Reading & Northern appoints two to senior management posts
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
From left to right: Erik Yoder and Chris Goetz | Photo courtesy of Reading & Northern
Reading & Northern has selected Chris Goetz to serve as the regional railroad’s vice president, Maintenance of Way, and Erik Yoder as assistant vice president, Real Estate.
“Along with Chris and Erik, the Reading & Northern has many talented individuals with strong skill sets that are beneficial to numerous departments,” said Christina Muller-Levan, vice president, Administration. “Chris and Erik’s work in MOW and real estate displayed that they both have strong leadership capabilities and railroad expertise that could be leant to both departments, which are needed during this time of exponential growth over the past 12 months at the Reading & Northern.”
In his new position, Goetz will lead the maintenance-of-way (MOW) team to serve the growing needs of the railroad’s expanding rail system and new development opportunities.
Reading & Northern says Goetz has spent several years growing the Real Estate department and has shown strong leadership qualities, as well as displaying an invaluable railroad and construction knowledge which the company believes will allow him to effectively lead the MOW team.
Goetz began working with the Reading & Northern Railroad in January of 2013, when he began in the Real Estate and MOW departments as a track worker. In 2015, he became a full-time employee for the Real Estate department as a project manager. There he was tasked with managing Reading & Northern’s Right-of-Way by overseeing the department’s inspector team and organizing public projects with outside contractors, the railroad said.
In 2018, he was promoted to AVP Real Estate. During his tenure in the Real Estate department, Goetz was tasked with the construction management of the Nesquehoning Bridge Project.
“Chris has a strong construction background coming from 20 years of experience in the field,” the railroad said in a statement. Reading & Northern also notes that prior to working at the railroad, Goetz owned his own construction business as the sole proprietor of CG Custom Builders for six years.
As AVP Real Estate, Yoder will work with Matthew Johnson, VP Asset Management, and Jolene Busher, Real Estate Office Manager, to continue to protect the Reading & Northern’s Right-of-Way through the department’s inspector team, in addition to coordinating with public contractors and utilities.
“Erik’s intimate knowledge of the railroad and his customer-focused approach will a great asset to the Real Estate team,” the railroad said in a statement.
Yoder has been an employee of Reading and Northern since the fall of 2011, when he was hired as the MOW Administrator. In 2013, Yoder was promoted to AVP MOW and in 2014 transitioned to work the Operations Department as AVP Operations Planning.
Later in 2014, Yoder reassumed the position of AVP MOW when his knowledge of the railroad system was needed in the MOW department, and in 2016, he was promoted to vice president MOW.
Yoder is an alumnus of the Philadelphia Biblical University. Prior to working at Reading & Northern, he taught sixth grade in the Conrad Weiser School District.
