Progressive Railroading names Rising Stars

By Julie Sneider, Assistant Editor

As the railroad industry continues to confront the reality of baby-boomer retirements, there's little doubt that the challenges of succession planning, employee recruitment and worker retention are contemplated daily at railroads and rail-related businesses across North America.

Progressive Railroading's editors have been reporting on such workforce development issues for the past few years. This year, we set out to discover not only how rail businesses are trying to replace those longtime railroaders, but who some of the industry's up-and-comers and future contributors might be. We dubbed our project "Rising Stars," and asked readers to help us identify 20 individuals under the age of 40 who have made " or are making " a positive impact on the rail industry early in their careers. Readers responded with more than 100 nominations of talented individuals who appear to be well on their way to rail-star status.

The 20 finalists selected this year represent the gamut of entities within the rail sector: Class Is, regionals, short lines, passenger railroads, engineering and consulting firms, suppliers, transit and government agencies.

Some Rising Stars entered the business the way so many have in the past: following in the footsteps of family members who worked on a railroad. Others happened onto the rail scene all on their own, which is good news for the industry.

Regardless of how they arrived, these 20 stars are considered by their nominators as "go-to" people in their organizations. Or, as one finalist described the list: "They are the people in railroading who know how to get things done."

A profile of each Rising Star will be published in Progressive Railroading's September issue. In the meantime, don't be surprised if you come across some of these folks in your own dealings within the rail industry:

• Fiailoa Ah Sue, project engineer, Metrolink
• Shelli Austin, vice president, IDS Transportation Services L.L.C.
• Ashley Backhus, corporate trade show manager, TranSystems Corp.
• Chris Bagwell, project manager, Great Lakes Central Railroad
• Samuel Betten, management trainee, engineering and design, Norfolk Southern Railway
• Walter Bleser, railway technology manager, HNTB Corp.
• Emanuel Couto, assistant superintendent, New Jersey Transit
• Husein Cumber, executive vice president, Florida East Coast Industries
• Chris Daloisio, president, Railroad Constructors Inc.
• Gregory Grissom, vice president-engineering, Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.
• Erik Johanson, strategy and sustainability planner, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
• Shawntell Kroese, assistant vice president-intermodal sales, Union Pacific Railroad
• Michelle Muhlanger, deputy regional administrator, Federal Railroad Administration
• Martita Mullen, senior manager of engineering standards, CN
• Elan Neal, director-car hire, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
• Kevin Nichter, director, product line management, Lilee Systems
• Joshua Raymond, principal officer of corporate strategy, Amtrak
• Chad Rolstad, director of strategic sourcing and supply, BNSF Railway Co.
• Marlon Taylor, director of operations, Pacific Harbor Line Inc.
• Justin Vonashek, director, regulatory compliance, Metra.