Pinsly
Steve Laird has been promoted to Vice President Commercial at Pinsly, a short line holding company based in Jacksonville, Fla. He will be responsible for marketing and pricing, as well as commercial administration for all six Pinsly railroads (Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad/FGA; Grenada Railroad/GRYR, a Railway Age 2021 Short Line of the Year Honorable Mention; Camp Chase Railway; Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad; Vermilion Valley Railroad; and Pioneer Valley Railroad).
Laird joined Pinsly in August 2022 as Assistant Vice President Sales and Marketing, responsible for commercial development for FGA. Previously, he spent 4-1/2 years at Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services with sales and marketing responsibility for a group of railroads in the Coastal and Southern regions. He also served CSX for 16 years, primarily in marketing roles across the Paper & Forest, Aggregates, Metals, and Machinery business units, and spent another 14 years in the metals distribution industry.
“In just two years, Steve made a significant impact on FGA, growing both the freight and storage businesses,” Pinsly Chief Commercial Officer Cassie Dull said. “Pinsly will benefit greatly from Steve’s broadened responsibilities and oversight in this new role.”
Additionally, Jared Sleeth has been elevated to Assistant Vice President Business Development. He is responsible for commercial development of GRYR, including sales and marketing, industrial and economic development, planning and reporting, and customer communications. He joined the company in January 2020 as the Director of Sales and Marketing, and has played a critical role in GRYR’s success, according to Pinsly.
Previously, Sleeth worked for four years at the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, holding the positions of Trainmaster, Director of Network Development, and Director of Business Development. He has also served Union Pacific as a Trainmaster in New Orleans and Parsons, Kans., and Suddath Relocation Systems as a load planner and operations analyst and the Operations Manager of SRS of Central Florida in Orlando.
“Jared has been highly successful in developing and managing business on the Grenada Railroad by adding 10 new customers and doubling freight shipments since 2020,” Cassie Dull said. “His diverse experience, willingness to learn, and work ethic make him a trusted and respected member of our team.”
Pinsly CEO Ryan Ratledge commented: “We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to work alongside railroad professionals such at Jared and Steve. Their experience, tenacity, and pragmatic approach to the business consistently yield strong results. It’s not just about what they have achieved, but how they go about doing it; both displaying exceptional teamwork and dedication, while leveraging their experience and business acumen.”
Further Reading:
- Pinsly to Expand Short Line Portfolio
- G&AR Rebrands as Pinsly Railroad Company
- GRR Enters Asset Purchase Agreement
- Grenada Railroad Earns 286K GWR Certification
- For RailUSA, New Name, ‘New Phase of Growth’
Network Rail Consulting
Network Rail Consulting has hired Steve Levene as Regional Director, Canada. With more than 20 years of experience in infrastructure projects, operations, maintenance, asset management, and commercial management, he worked most recently for Metrolinx in Canada as Chief Operating Officer, Rapid Transit. Levene moved to Canada in 2012 after serving Network Rail in the U.K., where he was part of large rail infrastructure projects in Europe and “supported the transformation of the asset management and electrification safety in the U.K.,” according to Network Rail Consulting.
“I am delighted to welcome back Steve to the Network Rail family,” said Nigel Ash, Global Managing Director for Network Rail Consulting, a wholly owned subsidiary of Network Rail—owner and operator of Britain’s rail infrastructure network—and was established in 2012 to benchmark Network Rail’s capabilities in the international market. “Steve’s extensive knowledge and experience of British and Canadian railways means that he is ideally suited to lead our business in Canada and provide clients with international best practice that aligns with the local environment.”
“I am thrilled to lead the growth and development of Network Rail Consulting’s Canadian business,” Steve Levene said. “This marks an incredible opportunity to cultivate Canadian talent while sharing the expertise and innovation from the U.K. and global rail systems.”
Separately, Rachel Maguire on July 1, 2024, became Finance Director of Network Rail Consulting.
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