KCS names three to upper management

Kansas City Southern has made three leadership changes within the sales and marketing department. Natalie Putnam has joined KCS as vice president sales and marketing and is focused on running the U.S. chemical and petroleum and industrial and consumer business units. Owen Zidar will continue as vice president sales and marketing with a change of focus from running the U.S. chemical and petroleum and industrial and consumer business units to national account development. Darin Selby has been named assistant vice president energy markets. In addition to handling the coal business and shortline partner relations, his responsibilities now include developing business with the emerging energy markets, including crude oil, biofuels, biomass, frac sand and wind. All three report to executive vice president sales and marketing Patrick M. Ottensmeyer. "Together, these appointments help further align the sales and marketing organization to achieve KCS' growth objectives," said David Starling, KCS president and chief executive officer. "Adding Natalie to the team and expanding the roles of Owen and Darin into new growth areas, validates our commitment to being the fastest growing railroad in North America." Putnam has 29 years of transportation sales experience, 19 as an executive sales leader. She joins KCS from YRC Worldwide, where she has served as senior vice president transportation and logistics solutions since April 2010. Zidar has 31 years of transportation sales experience. He joined the company as vice president sales and marketing for the carload business unit in 2005. Prior to KCS, he served as vice president of sales for the southwestern region of Pacer International and began his career with Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1980. Selby was appointed assistant vice president of coal and short line partner relations in 2009. He will continue his leadership of these areas while adding emerging energy markets to his duties. He joined KCSR in 2001 as assistant trainmaster in Wylie