program at the Broad College of Business in 2013 and retired in 2024.
Kyle Anderson, Communications Director, Amtrak
Anderson is a strategic communications leader who has made meaningful contributions to the passenger rail and transportation industry by elevating how major infrastructure investments are understood, valued, and supported. He has led or supported communications for some of the nation’s most complex and high-profile rail projects, including WMATA’s Silver Line Extension, SafeTrack, and Platform Improvement Program, as well as Amtrak’s capital delivery portfolio—spanning the Connecticut River Bridge Project, East River Tunnel Rehabilitation, B&P Tunnel Replacement Program, and multiple billion-dollar initiatives. Through clear, compelling storytelling, Anderson has helped position Amtrak not only as an essential transportation provider, but as a builder of nationally significant infrastructure. His work translates technical, multi-agency projects into accessible narratives that highlight safety, reliability, accessibility, and long-term economic value, strengthening support among policymakers, media, customers, and industry partners.
Devin Berci, Manager Application Delivery and Support, CPKC
Berci is a technology and business leader who has made significant contributions to the rail industry by modernizing critical lead-to-cash systems and setting new standards for SAP-based rail processes. At CPKC, he led the implementation of an integrated quoting, rating, and assessment solution within SAP Transportation Management, replacing multiple legacy platforms and streamlining processes that support billions of dollars in freight and non-freight revenue. His disciplined approach—leveraging standard SAP functionality and minimizing customization—has positioned CPKC for long-term scalability, smoother upgrades, and future migration to SAP S/4HANA. Berci played a pivotal role during the CP–KCS merger, providing critical guidance to integrate U.S. lead-to-cash processes into a unified system under intense timelines, ensuring continuity for customers across North America. Beyond delivery, he is known for influence-driven leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a strong commitment to developing future talent through mentorship and safe learning environments. He also gives back through volunteer work with the CPKC Mini Train program, promoting rail safety education in communities across North America while fostering positive connections between the railroad and the public.
Steven Bybee, Senior Vice President of Operations, Southern Region, Union Pacific
Bybee is a seasoned rail operations leader whose career at Union Pacific spans nearly two decades of hands-on experience, progressive leadership, and measurable results across the network. Beginning his career as a Brakeman, Bybee brings deep craft knowledge to every role he’s held, from Field Manager Trainee to senior executive leadership across transportation, network planning, locomotive distribution, and crew management in nearly 20 locations. Today, Bybee serves as Senior Vice President of Operations for Union Pacific’s Southern Region Transportation team. Since stepping into this role in 2024, he has led the region to back-to-back years of best-ever safety performance, with double-digit reductions in personal injuries, derailments, and serious incidents. Under his leadership, the region has also delivered record-setting service reliability, cost control, car velocity, and dwell—driving customer growth through a consistently strong service product. Bybee is known for motivating teams through transparent, safety-first leadership, and continuous improvement. He is deeply committed to developing future leaders and gives back through community service, employee mentorship, and industry engagement, including serving on the Board of Directors for the Alton & Southern Railroad.
Paola Cala-Ortiz, Director, Telos Advisers
Cala-Ortiz is a trusted advisor and infrastructure leader whose work has helped shape some of the most significant rail and transportation initiatives in the U.S. She began her U.S. career at the New York City Department of Transportation and later became one of the first staff members at the Gateway Development Commission, where she played a key role in securing funding and advancing early construction for the Hudson Tunnel Project. At the Commission, Cala-Ortiz led industry outreach forums that brought together construction leaders and federal officials, directly informing procurement strategies, construction risk allocation, dispute resolution frameworks, and insurance and bonding requirements. Today, Cala-Ortiz advises public- and private-sector clients at Telos Advisers on complex transportation and rail programs. Her recent work supporting an Amtrak and NJ Transit collaboration to improve NEC service was recognized with a Distinguished Award from ACEC–New Jersey. She is deeply committed to public service, mentorship, and strengthening governance and delivery models that build long-term public trust in major rail investments.
