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PORTLAND MAINE
CONFERENCE AGENDA
September 22nd-24th, 2021
The Changing Face of the North American Rail Network
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2021
07:30 – Golf Outing - Hosted by Curry Rail Services & Shale Rail
Nonesuch River Golf Club
304 Gorham Road, Scarborough, ME 04074
09:00 – Golf Outing – Shotgun start time
15:00 – Registration Opens at the Westin Portland Harborview
17:30 – The Joseph & Eileen Gearin Networking Reception
19:00 – Dinner On Your Own in Fabulous Portland Maine
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2021
07:00 – Breakfast Starts (Available until 08:15)
08:00 – Welcome to NEARS, Safety Briefing and Housekeeping
Dennis Wilmot, President & CEO, Iron Horse Logistics Group
John Meyers, Secretary, NARS
08:15 – Great Expectations from the Class 1 Railroads
Kenny Rocker – EVP Marketing & Sales, UP Railroad
09:15 – The Latest in Rail Safety – Operation Lifesaver
Norma Griffiths, Railroad Safety Inspector, FRA
Michail Grizkewitsch, Railroad Trespass Specialist, FRA
Jo Strang, Senior VP Safety & Regulation, ASLRRA
10:30 – Are we ready for the new North American Rail Network?
Martin J. Oberman, Chairman, Surface Transportation Board
11:15 – Pan Am & CSX Merger Update
Kevin Boone, EVP Sales & Marketing, CSX
NOON – NEARS Networking Lunch and Vendor Fair
13:30 – NEARS Awards/Presentation
14:30 – How do we optimize our North American Rail Supply Chain?
Corrie Banks, General Manager, Cando Rail Services
15:30 - How do we make sense of our rail situation?
Todd Tranausky, Vice President, Rail & Intermodal, FTR
17:30 – The Joseph & Eileen Gearin Networking Reception
19:00 – Dinner On Your Own In Fabulous Portland Maine
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2021
07:00 – Special Networking Breakfast Starts (Available Until 08:15)
08:00 – The Journalists of Rail – Big Steel Wheels & Big Topics
William Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age
Jim Blaze, Contributing Editor, Railway Age
Joshua Davidson, Publisher, Rails & Ports
09:00 – Class 1 Perspectives from Both Sides of the Northern Border
Steve Nettleton, General Manager, CP Rail (Ret)
10:00 – A new rail era, or the same era in a different container?
AKA – The Tony and Jason Show
Tony Hatch, Principal, ABH Consulting
Jason Seidl, Managing Director, Cowen & Company
11:30 – Closing Remarks and William J. Donovan Memorial Drawing
Overflow Hotel Options
Holiday Inn By the Bay (Downtown/walking distance)
Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks
It's a busy time in Portland, so getting around is something to think about.
The hotel is right next to a large parking garage, so parking should be ample. We are not sure if Valet parking will be available when you arrive, so be prepared either way.
Portland is a very walkable city, and there is a lot very close to the Westin Portland Harborview (Conference Hotel) as we will be in the heart of the city.
The hotel does have one shuttle. If it is available, it will run down to the Old Port area. Please arrange with the Hotel front desk for times and service.
If you need transportation around the city or to and from the airport, you might want to consider a transportation service. It might reduce your wait time and you might save a little bit of money.
Here are two to consider:
https://atlanticlimousinemaine.com/services/
https://www.mainelimo.com/airport-travel/
Portland also has Uber and Lyft available.
In the past 6 months, I’ve used my NEARS connections to:
§ Do reference checks on a new TMS with folks who actually use the software
§ Find a location to stage railcars near a customer to reduce our lead times and better manage inventories
§ Facilitate a transload operation
§ Ask dozens of questions on railcar maintenance, repair, and design
§ Find a specialty provider for cleaning and refitting of tank cars
§ Collect estimated costs to support multiple logistics feasibility studies
§ Help me train my employees into new roles
§ Recruit new team members
§ Locate railcar capacity for short term logistical support
At the last conference, I met:
§ 4 of my Railroad Account Managers and their Directors
§ Director and VP level executives from multiple leasing companies
§ 2 Investment Analysts who provide insight into the transportation industry as a whole
§ 20 new peers (shippers who manage rail for their companies)
§ 2 Transportation Software providers, who provide services that I am in the market for
§ 2 government officials that act as consumer advocates or shipper resources
As a result of my attendance, I got:
§ Updates on the rail market place from all the speakers and contacts I made
§ Access to a full list of attendees to be able to network with them in the future
§ Access to the presentations of the speakers and permission to contact them regarding the content that I used in
business presentations
Our BOD represents all aspects of the shipping community. As we are a shippers organization, our bylaws restrict railroad employees from becoming officers.
President
Iron Horse Logistics
1st Vice President
Rail Safe Training
2nd Vice President
National Steel Car
NEARS Executive Director
2018 – Present Jason Seidl
· 2016 - 2017 Don Cameron
· 2014 - 2015 John Meyers
· 2012 - 2013 Scott McCalla
· 2010 - 2011 Dana Burleigh
· 2008 - 2009 Tammy Baker-Silver
· 2006 - 2007 Gerald Racette
· 2004 - 2005 Diane El-Hakim
· 2002 - 2003 Michael Cella
· 2000 - 2001 Kathy Dalrymple
· 1998 - 1999 Paula Mehan
· 1996 - 1997 Michael Calabucci
· 1994 - 1995 Joe Gearin
· 1992 – 1993 Brenda Horne
· 1990 - 1991 Joe Gearin
· 1988 - 1989 Kenneth Enzor
· 1986 – 1987 Ruth Gale
· 1984 – 1985 Kenneth Enzor
· 1982 – 1983 Ken Bowers
· 1980 – 1981 Gene Bernard
2017 – Present Scott McCalla
· 2004 – 2016 Joe Gearin
· 1986 – 2003 William Donovan
· 1980 – 1985 John Morton