DENVER — Rail and real estate company OmniTRAX has named David Garin as its board chairman and elected OmniTRAX CEO Dean Piacente to its board, the company announced today.
Garin joined the OmniTRAX board in 2019 after 35 years with Class I railroads. That includes 19 years at BNSF Railway, where he oversaw sales and marketing for industrial products and maintained direct relationships with more than 6,000 customers.
“Rail is playing a critical role in the transformation of North American supply chains,” former BNSF Chairman and CEO Matt Rose said in a press release. “The intense wave of manufacturing and distribution nearshoring has companies placing a very high premium on location and logistics efficiency. David Garin’s industry relationships and his experience with each link of the North American rail network are ideal to help OmniTRAX meet the evolving market demand.”
Piacente, formerly a vice president at CSX Transportation, became OmniTRAX CEO in February 2021 [see “Digest: OmniTRAX names Piacente …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 26, 2021]. He manages daily operations of the company’s 28 railroads, as well as its terminal and transload services, acquisitions, and industrial development.
“Dean’s industry reputation and record of results are exceeded only by the achievements he has earned while leading OmniTRAX,” said Garin. “We sought Dean for his extensive leadership experience and industry knowledge and this board appointment ensures that OmniTRAX will continue to benefit from those invaluable resources.”
Garin succeeds Cameron Scott as board chairman, while Piacente succeeds Michael Brothers, whose term has concluded, as a board member.