Matt Denham, General Superintendent of Transportation, BNSF
Denham is a proven rail operations leader with more than 14 years of experience at BNSF, currently serving as General Superintendent of Transportation. Throughout his career, he has held 12 roles of increasing responsibility across 10 geographic locations, building deep operational expertise and a reputation for delivering results. Early on, Denham played a key role in establishing BNSF’s crude-by-rail program and supporting double-track expansion on the Glasgow Subdivision—investments that increased capacity, unlocked new business, and strengthened service across the broader rail network. As a General Manager, Denham consistently elevated safety, service, and efficiency. On the Twin Cities Division, his leadership drove best-ever safety performance, including a 143-day injury-free streak. On the Northwest Division, he led record-setting crude and grain deliveries, achieved industry-leading customer service, restored unit train service for major customers, and supported public safety improvements through community partnerships. He also led landmark operational milestones, including the first PTC train to operate in Canada.
DJ Ezell, Vice President of RWIC Operations, RailPros
Ezell is a rail safety leader with nearly two decades of industry experience and a nationally recognized track record in contract flagging services. Beginning his career as a conductor and Roadway Worker In Charge (RWIC), Ezell built deep frontline expertise before rising into leadership at RailPros, where he has spent more than a decade shaping one of the largest and most advanced flagging programs in the country. Starting as a flagger himself, he helped strengthen audit programs, expand operations nationwide, and develop best practices that now serve all Class I railroads, numerous short lines, and commuter agencies. Today, as Vice President of RWIC Operations, Ezell leads a team that has grown by more than 800 employees and driven more than 250% industry growth. Under his leadership, RailPros became the first FRA-approved flagging program under Part 243 and achieved ISO 45001 certification. Ezell is known for fostering a strong safety culture, advancing innovative tools like the award-recognized On-Track Supplemental Safety app, and setting standards that continue to elevate safety and performance across the rail industry.
Lewis Fitzgerald, Director of Intermodal Operations Planning and Design, CSX
Fitzgerald is a rising operations leader at CSX who has quickly distinguished himself by taking on complex challenges and delivering meaningful, lasting improvements. Recently promoted to Director of Operations Planning and Design – Intermodal, Fitzgerald has demonstrated an exceptional ability to drive operational excellence while strengthening workplace culture. At the Bedford Park Intermodal terminal, he played a key role in implementing major operational changes that improved performance and efficiency. He later led the complete turnaround of the Jacksonville Intermodal terminal, addressing both operational shortcomings and cultural challenges to create a more productive, collaborative environment. Fitzgerald is widely respected for his hands-on leadership style, transparent communication, and “can-do” mindset. He leads by example, inspires trust, and empowers teams to take ownership of their work. Through mentorship and collaboration, he fosters environments where employees feel supported, motivated, and aligned around shared goals.
Felipe Horta Gomez, Quality Coordinator, Currie & Brown
Gomez is a civil engineer and QA/QC specialist who has made significant contributions to Mexico’s railway infrastructure sector over the past seven years. His work focuses on ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and technical quality for major rail projects, including the Tren Maya, the Tren Interurbano México–Toluca, and new national rail initiatives under the current federal administration. Gomez plays a key role in the safety certification process, serving as an interface with Independent Safety Assessors to resolve non-conformities and support the development of Safety Cases for commercial operation. As a quality leader, he has professionalized on-site QA/QC practices by standardizing documentation, implementing quality assurance plans for complex subsystems, and coordinating inspection teams across large, multi-section projects. His “boots-on-the-ground” verification ensures civil works meet Mexican regulations and international standards. Beyond project delivery, Gomez is committed to developing future talent through training programs for new inspectors, and he supports local economic development as a small business owner and employer in rural Mexico.
Josh Huster, Chief Strategy Officer, Alpenglow Rail
Huster is an entrepreneurial rail executive who has played a central role in building one of North America’s fastest-growing rail terminal platforms. After beginning his career at OmniTRAX, where he rose to Director of M&A and built the company’s research and analysis team, Huster co-founded Alpenglow Rail in 2016 with a vision to create a premier rail infrastructure business. Under his leadership, Alpenglow secured institutional investment from Stonecourt Capital and BlackRock, completed its first major acquisition, and later formed a long-term partnership with CC&L Infrastructure. Through multiple acquisitions—including USA Rail Terminals, Orange Rail, and Alberta Midland Railway Terminal—Huster has helped grow Alpenglow into a leading terminal operator with six facilities across Canada and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Today, the company switches more than 125,000 carloads annually, manages more than 6,000 railcar storage spots, and provides transloading and cleaning services to blue-chip customers. As Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Huster leads long-term strategy, M&A, and commercial growth while championing safety, ESG initiatives, and community engagement.
Sahand Jafarian, Senior Manager, Track Engineering, Metrolinx
Jafarian is a rail engineering leader whose work has strengthened track design, safety, and workforce capability at Metrolinx. After joining the organization in 2020 as a Track Specialist, he led the development of a comprehensive track design course based on Metrolinx Track Standards, improving technical understanding and collaboration across engineering, project management, and inspection teams. Promoted in 2022 to Manager—and later Senior Manager—of the newly established Track Engineering department, Jafarian built Metrolinx’s first in-house track design team, reducing consultant dependency while delivering 16 design projects to date. Under his leadership, design costs were reduced by 55% per project and delivery timelines by 50%, while reliability improvements tripled the mean time between track geometry failures and cut surfacing costs by two-thirds. Jafarian has modernized track standards, led root-cause initiatives to eliminate recurring defects, and spearheaded one of Canada’s first autonomous track inspection programs.
Jason Maidment, General Superintendent, British Columbia South, CN
Maidment has made significant contributions to the railway industry through frontline leadership, operational innovation, safety advancement, and people development across CN’s national network. Beginning his career as a conductor in Prince George, he advanced into leadership roles by leading with humility and adapting to diverse operational and cultural environments across Canada. He drove practical innovations to improve network performance, including piloting air cars in intermodal service to enhance winter resilience and network fluidity. A strong safety advocate, Maidment developed a standardized derailment response checklist to guide teams through high-pressure incidents, improving consistency and decision-making. He has led teams through extreme weather, derailments, major disruptions, and a workplace fatality, reinforcing a safety-first culture that prioritizes employee well-being. He also supports leadership development by co-facilitating CN’s LINK program and mentoring employees. His customer-focused approach has strengthened partnerships and improved service reliability across multiple regions.
Ben Miller, Vice President of Engineering, The Greenbrier Companies
Miller is Vice President of Engineering at Greenbrier, overseeing the company’s Engineering organization and advancing tank car safety, innovation, and quality across North America. With a strong mechanical engineering background and regulatory expertise, he was appointed Executive Committee Chairperson of the Railway Supply Institute’s Committee on Tank Cars in 2023, assuming industry leadership following the East Palestine derailment. In this role, he has promoted new technologies, designs, and collaboration to strengthen tank car safety and regulatory alignment. At Greenbrier, Miller has led the modernization and expansion of the tank car portfolio, helping establish the company as North America’s leading producer. He anticipates market and regulatory changes, including introducing an anhydrous ammonia tank car to meet evolving fertilizer needs. A collaborative mentor, he supports workforce development through Greenbrier’s mentoring network and Emerging Leaders ERG while engaging regulators, customers, and industry partners to drive long-term industry value.
Bernie Miller, Quality Manager, Stacy Witbeck / Modern Railway Systems
Miller has built a distinguished career in the railroad industry through a combination of hands-on field experience, technical expertise, and a solutions-oriented approach to quality and client service. He began as a union foreman, pipe layer, and grade checker, building a foundation in construction before earning a degree in construction management. Miller joined Stacy Witbeck as a quality control field supervisor and advanced to Quality Control Manager on major light rail projects, gaining expertise in track and signal installation, testing, and commissioning. In 2015, he joined Modern Railway Systems, where he spent the past decade developing and leading a comprehensive quality program supporting engineering, installation, and testing on complex rail projects across North America. His work has supported agencies including Amtrak, BART, Caltrain, Sound Transit, and Brightline, with key contributions to large-scale cutovers, PTC integration, and high-speed and electrified rail systems. This spring, Miller will assume the role of Corporate Quality Manager for Stacy Witbeck and MRS.
