By Railfan & Railroad Staff

Cindy Sanborn will become executive vice president and chief operating officer of Norfolk Southern starting Sept. 1, the railroad announced Monday. Sanborn will replace Michael Wheeler, who will retire from the company effective October 1.

Sanborn is no stranger to railroading. She most recently served as vice president of network planning for Union Pacific. Prior to that, Sanborn served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at CSX. She held various leadership positions during her 30-year tenure at CSX, including executive vice president of operations, vice president and chief transportation officer, and vice president – northern region. Sanborn earned an undergraduate degree from Emory University and an MBA from the University of Miami.

“When we began the search for our next chief operating officer, we looked for an experienced executive who could lead our operations and build on our successful implementation of precision-scheduled railroading. We are proud to welcome Cindy Sanborn, one of the freight rail industry’s leading operations experts, to the Norfolk Southern team as we work together to lower our operating ratio and deliver shareholder value,” said Norfolk Southern Chairman, President and CEO James A. Squires.