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5/4/2016
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has installed Judy Petry as chairman and Peter Claussen Jr. as vice chairman, the organization announced yesterday.Petry is president and general manager of Farmrail System Inc. Elected to a three-year term as ASLRRA chair, she succeeds Ed McKechnie, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Watco Cos. LLC.Petry has served on the ASLRRA's board since 2004, and on the executive board as VP, Central region, and vice-chairman. She also is past chair of the CONNECTIONS convention and has served on the Finance and Administration Committee since 2007.
"I am truly honored to guide the ASLRRA, and grateful to have had such an effective leader, Ed McKechnie, as my predecessor," said Petry in a press release. "We are a strong, financially sound organization with a great story to tell, and I look forward to tackling our many goals together."
Petry identified several goals for coming year, which include passage of legislation that would permanently extend the 45G tax credit; growing attendance of the ASLRRA's annual convention and regional meetings by providing meaningful education sessions to short-line railroaders; increasing younger railroader participation; communicating with "transparency" to the board and membership; and continuing to build the Short Line Safety Institute.
Claussen, president and chief executive officer of Gulf & Ohio Railways, succeeds Petry as vice chairman. He has served on the association's Executive Board as the vice president, Southern region, since 2015. He also serves on the ASLRRA's Legislative Policy Committee.
In other board announcements:• JoAnne Miner joined the board and will represent associate members. Miner is director, account management, for ShipXpress.• John Gravenkemper became senior board member representing associate members. A regional sales manager for NRE, Gravenkemper succeeds Jerry McCombs, whose term expired. McCombs is vice president of sales and marketing for Century Group.• Mike Ogborn will succeed McKechnie on the board as immediate past chairman.• McCombs, Ogborn and Alan Hardy, who will retire from Tacoma Rail this summer, were recognized for their years of service to ASLRRA.