Tim Morris, Hub Manager, Mid-Atlantic IMAU, Norfolk Southern
Morris contributes to the rail industry through safety performance, operational reliability, and improved coordination between railroad teams and third-party partners at a key NS intermodal hub. As lead officer in the Harrisburg Intermodal Yard (HIY), he has consistently reinforced a strong safety culture, and in 2021, the yard marked a milestone: a derailment-free year with no derailments caused by a rule violation. That performance was driven by clear communication, accountability, transparency, and focused checks in identified weak areas. Morris has also improved terminal efficiency and performance. In 2025, he led the implementation of a bobtail lane at HIY, creating an additional entry and exit outside of the main lane and helping expedite drayage flow. The result was driver dwell time consistently below the 37-minute goal. Additionally, Morris helped to establish a new Standard Operating Procedure requiring pad placement for inbound trains four hours in advance, reducing chassis-related drayage issues by roughly 70% and helping HIY consistently meet its availability goals. These improvements translate into better service reliability for thousands of customers each day.
Kendel Ortiz, Deputy Director, M/W Training, MTA Metro-North Railroad
Ortiz’s work at Metro-North reflects a deep commitment to safety culture, operational excellence, and the development of the next generation of rail leaders. He played a key role in designing the award-winning Train Approach Warning VR training program, which has become a nationally recognized model for immersive, high-risk safety instruction, and helped to develop the QR-code qualification card system, a breakthrough in credential tracking that allows employees and supervisors to instantly view training status and certifications by scanning a code. Within M/W, Ortiz has modernized critical programs such as the Track Foreman School, MW-4 Refresher, and Track Car Pilot Qualification plan, ensuring consistency, transparency, and strong safety alignment. He has also pioneered microlearning, interactive job aids, and SharePoint-based learning hubs that make complex rules and standards more accessible to employees in the field. One of his most impactful initiatives outside of work is his leadership in organizing the Los Rancheros Unidos Softball League, a community-based program that not only brings people together but also promotes mentorship and teamwork.
Matthew Peagler, IHB Terminal Operations & Network Coordinator at CIROC (Chicago Integrated Rail Operations Center), Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
Peagler is working to improve operational efficiency, workforce management, and interline coordination within one of the most complex rail environments in North America, the Chicago Terminal. In his roles with IHB and Terminal coordination functions, he has supported daily interline operations involving multiple Class I’s by improving communication, planning, and execution during periods of high-traffic volume. Peagler led initiatives to standardize operational processes, reduce service disruptions, and improve reliability at critical interchange points on the national freight network, and played a key role in advancing workforce and crew-management modernization efforts, including planning and governance for new crew-management systems and improving transparency, compliance, and operational readiness. He has also developed dashboards, forecasting tools, and governance frameworks so leadership can better understand manpower utilization, terminal constraints and service impacts. Through these efforts, Peagler has contributed to safer, more efficient and more reliable rail service.
Krystal Perepeluk, Director Passenger Rail, Ontario Northland
Perepeluk is leading the reinstatement of Canada’s Northlander passenger rail service between Timmins and Toronto, with connections to the Polar Bear Express. She oversees a nine-figure program budget and leads cross-departmental and multi-stakeholder coordination to ensure service is delivered on time and on budget. Previously, at Metrolinx, she helped to establish the practice of sponsorship to support delivery of multi-billion-dollar transit projects, and she served as lead sponsor for the Northeastern Passenger Rail Service expansion. Perepeluk was also instrumental in creating a dedicated negotiation team in the Capital Projects Group, directly advancing GO Expansion through agreements on grade separations and level crossings. Earlier in her career, she contributed to the 2041 Regional Transportation Plan at Metrolinx, and the Northern Ontario Multimodal Strategy and High-Speed Rail initiatives at MTO. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to building strong partnerships, advancing innovation in passenger services, and delivering transformative rail projects that strengthen regional connectivity.
Ryan Ramirez, Engineer V–Senior, Project Engineer, RailPros
Ramirez has contributed to high-profile projects for the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, Southern California Regional Rail Authority, and Port of Long Beach, leading teams and demonstrating an exceptional ability to coordinate, communicate, and guide others. He served as Deputy Project Manager and Resident Engineer on the $67 million Los Angeles Union Station Rehabilitation and Modernization Project, and helped RailPros successfully complete extensive outage coordination while ensuring that no SCRRA trains were delayed because of construction. The project earned both regional and national awards from the Construction Management Association of America. For SCRRA’s 25-Year Metrolink Rehabilitation Plan, Ramirez assisted with strategic goals and multi-year budget development, and provided recommendations for rehab projects. He has also served as Terminal Track Inspection Lead for POLB and helped update the crossing inventory of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and the Pacific Harbor Line for the FRA and California Public Utilities Commission. Within RailPros, Ramirez is a mentor, helping team members grow their careers.
