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July 2016
Senior Manager AAR Processes CN
By Julie Sneider, Senior Associate Editor
Christopher Howard doesn't believe in failure. When things don't work out, he views those situations as opportunities for improvement.
That philosophy applies to his personal life as much as it does to his role as senior manager of AAR (Association of American Railroads) processes at CN.
Howard's decision in 2009 to join CN in the first place stemmed from a bad situation: the Great Recession, when he worked at the Nissan auto plant in Mississippi in 2008. As a newer hire, Howard knew he was likely to be laid off.
"The automotive market was slowing down, and I decided to be proactive by looking for other jobs in North America," he says. "I came across the railroad's training program, and it intrigued me because they were willing to train you. It seemed like a great opportunity."
Howard applied for a job as a CN trainee on a Monday, and by Friday he was hired in CN's transportation department. But before Howard could complete the year-long training program, a CN senior manager recruited him to work in the mechanical department serving the railroad's southern region. Howard's duties included coming up with better ways to accomplish freight-car repairs in the rail yards, improving customer satisfaction and streamlining the freight-car inspection process.
From there, Howard quickly moved up the ranks. In 2013, he became a member of CN's headquarters asset freight group, where he put in place processes to load rail cars properly, reduce heavily defective freight cars, and improve and manage fleet. Now based in Chicago, he and his team audit billing processes, damaged freight-car reporting, system technical enhancements and FRA reporting of accidents to speed up repairs. His team also provides safety and compliance audits within CN, aid in improving terminal management techniques and drive productivity improvements in the United States and Canada.
Howard's educational background includes degrees in mechanical drafting, business and industrial technology. A student of lean manufacturing methods, he has earned certifications in Six Sigma business improvement practices.
As a member of multiple AAR committees, Howard assists in spearheading rule changes that benefit the rail industry by making railways more efficient, according to CN's written nomination of Howard as a Rising Star.
At CN, Howard has implemented policies and procedures that streamlined line-point repairs, integrated business systems, enhanced technology innovations and improved rail-yard inspections, CN officials wrote. He also assisted in developing AAR's and CN's Rail Safety Audit.
In his relatively short rail career, Howard believes his greatest contribution to the industry has been his ability to evaluate procedures, then find new ways to make them safer and more efficient by applying technology and predictive analytics to remove the potential for human error.
"I like to challenge the status quo," he says. "When you work with some of the greatest minds in the rail industry, you use their expertise to drive positive outcomes and improve upon what our forefathers did." Howard describes himself as a self-starter and someone who never stops learning, especially when the lessons come from his wife, Jenetria; 4-year-old son, Christopher Jr.; and 11-year-old daughter, Natalie.
From his family, he's learned creativity, patience and love, he says.
Bernando Ayala Jeff Bernstein Andrea Berry–Morris Kristina Brevard Matt Campbell Allison Fayfich Jon Gabriel Greg Godfrey Christopher Howard Amanda Jones Michael Keller Gretchen Kostura Jeremy Kramer Leslia LeMaster Wilson Mike Logan Kylie McLaughlin Kate O'Connor Rapik Saat Darin Selby Jerry Vaughn
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