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Soon, Union Pacific Railroad’s operations will comprise three regions instead of four. On July 1, the Class I will eliminate the Kansas City, Mo.-based Central Region. In addition, two of the remaining regions will be reorganized and managed by new appointees.

The Central Region’s Kansas City and St. Louis service units will join the Northern Region, and North Little Rock and Wichita service units will join the Southern Region. The Western Region will remain unchanged.

“The Northern Region realignment will provide unified management of all Central Corridor routes to the east, as well as our two highest-volume eastern gateways -- Chicago and St. Louis,” said UP Executive Vice President of Operations Dennis Duffy in a prepared statement. “The Southern Region alignment will result in the key terminals of North Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Houston being managed as an integrated operation.”

As part of the reorganization, UP named Joe Santamaria vice president of transportation to succeed Jeff Koch, who is retiring. Currently VP of the Southern Region, Santamaria has served as director of locomotive shops, general director of locomotive maintenance, chief mechanical officer and VP of the Central Region since joining UP in 1990.

The railroad also named Lance Fritz VP of the Southern Region to succeed Santamaria. Most recently VP of the Northern Region, Fritz also has served as VP and general manager-energy since joining UP in 2000.

To succeed Fritz, UP named Randy Blackburn VP of the Northern Region. Currently VP of the Central Region, Blackburn previously held various operating and marketing positions, including service unit superintendent, assistant VP of marketing-Mexico, VP of intermodal marketing and VP of premium operations.

UP also named:
• Rod Richardson, currently general superintendent of the Harriman Dispatch Center, general superintendent of the Proviso service unit;
• Rick Turner, currently VP of the National Customer Service Center, VP of premium operations; and
• Linda Brandl, currently AVP and general manager of Union Pacific Distribution Services, VP of the National Customer Service Center to succeed Turner.