Max Schwartz, U.S. Director-Rail, Hatch
A Professional Civil Engineer and Certified Reliability Engineer, Schwartz’s training and experience is in project management, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, computer science, signal systems, and telecommunications. He served CSX for nearly 10 years as Manager of Track Testing, Manager of Network Operations, Communications & Signals, and Engineer Standards II, before joining Hatch in 2023 as a project manager. Schwartz was a member of the Executive Steering Committee for the Howard Street Tunnel Expansion project, and led diverse teams in his work on projects in Mexico, Jamaica, Panama, and Australia that demanded cultural, regulatory, and logistical adaptability. He overcame the challenge of designing under severe constraints for the SPCT Redevelopment and SunCoke expansions, which involved restricted space and operating limitations. Schwartz’s goal is to lead and grow Hatch’s freight rail group, deliver high-impact rail infrastructure projects, advance industry standards, integrate multidisciplinary engineering approaches, and strengthen stakeholder relationships. He supports and is a member of AREMA committees 1 (Roadway & Ballast) and 5 (Track).
Shannon Simonds, Chief, Office of Rail Planning & Implementation, Caltrans, Division of Rail
Simonds has delivered transformative improvements to rail governance and project delivery in California. She modernized the state’s delivery framework to strengthen accountability, improve interagency coordination, and ensure projects advance clear public benefits. According to her nominator, Simonds’ work has reshaped how Caltrans, the Joint Powers Authorities, and partner agencies collaborate, creating a unified and efficient model that maximizes funding and protects critical timelines. She also positioned California to take full advantage of federal opportunities by aligning state programs with the FRA Corridor ID initiative. Through her leadership, the nominator said, California is better able to compete for federal funding and advance corridor development in a structured, compliant, and strategic way. Simonds also gives back. Within the Division of Rail, she has created a year-long training program that builds staff proficiency in rail operations, delivery practices, and program management. Additionally, she serves on the TRB’s Committee on Rail Transit Systems to help shape research priorities and elevate best practices across the passenger rail industry.
Susannah Sullivan, Senior General Attorney, Law, Union Pacific
As a first-generation railroader and fifth-generation lawyer, Sullivan has represented the nation’s Class I’s across multiple states since 2017. At UP, she works to defend the railroad in personal injury and employment lawsuits and has been part of cases whose favorable resolutions were reached after employing innovative litigation discovery techniques and motion practice. She has also been part of a specialized team to help accelerate the law department’s AI processes and resources. Whether arguing in the courtroom or providing advice to her operating partners, her creativity and common sense help drive results for UP. Licensed to practice law in Illinois, Missouri, the U.S. District Courts of Illinois (Southern, Central and Northern), and the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Sullivan was recognized four consecutive years as an “Illinois Emerging Lawyer.” Additionally, she was selected to participate in UP’s Uplift Program, where high achieving employees are paired with executives for mentorship and professional advocacy. Outside of work, she serves on the Lake Forest (IL) Preservation Foundation’s Executive Committee Board and the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel’s Executive Committee.
Aditya Umesh, Systems Engineer, Hitachi Rail
Umesh is a Systems Engineer who over the past six years has rapidly progressed from verification and validation and commissioning into technical leadership for global driverless metro systems. He has led and supported onboard system-level integration for major programs including the Honolulu Skyline, Copenhagen Metro, Rome Line C, Milan metro projects, and others. Through improved requirements traceability, early integration planning, and structured validation strategies, his work contributed to an approximately 15% reduction in rework and measurable efficiency improvements across projects. Umesh also supports early-stage bidding and planning efforts for future driverless systems across Europe and Asia. He earned Hitachi’s 2024 Rail Values Award–Grand Prix (Global) for contributions to the Global Onboard Vital Platform Development Project and Rail Values Award–Pioneering Spirit (Global) for innovation and leadership on the same global platform initiative. As a University of Massachusetts alumnus, Umesh engages with students and recent grads to introduce them to rail industry opportunities in signaling, automation, and driverless systems, where he sees a need for more young talent and fresh perspectives.
