Free event: Current Issues Facing U.S. Freight RR Industry

Fort Worth, TX

6/10/2009

The Neeley School of Business at TCU presents a free forum June 23 on the railroad industry. The event is open to the DFW business community. Experts will present studies and lead discussions on current issues facing the U.S. freight railroad industry. Topics include: Competition in the railroad industry and proposals that might enhance competition; capacity and infrastructure investment; and current legislative initiatives.

The forum, which includes continental breakfast, takes place Tuesday, June 23, 7:30 am – Noon, in the Dee J. Kelly Alumni & Visitors Center, 2820 Stadium Drive on the TCU campus. The event is free but registration is required. Register at www.neeley.tcu.edu.

O. Homer Erekson, John V. Roach Dean of the Neeley School of Business at TCU, will deliver welcome and ending remarks.

Speakers include:

Dr. Kelly Eakin, senior vice president of Christensen Associates, project manager and one of the principal authors of A Study of Competition in the U.S. Freight Railroad Industry and Analysis of Proposals that Might Enhance Competition. Dr. Eakin specializes in the economic and financial aspects of competitive product pricing, industrial organization and regulation, health economics, and environmental economics.

John Lanigan, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for BNSF Railway, is responsible for BNSF's sales, marketing, customer service, economic development, and business unit activities. Lanigan is an expert on providing customers with integrated transportation solutions, the truckload and intermodal businesses, customer service, revenue growth, and people leadership.

Dan Kuehn, executive manager of worldwide power services for the Lower Colorado River Authority, oversees electric generation operations, wholesale customer relationships, strategic fuel planning and procurement, generation resource planning and related functions. Kuehn serves on the national Rail and Energy Transportation Advisory Committee.

Mark Juszli, vice president of supply chain and logistics for Chemical Lime, a major railroad customer, is responsible for logistics and supply chain optimization strategy and implementation. He oversees shipments of 19 million tons of products, feedstocks, and solid fuel through 15 plants and 40 terminals serving more than 3,500 customers. Juszli also procures and manages transportation equipment, including 1400 leased railcars, and procures capital to improvement the supply chain system.