Rising Stars: Arthur Adams Jr., CSX Corp.

Arthur Adams Jr., 39

Assistant vice president, business development
CSX Corp.

Job description: Adams began his railroad career when he joined CSX in 2007. In his current position, he’s responsible for TRANSFLO (the railroad’s bulk transloading terminal network), international sales, short-line and service startup, Voice of the Customer programs, the Leadership Development Program, and the customer relationship management process (CRM) analytics tools.

Education: Jacksonville University, B.S. in marketing, finance; Denver University, M.S. in intermodal transportation; post-graduate studies at Harvard University, University of Virginia

Nomination quote: “Many of Arthur’s colleagues have recognized him for developing others and providing them opportunities to execute their business, which ultimately improves employee retention. Colleagues have described his leadership style as ‘giving autonomy to succeed while still being an advocate for the team’s success.’ ” — CSX Corp.

How did you get into railroading?
My path into railroading was non-traditional as most of my prior work experience was in retail and various financial roles. I began as director of customer service, intermodal, and moved through a variety of leadership roles within sales and marketing, covering intermodal sales, short-line and regional railroads, and more recently business development.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of today?
I co-led the creation of a legacy sales and branding initiative that has provided more than $100 million in revenue gains since its creation and is currently responsible for converting more than 200,000 truckloads since the program’s start in 2013. The Highway-to-Rail (H2R) program included a new lead-generation process, a digital marketing program, a much improved and interactive website, and (CRM) process upgrades to manage opportunities.

What inspires you?
Family. I'm fortunate to have a great support structure which enables me to perform well at work.

Tell us something that many people don’t know about you.
I have seven siblings.

What do you enjoying doing when you’re not at work?
I enjoy travel, gardening and spending time with my family.

What advice would you share with a first-year railroader?
Be willing to try something new, and your voice matters! I constantly encourage new associates to share ideas. Although railroading is a mature industry there are many ways to innovate and add value.

What would you say to convince someone to consider railroading as a career?
If you enjoy learning, interacting with bright, talented people, are curious and desire a career in transportation, railroading may be ideal.