BNSF's Farmer takes gavel as IANA's first female chair

The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) has installed BNSF Railway Co.'s Katie Farmer as chair to succeed Phil Shook, who will continue to serve on the association's board and executive committee as the immediate past chairman.

Farmer is BNSF's group vice president of consumer products and Shook is C.H. Robinson's director of intermodal. Farmer has more than 20 years of rail industry experience and previously served BNSF as VP of domestic intermodal, VP of sales-industrial products, assistant VP of carload equipment, general director of chemical products sales and director of plastics marketing.

"Katie brings a wealth of industry experience and insight, and I think it is noteworthy that she is the first woman to step into the role as chairman of the association," said IANA President and Chief Executive Officer Joni Casey in a press release.

IANA also added four members to its board and installed other officers for the 2015 membership year. Adriene Bailey, VP of strategic businesses development for Yusen Logistics (Americas) Inc.'s transportation division, was elected vice chairman, a post most recently held by Farmer, while Kevin Lhotak was elected treasurer. Lhotak is president of Reliable Transportation Specialists Inc.

The new board members are Jeffrey Brashares, SVP of sales and national accounts for TTS LLC; David Manning, president of TCW Inc.; James Newsome III, president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority; and Garry Old, president and CEO of COFC Logistics LLC.