Sharp & Fellows hires 30-year rail industry veteran Wayne Penn
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
Wayne Penn
Sharp & Fellows
A California construction firm has strengthened its rail expertise.
A California construction firm has strengthend its rail expertise
Sharp & Fellows, Inc., a full-service railroad construction company based in Los Angeles, California, has added three-decade rail industry veteran Wayne Penn to its team as assistant general manager. Penn’s long and varied career in rail includes serving as superintendent of road operations for Amtrak Southwest, which included supervision of 400 employees and 2200 route miles in seven states, and managing rail system safety and compliance for North County Transit District Coaster and Sprinter Passenger Rail Systems in San Diego County, California. Prior to joining Sharp & Fellows, Penn served as senior rail system safety specialist for Parsons Corporation.
Penn’s background in rail safety was honed during his time in San Diego County, where he crafted the district’s first safety program. Penn will bring that knowledge to improve upon Sharp & Fellows’ safety, health, and environmental programs while also bringing a veteran’s eye to assist with project-specific safety guidelines.
David Swift, general manager of Sharp & Fellows, says Penn’s expertise is a natural fit for the company. “Wayne has broad experience and a proven track record in the rail industry,” said Swift. “We value his vast safety knowledge, and also know his presence will help us explore growth opportunities in the immediate future.”
“The stimulating work done by Sharp & Fellows is exactly what I want to be doing at this stage in my career,” said Penn. “Safety is obviously a huge focus in the rail industry, and I look forward to helping make Sharp & Fellows even more of an advocate and leader on that front.”
Penn is a California native who has been based in the state for his entire career, giving him a deep understanding of the region and its rail needs. His hiring is part of a wave of personnel additions expected as the company sets its sights on adding market share.