Satish Vijayaraghavan, Head of Quality, North America, Rolling Stock and Components, Alstom
A 15-year Alstom veteran, Vijayaraghavan started as an engineer and progressed to roles in Operations, Supply Chain and Quality. He is now accountable for the quality of rolling stock products developed and manufactured in North America. He oversees 250-plus people across nine sites, and manages a 15-project portfolio, including Toronto’s Citadis LRVs; Vancouver’s Mark V metro trains; NJT and Metra commuter rail vehicles; Amtrak Next Generation High Speed Trains; BART rapid transit cars; SEPTA LRVs; and Automated People Mover vehicles for the Denver, Atlanta and Tampa airports. He has reduced defects per unit by 40% across the portfolio; reduced external defects detected by customers by 33%; improved customer satisfaction scores by 7%; reduced the backlog of safety issues from an average of eight to zero; and increased gender diversity to more than 40% on his team. In 2021, he was instrumental in developing a strategic plan to preserve Alstom’s La Pocatière facility in Quebec as it approached the end of major program work, resulting in a $C56 million investment by the Quebec government and protecting more than 300 manufacturing jobs.
Ben Wahlen, Regional Vice President, Transportation–West, Patriot Rail
Wahlen began his railroad career in 2018 with the Golden Triangle Railroad in Columbus, Miss. He earned conductor and engineer certifications and played a key role in upgrading safety and service standards across Patriot Rail properties. He later became the company’s first management trainee and was appointed Trainmaster when Patriot acquired Salt Lake Garfield & Western in 2021. He has since transitioned to Operations Manager and to Regional Manager at multiple locations. In his current role, he has spearheaded the operations team through the acquisition of a scenic railroad (now called the Granite State Railway) and rail bikes operation, one of the company’s most complex integrations. Wahlen turned a challenging transition into an opportunity for growth, according to his nominator, navigating cultural differences, aligning operational processes, building trust across teams, and elevating the rider experience. He also led the successful launch of the Gettysburg Railway. According to his nominator, Wahlen “exemplifies what it means to lead through change.” His goal: to grow and develop leaders who make the railroad industry an innovative, safe place to work.
Ben Wilson, Senior Financial Analyst, Anacostia Rail Holdings Company
Wilson joined Anacostia Rail Holdings in 2014 as a Staff Accountant for subsidiary Louisville & Indiana Railroad Company. LIRC created the position to support a new joint facility arrangement with CSX and a $130 million project upgrading 106 miles of track between Indianapolis and Louisville and replacing a more than 100-year-old bridge. Based on his successful management of the project’s complicated accounting, he was promoted to Senior Staff Accountant. Upon completion of construction in 2019, he rose to Financial Analyst for the ARH corporate team and now provides executive and senior management with monthly revenue results, overview analysis, and annual projections, including analyzing the revenue process across the company’s six U.S. railroads. Wilson was integral to LIRC’s recent conversion to a new freight revenue management system and is working closely with operations and marketing to evaluate current business and prospective customer opportunities to ensure company growth. He is fast becoming a company leader, demonstrating not only a strong work ethic but also a desire to grow. He rode with train crews and shadowed maintenance-of-way workers when he signed on and now participates in customer safety audit rides to gain a hands-on understanding of capital investments. In 2025, he earned an MBA from Purdue University.
(All Honoree Photographs Courtesy of the Respective Organizations)
For more on the Railway Age “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 program, read:
- Railway Age 25 Under 40 Awards 2025
- 25 Under 40 2024: Part 1 of 4
- 25 Under 40 2024: Part 2 of 4
- 25 Under 40 2024: Part 3 of 4
- 25 Under 40 2024: Part 4 of 4
- Railway Age’s 2023 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
- Railway Age’s 2022 “Fast Trackers” 20 Under 40 Honorees
- Railway Age’s 2021 “Fast Trackers” 20 Under 40 Honorees
- Railway Age’s 2020 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
- Railway Age’s 2019 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
- Railway Age’s 2018 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
- Railway Age’s 2017 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
