Watco promotes Billings to marketing VP, names Laurent to oversee WSOR marketing and sales

The Watco Companies L.L.C. recently appointed Bob Billings vice president of marketing and sales for the newly formed Great Lakes Region.

Billings will be responsible for supporting the short-line holding company's efforts to create continued organic revenue growth across the region, which encompasses the Ann Arbor, Grand Elk, Pennsylvania Southwestern, and Wisconsin & Southern (WSOR) railroads. Billings joined Watco in January 2013 as general manager of the newly acquired Ann Arbor Railroad. Since March 2014, he has led commercial efforts for that railroad, as well as the Grand Elk and Pennsylvania Southwestern railroads as regional vice president of marketing and sales, Northeast region.

He has 20 years of railroad experience, beginning his career with Norfolk Southern Railway and moving to the Ann Arbor Railroad in 1998.

Watco also named Andy Laurent regional vice president of marketing and sales for WSOR. He will be responsible for cultivating growth and expanding existing commercial and customer relationships. Laurent will work with and lead the WSOR marketing team to maximize revenue and volume growth initiatives, according to Watco. Most recently, he served as director of marketing and sales for the Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad.