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Yesterday, Patriot Rail Corp. announced it restructured its operations management team Jan. 1 to better focus customer service efforts in the rail operations and marketing departments.

The company promoted J.D. Ventrcek to senior vice president of operations to oversee Patriot Rail’s 12 short lines. Most recently VP of transportation, he joined Patriot Rail in 2008 after serving as president and chief operating officer of Weyerhaeuser Co.'s six freight railroads. Ventrcek's more than 30 years of railroad operations management experience also includes 24 years of service with Union Pacific Railroad and its predecessors.

Patriot Rail also named Stan Wlotko SVP and chief commercial officer to head sales and marketing efforts. Most recently SVP of operations, he joined the company in 2006 and has more than 38 years of rail industry experience, including senior management positions in purchasing, rail operations, marketing, project management and outsourced services. During his career, Wlotko has held various positions with Penn Central Railroad, Conrail, Denver & Rio Grande, Southern Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad and RailAmerica Inc.

In addition, Patriot Rail reorganized its railroads into East and West regions under Ventrcek, with each region led by a regional VP. The West Region will be led by Regional VP Dave Eyermann, who joined Patriot Rail in 2009 and has more than 20 years of short-line experience, including stints as SVP, assistant chief operating officer and chief operating officer-Central Region for Watco Cos. L.L.C., and regional VP for RailAmerica's Lone Star Region. The West region includes the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway; DeQueen & Eastern/Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroads; Columbia & Cowlitz Railway/Patriot Woods Railroad; Sacramento Valley Railroad; and Utah Central Railway.

The East Region will be led by Regional VP David Rohal, who joined Patriot Rail in December 2011 and has more than 27 years of rail industry experience, including various management positions with RailAmerica, Florida East Coast Railway, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and CSX Transportation. The East Region includes the Tennessee Southern Railroad; Golden Triangle Railroad; Louisiana & North West Railroad; Piedmont & Northern Railway; and Temple & Central Texas Railway.