Women in Rail Conference: Whited to Address C-Suite Lessons Learned
Written by Railway Age Staff
Railway Age’s inaugural Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference will feature Beth Whited, Union Pacific’s Executive Vice President–Sustainability and Strategy. Hearing from leading industry women like Whited, who will cover lessons learned from the Class I railroad C-Suite, is just one reason to participate in this virtual event, to be held Nov. 10, starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. Need more reasons? Here are five.
- Learn how our featured speakers rose to the top of their field.
- Discover recruiting and mentoring best practices appealing to the new generation.
- Gain insight into management practices you may not have considered.
- See how women are accelerating industry ESG (environmental, social and governance) initiatives.
- Learn how women are shaping DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives.
The 2022 Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference not only features Whited, a Railway Age 2021 Women in Rail honoree, but also Katie Farmer of BNSF; Tracy Robinson of CN; Corina Moore of Ontario Northland; Cindy Sanborn of Norfolk Southern; Laurie Dornan of The Greenbrier Companies; KellyAnne Gallagher of the Commuter Rail Coalition; Jean Savage of Trinity Industries, Inc.; Patty Long of the Railway Supply Institute; Barbara Wilson, formerly of RailUSA LLC; Jenny Bush of Cummins, Inc.; and Merritt Canfield of Meritus Executive Search.
These industry leaders will engage in informal, “fireside chat” style conversation with Railway Age Executive Editor Marybeth Luczak and Senior Editor Carolina Worrell.
The 2022 Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference, presented virtually on Nov. 10, is your opportunity to participate in a dialogue with key women who are driving their businesses forward while making a difference and effecting change. These outstanding women are making their mark in a historically male-dominated industry with a fresh vision, as well as a commitment to service and collaboration.
Meet Beth Whited
Whited joined Union Pacific (UP) in 1987, and was recently elevated to Executive Vice President-Sustainability and Strategy. In this new role, she helps to develop and implement the Class I railroad’s strategic vision and oversee its sustainability initiatives, including guiding efforts to reach net zero by 2050. She also continues to lead the human resources organization.
She took on her previous position, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer, in 2018. She has been responsible for human resources and labor relations functions, as well as employee engagement culture initiatives.
Whited began her first executive role at UP more than 20 years ago, serving as the head of Investor Relations and then, of the Marketing and Sales business units. She was also President of UP’s National Customer Service Center and President of former subsidiary Union Pacific Distribution Services. Additionally, she was a founding member and former president of UP’s LEAD (Lead, Educate, Achieve, Develop) women’s initiative.
Whited is a member of the Humanities Nebraska Board, Lauritzen Gardens Board, Omaha Symphony Board and the Heartland Workforce Solutions Board. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa.
In 2021, Railway Age recognized Whited as a 2021 Women in Rail award honoree. She was also named the 2021 Railway Woman of the Year by the League of Railway Women.
Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference
Since 2017, Railway Age has recognized the growth in leadership roles for women in the railway industry with our annual Women in Rail Awards.
In addition to its speakers, our 2022 Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference is being supported by a number of sponsors, including TrinityRail (platinum); BNSF (gold); Amsted Rail (bronze); and Union Pacific (bronze).
Registration includes access to the three-hour live event, as well as the ability to view it on demand for six months.
