High Profile: NS, GATX

Betsy Talton-Buck (left), incoming Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, NS; Angie Kolar (center), incoming Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, NS; and Robin Pol, Managing Director, Trifleet, a GATX Company.

Norfolk Southern (NS) hires new corporate communications and compliance leaders. Also, Trifleet Leasing Holding B.V. (Trifleet), a wholly owned subsidiary of Chicago-based GATX Corporation, promotes a veteran employee to Managing Director.

NS

Betsy Talton-Buck and Angie Kolar on April 9 will join NS as Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, and Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, respectively. Both will report to Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Chief Legal Officer Nabanita Nag.

Talton-Buck spent 20 years at Delta Air Lines, serving most recently as Vice President-Global Public Relations and Reputation. Through various roles of increasing responsibility, she has accumulated experience in crisis and reputation management, brand building, and employee engagement. Talton-Buck has also held communications roles at aircraft manufacturer Embraer and Ketchum.

Kolar was previously Senior Vice President, Operations, EHS, and Compliance for Colonial Pipeline, a company with a similar operations focus and workforce to NS; she served there for 20 years. As NS’s Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, a newly created position, she will be responsible for overseeing the Class I’s business ethics and compliance function, “with a comprehensive enterprise-wide mission of driving a culture of strong oversight and controls,” according to the railroad, which noted that Kolar will work closely with its “enhanced safety function, to advance Norfolk Southern’s safety culture and drive engagement throughout the organization.” She will also serve as a key advisor to NS leadership on regulatory compliance and compliance culture matters.

“With success at highly regarded companies that have a customer focus and with a brand building mindset, Betsy [Talton-Buck] will play a critical role in driving competitive value for Norfolk Southern,” Nabanita Nag said. “Her transportation background, strategic approach, and ability to partner throughout the organization will make her a strong partner.”

“Norfolk Southern is further enhancing our compliance, operations, and regulatory oversight capabilities,” Nag continued. “Angie’s extensive experience in compliance, operations, and finance will be invaluable to our enterprise and senior leadership team.”

Trifleet

Robin Pol has been elevated to Managing Director of GATX’s Trifleet, a tank container leasing company based in the Netherlands. He succeeds Erik Henstra.

Since joining Trifleet in 1995, Pol has held various leadership roles across the commercial and technical departments. In his most recent position as Director of Commercial, Global Accounts and Strategy, he was responsible for all business development activities.

“I am pleased to announce Robin’s promotion,” said Thomas A. Ellman, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at GATX. “With his deep industry knowledge, passion for serving customers, and a proven leadership track record, Robin is well-suited to lead Trifleet and continue building on its reputation for providing high-quality tank containers and best-in-class service to customers.”

“I am honored to lead our exceptional team at Trifleet,” Robin Pol said. “I look forward to working more closely across the organization to further Trifleet’s business growth and mission to service our customers across the globe at the highest levels.”