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The North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) recently elected five new directors to its 13-member board.

The directors appointed by Senate President Pro-Tempore Phil Berger are Duane Long, chairman and co-founder of Longistics, and Franklin Rouse, owner of Franklin Rouse State Farm Agency. Directors appointed by Speaker of the House Thom Tillis are George Rountree III, a senior partner and attorney at Rountree, Losee & Baldwin L.L.P.; Walter LaRoque IV, president of real estate operations for LaRoque Management Group Inc., East Carolina Development Co. Inc. and the Piedmont Development Co.; and James Powell, former president and chief executive officer of Laboratory Corp. of America.

NCRR owns and manages a 317-mile rail corridor between Morehead City and Charlotte that’s used by freight and passenger trains.

The new directors’ leadership and guidance is welcome because “this is an exciting time for railroads — with growth in freight and passenger use, and the opportunity to explore commuter rail in our state,” said NCRR Chairman John Atkins in a prepared statement.