Commentary

Mike Haverty: From Railroad Tracks to Warning Tracks

Written by Andrew Corselli
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Being a fourth-generation railroader who served the industry for 52 years is pretty cool. Notching a Railway Age Railroader of the Year award kicks it up a notch. Being married for 54 years with three kids and nine grandkids, even more so. Enshrinement in the Railroad Hall of Fame? Check!

What could possibly top all that? Accomplishing those things—and then some—before adding the feather that is “Major League Baseball team owner” to your cap.

Well, that’s precisely what Mike Haverty has listed on his resume, through an ownership interest in the Kansas City Royals.

Play Ball!

Haverty began his railroad career in 1963 as a 19-year-old switchman/brakeman for the Missouri Pacific Railroad in Atchinson, Kans. In 1970, he signed on to work for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, which severed a 105-year family affiliation with MoPac.

He was then elected President of AT&SF in 1989, a position he held until 1991. Following his Santa Fe stint, Haverty started his own company, Haverty Corp. Then, in 1995, he was recruited to run Kansas City Southern Railway, to which the Mexican government awarded the concession for the prime, Nuevo Laredo-Mexico City segment of Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, the country’s national railroad, in 1998.

Haverty was soon named Chairman, President and CEO of KCS. He was selected Railway Age’s 2001 Railroader of the Year—among many other accolades—primarily for his role as the architect of what was then referred to as the NAFTA Railway—today’s Kansas City Southern de México. He was enshrined in the National Railroad Hall of Fame in June 2012.

From Fast Trains to Fastballs

Haverty now has found a new line of work in a profession that’s almost as old as his former one*.

Late last month, new Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman was introduced to the public; he’s set to serve as the chairman and CEO of the club, though he’s but one of many in the new ownership group.

Eric Stonestreet. Photo courtesy The Business Journals.

Eric Stonestreet, K.C. native, Royals fan and most notably from the TV show Modern Family, is arguably the most famous of the 22 investors who now own the team. However, Haverty and his accolades are nothing to scoff at: His railroad career began before the Royals were even founded (1963 vs. 1969, respectively).

Bret Saberhagen, 1985 World Series MVP

Now, Haverty is hoping to avoid the pine tar and emulate Bret Saberhagen’s heroics in Game 7 of the 1985 World Series to bring a third title to the City of Fountains. He—as well as each and every other owner, on top of all the fans—is just hoping that it won’t take another 30 years to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Haverty and his youngest son, Ryan.

Royal Ties

Haverty isn’t the first former KCS head honcho to dabble in America’s pastime.

Landon Rowland

The late Landon Rowland was the 15th president of KCS (1990-1991), as well as a local philanthropist. He was CEO of KCS Industries when it was one of the companies that purchased the Royals following Ewing Kaufman’s death—according to Haverty, an effort that helped keep the team in Kansas City. That group then sold the team to David Glass for $93 million in April 2000. In August 2019, Glass agreed to sell the team to Sherman, then Cleveland Indians Vice Chairman.

Rowland was also CEO of the company when KCS supported the startup of the Negro Leagues Museum, along with many other K.C. companies. Haverty added that KCS is still a major contributor to the Negro Leagues Museum and even donated $1 million earlier this year.

Final Pitch

There’s only one thing left for Haverty to conquer: He already has a bust at the Hall of Fame in Galesburg, Ill. Now he needs one in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Touch ’em all, Mike!

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