Rising Stars 2023: Ryan Hill

Ryan Hill, 37
Chief engineer, design and construction
Conrail

Nominator’s quote: “For the past 13 years, Ryan has risen through the design and construction department ranks, working on increasingly complex projects totaling $312 million in investment.” — Eric Levin, Conrail

Education: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; master’s degree in transportation management from the University of Denver; and a professional engineering license for the state of New Jersey.

Job responsibilities: Design of civil engineering projects and managing their construction, including development of plans and specifications, permitting, real estate acquisitions, coordination with utilities for relocation or modification and engineers’ estimates. Also, manage all third parties working on railroad property and work with Conrail’s industrial development team to manage the design and construction of new customer sidetracks.

Career path: Started in Conrail’s design and construction department as a project engineer. In 2012, was reassigned to the bridge and building department as supervisor of structures in Conrail’s South Jersey operating district. After two years, moved back to design and construction as department manager and continued to move up, holding a director’s role prior to being named chief engineer in 2021.

How did you get into the rail industry? Growing up, I didn’t know much about the railroad. While in college, I was lucky enough to secure an internship at Conrail through an acquaintance. I was offered a job upon graduating and have enjoyed the industry ever since.

What is the best career advice you’ve received so far? I learned the importance of communication early on. Clear communication is critical in our daily tasks, whether it’s a certain way we want something designed or the safety precautions taken in the field each day. Making sure your message is understood can have severe consequences, positive or negative.

What advice would you give to a new railroader? I advise our new employees to ask a lot of questions and to go out to where the work is taking place. There is never a shortage of things to learn on the railroad, and the best way to learn it is to be where the action is and to understand why things are happening the way they are. I have benefited in my career by accepting work and responsibility, and I try and emphasize the importance of taking initiative to new employees.

What was your first job? During high school, I worked for a friend’s father who owned a title agency. I did everything from organizing the storage warehouse to administrative tasks to doing due diligence for title work. I was fortunate to observe the owner of the company and how he managed his business.

Share a fun fact about yourself. I have a wonderful wife and two young boys. I was able to coach both of them in T-ball this year, and I truly enjoy the experience of being a father and spending time with my family outside of work.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive in the world, who would it be and why? Elon Musk. Not only are his achievements in business and engineering impressive, but he also has proven to stand firm in his beliefs and he clearly follows his own compass. He shows the courage to do what he believes is right, something I think is becoming rare in our society.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career and why? When I hired on, Tim Tierney was the chief engineer, eventually becoming the president of Conrail. As chief engineer, Mr. Tierney always kept a cool head, even in high-stakes situations. I admired his use of judgment and common sense when making decisions, and it’s something I try to do in my career. I have been fortunate to have several mentors throughout my career, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Bill Kaeser, Bernie Malie and Eric Levin, whose unique personal characteristics have rubbed off on me and provided guidance over the years.

Describe a major obstacle in your career and how you surmounted it. There have been many challenges associated with railroad construction throughout my career, with every project having its unique hurdles. In situations where there are no clear answers, being creative, working with a good team and trusting your judgment have always led me to success.