By Railfan & Railroad Staff
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern Chairman and CEO James A. Squires will retire on May 1, 2022, and be replaced by Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Alan H. Shaw, the railroad announced Thursday.
Squires has been CEO since 2013. As part of the transition process, Shaw has been elected president, effective immediately. The company’s leadership team now reports directly to him. Squires and Shaw will continue to work closely together over the next five months to complete a smooth transition. Further down the organizational chart, Ed Elkins, vice president of industrial products, has been promoted to executive vice president and chief marketing officer to replace Shaw.
On Thursday, NS’ officials praised Squires for his years at the top of the company.
“Jim is retiring at the top of his game,” said Steven F. Leer, Norfolk Southern’s lead independent director. “Thanks to Jim’s leadership, Norfolk Southern has a strong foundation for continued success. During his tenure, he has increased shareholder value by more than $30 billion, implemented precision scheduled railroading, led the company through a freight recession and global pandemic, and brought company leadership together in a new, state-of-the-art Atlanta headquarters.”
Shaw earned a BS in Aerospace Engineering and an MBA from Virginia Tech and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School. He has 27 years of experience at NS in marketing, operations, and finance. He was appointed CMO in May 2015.
“Alan has a unique combination of skills and experience that prepare him to lead the company,” Squires said. “He’s a veteran railroader who understands operations and will drive continued improvement in service and efficiency. At the same time, he has an unparalleled understanding of our customers and the markets we serve, as well as the vision to grow shareholder value in our competitive, rapidly evolving industry.”
