“Amid solid market demand, we aim to grow faster than the broader economy,” Ruest says. “These outstanding CN leaders will enhance our precision scheduled railroad model — one we developed and that redefined the industry — to new levels of operating efficiency and superior supply chain customer service.
“Our ONE TEAM is acting with a sense of urgency, aligning with a dynamic marketplace, utilizing CN’s expanding capacity, and deploying technology in pursuit of new cost efficiencies and increased safety,” Ruest says.
Doug MacDonald and Keith Reardon, two veteran commercial leaders, will head CN’s sales and marketing initiatives and all non-rail supply chain operations, such as intermodal container terminals and transload facilities, to produce solid supply chain services that compete across all markets.
John Orr, an experienced operator across CN’s three regions, has been named senior vice-president and chief transportation officer responsible for CN’s day-to-day rail operations, to push network velocity, drive cost leadership, and increase production in gross ton miles.
“Our talented people set CN apart,” Ruest says. “With decades of experience executing our proven operating model, Doug, Keith, and John together strengthen our ability to meet the demands of our customers. These appointments, from within our ranks, show the leadership depth throughout the company, as we remain focused on long-term succession planning and development of future CN leaders.”
MacDonald, previously vice-president of bulk, becomes senior vice-president, rail centric supply chain growth, overseeing the execution and expansion of bulk and merchandise carload businesses. Reardon, previously vice-president of intermodal and automotive, becomes senior vice-president, consumer product supply chain growth, overseeing the execution and expansion of intermodal and automotive businesses.
Reporting directly to the president and chief executive officer, MacDonald and Reardon will lead the commercial teams and non-rail operations in their respective supply chains, incorporating CN’s 23 intermodal terminals, 31 transload and Cargoflo facilities, four Great Lakes bulk docks, 18 Autoport locations, and more than 1,100 truck owner-operators.
In these new roles, they will directly manage their supply chain performance and have the ability to effectively adapt all last-mile services for customers.
Reporting directly to Mike Cory, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, Orr will lead day-to-day scheduled railroad operations in the field across CN’s three regions and the network operations group, driving core system transportation decisions continuously. Orr, most recently senior vice-president of CN’s Southern Region, will focus on the velocity of assets, cost efficiency, safety, and increasing gross ton miles production as CN looks to move higher volumes.
As chief operating officer, Cory continues to oversee all CN railway operations. Cory will also focus his leadership on the transformation of CN’s engineering and mechanical functions and the strategic widespread implementation of new technology in the field to maximize network resiliency and safety.
Derek Taylor, previously general manager of CN’s Southern Region Operations Center, has been promoted to vice-president of CN’s Southern Region, based in Homewood, Ill.
— A Canadian National news release. Aug. 15, 2018.
Well from what I just heard from my buddy in Fond Du Lac, all overtime has been cut on the local jobs, so customers are getting missed. Plus a few of the trains are going north to Neenah now to have cars switched out, which then come back on another train, adding about 48hrs to the customer’s shipments. He had cars first out on a yard track the other night for a customer and he was told not to take them because they had to go north to be switched. Ya, that is quite the service improvement. That and cutting any OT in order to make the numbers look good.
But I am sure the expert pundits in here will find merit in this.
I agree with George. Ask the customer, not your sales people!!!
Once again, we’re only getting half the story. What do the shippers think? What is their experience? What do they think of this “plan”? Do they have faith that this plan will benefit them? I wish TRAINS would put on their journalist hat, with the “press” card in it, and knock on some doors and get some perspective from the shipper’s side of the table. What we get here is what CN says. That is important, but we need the other side too.
The new operating plan involves now running 350 car trains and furloughing all of the new people they just hired in order to get the OR down and make the numbers look good. Sarcasm here, but then again you never know with these outfits nowadays.
Regardless of what the shipper thinks, extending the operating plan to include intermodal ramp and transload terminal capacity and throughput and asset utiliization can only benefit the entire part of the transportation/supply chain process that the railroad is responsible for. Including pricing and trip plan conformance.