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6/22/2023
The North American Rail Shippers Association (NARS) recently awarded former Kansas City Southern President and CEO Patrick Ottensmeyer with its annual Edward R. Hamberger Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ottensmeyer was KCS president and CEO until April, when the railroad’s merger with Canadian Pacific was approved by the Surface Transportation Board to form Canadian Pacific Kansas City. Since then, Ottensmeyer has served as an adviser to CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel.
"Pat has been a remarkably effective industry leader, as well as a loyal supporter of NARS. Recognizing his accomplishments, the presentation of the award to Pat by award namesake Ed Hamberger was a great tribute to the significance of Pat’s contributions to North America’s railroads," said NARS President John Meyers in a press release.
Hamberger was the longtime president of the Association of American Railroads. He retired in 2019.
Also in 2019, Progressive Railroading and RailTrends® presented Ottensmeyer with the Railroad Innovator of the Year Award, which recognizes an individual's outstanding achievement in the rail industry.
Ottensmeyer was presented the Hamberger award at NARS’ annual meeting held last month in Chicago. Also at that meeting, NARS presented its annual Person of the Year Award, elected new officers and announced 2023 scholarship winners.
NARS named Tracy Stein as Person of the Year. She joined NARS as executive director in 2021, was subsequently hired in 2022 by the Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers as their executive director, and now also serves in that same role for the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers.
"Tracy has been critical to the continued success of NARS. Her knowledge in the industry and the way she partners with others to accomplish our goals is such an asset. We are extremely lucky to have her," said Meyers.
Meanwhile, NARS elected the following officers for 2023-2024: President John Meyers, DM Bowman Co.; First Vice President Kate Luce Bourgeois, Mississippi Export Railroad; Second Vice President Ray Hufnagel, Plastic Express; Treasurer Torri Stuckey, CSX; Secretary Harry Zander, Patriot Rail; and Immediate Past President Bruce Mann, Port Houston.