Rising Stars 2024: Kyle Hnatuik

Kyle Hnatiuk, 33
Director of business development
A&B (Adrian & Blissfield) Railroad Co.

Nominator’s quote: “Kyle’s drive was on full display when he invited manufacturers from Michigan to a shop meeting to teach Railroading Shipping 101. Though some of the industries openly admitted their businesses were not rail marketable, Kyle still invited them as a show of what railroads can do. His commitment to spreading railroad knowledge is truly admirable and benefits the industry as a whole.” — Chris Bagwell, A&B Railroad Co.

Education: Bachelor’s degree with a dual major in supply-chain management and marketing logistics, Grand Valley State University.

Job responsibilities: Work with existing and potential customers to understand their inbound and outbound supply-chain needs, help educate them how to integrate the railroad into their supply chain, and help customers capitalize on the benefits that come from moving product via rail.

Career path: I joined CSX in 2015 as an operations manager trainee then became an operations manager. In 2018, joined Zeeland Farm Services as a logistics coordinator before being promoted to rail logistics manager. In September 2021, I joined the Adrian & Blissfield Railroad Co. as the director of business development.

Why did you establish a career in railroading? My brother, Mike Hnatiuk, is the reason I pursued a career in the railroad industry. After graduating from college, I found myself interested in a variety of industries, but was influenced by my brother’s passion for the railroad, his ability to develop opportunities where others thought it was not possible and the positive impact he has on his customers.

Mike had been working in the industry for almost a decade and warned me that once you get railroading in your blood it is hard to get it out. I developed my passion for industry during my time at CSX.

What’s the best career advice that you’ve received? It is hard to narrow it down to one piece of advice. But quite honestly, it was to live by the Golden Rule and treat others with respect, as it will be the foundation of your brand.

What advice would you share with someone just starting out in their railroad career? Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and continuously challenge yourself. Master your role and strive to develop a holistic view of the railroad industry and the customers you serve. Work cross-functionally with other departments to understand how they impact each other and how you can help achieve each other’s goals. From there, try to gain a customer’s perspective of the railroad industry and how it impacts their supply chain.

What was your first job? Summer employee at Island Lake Recreation Area in Brighton, Michigan.

Share a fun fact about yourself. I ran a half marathon with my mom on the Great Wall of China.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive in the world, who would it be and why? Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He has faced insurmountable odds and fought back while most would have run. His actions have forever changed world history.

Who has had the most influence on your career? I am fortunate to have had many mentors throughout my life who have contributed to where I am today, but the most influential has been my brother, Mike Hnatiuk. From guiding me into the industry and being a source of professional wisdom throughout the evolution of my career, his dedication, work ethic and passion has motivated me to have a positive impact on my customers and the railroad industry.

Describe a major obstacle in your career and how you surmounted it. Managing supply chains for two ethanol plants, three soybean crush facilities and various transloads during the COVID-19 pandemic forced our team to face new challenges while being understaffed. Gaps in our processes were quickly highlighted, which forced us to adapt and become more efficient. This allowed us to quickly adjust, capitalize on opportunities and ultimately avoid shutting down our plants.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the rail industry today? The major issue facing our industry, reciprocal switching, is too sensitive to touch upon so I will talk about the staggering amount of institutional knowledge being lost through normal attrition, such as retirement.

Hiring new talent for administrative functions has historically not been a top priority, which has created a gap between those who have the knowledge and are retiring, and the new people entering the industry. This will impact the industry’s ability to be efficient and quickly respond to market changes.