Miner Enterprises Welcomes Mike Downey and Michael List

GENEVA, Ill. –– Railcar component manufacturer Miner Enterprises, Inc. has announced that Mike Downey is joining its sales team, effective immediately, as a General Sales Manager. In addition, Michael List has joined the company as a Field Service Representative.

Mike Downey

Paul Aspengren, Miner’s Director of Sales, said “Mike brings more than 30 years of commercial, operational, and strategic experience in the North American rail industry. His deep understanding of rail operations, market dynamics and customer needs will be a tremendous asset as Miner continues to grow and deliver industry‑leading railcar components and systems. We’re excited to welcome Mike to the Miner team and look forward to the expertise and energy he brings.”

Mike Downey

 A bilingual business development professional, Downey has held senior sales and marketing roles with major railcar lessors, as well as Class 1, shortline and passenger railways. He holds an MBA from the University of Ottawa, along with degrees from McGill University.

Throughout his career, Downey led sales programs, managed and grew diversified railcar fleets and cultivated key partnerships with customers, railroads and government agencies to deliver value-driven, high-performance solutions. Downey said, “My values align closely with Miner’s commitment to engineering excellence and customer‑focused innovation. I’m excited to bring that commitment to our customers and help them achieve and exceed their goals and expectations.”

Michael List

Paul Aspengren, Director of Sales, said “Michael brings to Miner deep technical expertise and a passion for solving complex challenges, with more than two decades of rail industry experience. His dedication and troubleshooting skills have earned him an impressive reputation for excellence in quality inspection, automated testing, and leadership roles.”

Michael List

List began his career in 2001 as a welder with Freight Car America in Danville, IL, where over time, he became known throughout the industry as the go-to resource for air brake troubleshooting. He advanced to Quality Manager, and established quality programs across multiple facilities, while leading critical engineering inspections.

In 2017, List changed gears and became a Service Engineer, primarily supporting customers in the field.  He continued building lasting customer relationships in the repair and transit market. His expertise spans hot-bearing inspections, truck teardowns, product promotion, and technical support.