NARS: Elections, Honors and Awards

At the NARS annual meeting last month, SWARS Co-Executive Director Susan Cox received the 2022 Edward R. Hamberger Lifetime Achievement Award. She is pictured with NARS Board President Bruce C. Mann (left) and Edward R. Hamberger, former President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. (Photograph Courtesy of NARS)

The North American Rail Shippers Association (NARS) elected new officers, honored members and awarded scholarships at its annual meeting last month in Kansas City, Mo.

The following officers will serve on the 2022-23 NARS Board (pictured left, from top): President Bruce C. Mann, Port Houston; First Vice President John Meyers, DM Bowman Company; Second Vice President Kate Luce, Mississippi Export Railroad; Secretary Ray Hufnagel, Plastic Express; Treasurer Torri Stuckey, bp; and Immediate Past President Tom Tisa, CSX.

“I’m excited about the ability of our new Board to continue to build on the past success of NARS,” newly elected NARS Board President Mann said. “This is the most diverse Board in the 93-year history of NARS.”

NARS also recognized members for their leadership and contributions to the rail shipping community and the association. Tom Tisa, Head of Business Development at CSX, was selected as 2022 Person of the Year for his “outstanding service both to NARS and the overall freight rail industry.”

Susan Cox received the 2022 Edward R. Hamberger Lifetime Achievement Award. Since 2019, Cox has been Co-Executive Director of the Southwest Association of Rail Shippers (SWARS), one of five regional North American associations comprising NARS. (The others include: Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers, Midwest Association of Rail Shippers, Northeast Association of Rail Shippers, and Southeast Association of Rail Shippers.) She recently retired after 40 years of service with Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and Phillips Petroleum Company.

“After the height of the COVID pandemic, Tom oversaw our first in-person annual meeting in more than two years,” Mann said. “It was the most successful annual meeting that NARS has ever held, with record attendance.

“Susan spent her career at Chevron being a leader in the world of rail shipping. She was a highly respected colleague to other shippers and partner to railroads. Over the past few years, serving as the Co-Executive Director of SWARS, she has been a terrific resource for the industry and not only SWARS but NARS as well. We will truly miss her presence and voice.”

Additionally, NARS announced its 2022 college scholarship recipients, who were awarded based on their academic achievement, extracurricular activities and community service. They are:

• Kyra Cunningham, Pennsylvania State University
• Caden Hazenstab, Pennsylvania State University
• David Hinkle, Lehigh University
• Usama Khalil, Rutgers University Business School
• Nicholas Mayorga, Liberty University
• Jackie Molina, University of Southern California
• Alayna Munoz, York College of Pennsylvania
• Denisha Philistin, George Washington University
• Nevil Thomas, Michigan State University
• Teleri Wilt, Massachusetts Maritime University

The next NARS annual meeting will be held May 24-26, 2023 in Chicago, Ill.