Moorman steps down as executive chairman, NS shifts executive management

Charles Moorman is completing his service as executive chairman of the Board of Directors of Norfolk Southern. Effective Oct. 1, 2015, Moorman will continue to serve as a director and senior advisor to the President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires until Dec. 31, 2015, when he will retire from both roles.

Squires will become chairman of the board on Oct. 1.

“I speak for the 30,000-strong Norfolk Southern team in expressing our gratitude for Wick’s leadership, friendship and vision over some of the most remarkable years in Norfolk Southern’s history,” said NS President and CEO James Squires. “Thanks in great part to him, Norfolk Southern and the railroad industry are far more modern in our thinking, more technologically advanced in our operations and more thoughtful in managing our footprint for our business partners and those we serve.”

“Jim goes forward with the people, resources and creativity to take Norfolk Southern to the next level in service to our shareholders, customers and communities. That mandate is clear and I have the highest confidence that Jim and the entire Norfolk Southern team will succeed admirably,” said Moorman.

Squires joined Norfolk Southern in 1992 and served in numerous law, finance and administration positions before being named president in 2013 and CEO in March 2015.

Additionally, Mark Manion, executive vice president and chief operating officer, has announced his intention to retire effective Feb. 1, 2016.

“Mark’s contributions to Norfolk Southern’s operations and culture have been extraordinary,” said Squires. “His ideas and initiatives have impacted every NS employee and every NS customer.”

As COO, Manion has promoted improvements in the railroad’s ability to capture, synthesize and report metrics that reflect the network’s timeliness and reliability. He has supported research and implementation of groundbreaking initiatives such as the Unified Train Control System and Movement Planner to reduce traffic congestion, LEADER technology to boost fuel efficiency and locomotive rebuilds to reduce operating costs.

Manion joined NS in 1975 as a management trainee. He served in a range of operations positions, including trainmaster, superintendent, general manager, vice president mechanical and senior vice president transportation operations before being named executive vice president operations in 2004 with responsibility for transportation, mechanical, engineering, safety and environmental and other employees who together represent the majority of NS’ workforce.

Michael Wheeler will replace Manion as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Before assuming COO duties, Wheeler will serve as senior vice president operations, effective Oct. 1, 2015, through Jan. 31, 2016. NS’ transportation, mechanical and engineering groups will report to him, while the safety and environmental, police,and network and service management groups will continue to report to Manion.

Additionally, effective Oct. 1, 2015, Cindy Earhart’s title is executive vice president administration and chief information officer, reflecting her new responsibility for the corporation’s Information Technology department. Earhart assumes the IT responsibility following the Oct. 1, 2015, retirement of Deborah Butler.

Also effective Oct. 1, 2015, Philip Merilli will be named vice president engineering, reporting to Wheeler. His department is responsible for the construction, maintenance and inspection of the rail network’s tracks, bridges and signal systems.

Merilli, who has served as assistant vice president maintenance of way and structures since 2013, joined an NS predecessor line in 1981 as an assistant roadmaster. He served in a variety of engineering positions, including track supervisor, division engineer and chief engineer line maintenance, before being named to his most recent position.