The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) installed Judy Petry, president and general manager of Farmrail System, as its new chairman. Peter Claussen, Jr., president of the Gulf & Ohio Railways, was selected as the new vice-chairman of the association, filling the role Petry previously held.
Petry, elected for a three-year term, succeeds Ed McKechnie, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Watco Companies. Petry has served on the ASLRRA Board of Directors since 2004 and on the Executive Board as vice president, Central Region and vice-chairman. She is also a past chairman of the CONNECTIONS convention and has served on the Finance and Administration Committee since 2007.
“I am truly honored to guide the ASLRRA and grateful to have had such an effective leader, Ed McKechnie, as my predecessor,” said Petry. “We are a strong, financially sound organization with a great story to tell and I look forward to tackling our many goals together. Together we can accomplish far more than any of us could accomplish on our own.”
Petry has identified several goals for the upcoming year including: achieving 45G Tax Credit permanency via passage of the Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act; continuing the growth of annual convention and regional meeting attendance by providing meaningful education sessions to shortline railroaders; increasing young railroader participation at all levels, so that they are better prepared to take over the reigns in the future; communicating more often and with greater transparency to the board and membership at large; and continuing to build upon the Short Line Safety Institute.
Claussen has served on the ASLRRA Executive Board as the vice president, Southern Region, since 2015. He also serves on ASLRRA's Legislative Policy Committee.
“We are looking forward to working with our new leadership,” said Linda Darr, president of the ASLRRA. “Already, they have hit the ground running and have been instrumental in guiding our work on issues of importance to the association.”
In other developments with the board leadership, JoAnne Miner, director, account management for ShipXpress joined the board and will represent associate members along with John Gravenkemper, regional sales manager for NRE. Gravenkemper became the senior board member representing associates, replacing Jerry McCombs, vice president of sales and marketing for Century Group, whose term expired. Mike Ogborn will be replaced by Ed McKechnie on the board as immediate past chairman.
The Pacific Region board elected Clint Ashmead, vice president of sales and marketing for Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. to the board. Ashmead will fill a seat vacated by Carla Groleau, assistant vice president government relations, Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services.