SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

Surface Transportation Board Chairman Patrick Fuchs today announced the addition of Sharon Clark, Rob Reilly, and Chris Bertram as senior advisors to the Chairman.  These appointments, which are temporary term positions intended to help drive reforms, underscore Chairman Fuchs’ commitment to leveraging expert advice, analysis, and ideas on mission-critical initiatives and agency functions.

“Sharon, Rob, and Chris bring extensive experience, immense knowledge, and invaluable perspectives that will greatly benefit the Board’s reform efforts,” said Chairman Fuchs.  “I am grateful that these accomplished and distinguished executives will help the Board become more efficient and effective for all stakeholders.”

Sharon Clark is a former senior vice president with responsibility for transportation, compliance, and regulatory affairs with Perdue AgriBusiness LLC, and has wide-ranging experience in grain merchandising, commodity trading, transportation, and regulatory affairs and compliance.  She served with several trade organizations, including the National Grain & Feed Association’s Foundation, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors, earning a Distinguished Service Award in 2023.  She also was Chair of the NGFA Arbitration Appeals Panel from 2017 to 2023 and a member of the NGFA Rail Arbitration Committee from 1999 to 2022.  In addition, Ms. Clark served on the STB Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council, and in leadership roles for the National Grain Car Council.  She previously worked for The Andersons, Inc. and Cargill, Inc.  Ms. Clark holds an MBA with a concentration in Logistics from the W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University and a BS in Management from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Rob Reilly is a former railroad executive with BNSF Railway and Canadian National Railway.  He most recently served as executive vice-president and chief operating officer at CN, where he led a safety culture change that resulted in all-time best safety records with significant reductions in injuries and accidents while leading CN to multiple service and efficiency records.  Mr. Reilly began his railroad career in 1989 at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Company (now BNSF) and held key positions across BNSF, ultimately serving as Vice President of Operations responsible for North America’s busiest rail segment—the Southern Transcon linking Los Angeles and Chicago.  In 2022, he was recognized as one of the Most Influential Leaders in the rail industry by Railway Age.  Prior to that, he held a variety of leadership positions including General Manager positions in Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL, as well Assistant Vice President of Locomotives.  In addition, he served as Chairman of the Belt Railway of Chicago, the largest intermediate switching terminal railroad in the nation. Mr. Reilly is a graduate of Washburn University School of Business and Stanford University Executive Program.

Chris Bertram has held senior transportation policy and finance positions in the United States House of Representatives, United States Senate, and the Executive Branch.  He previously served as the staff director for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the U.S. House of Representatives.  During his tenure, the Committee’s legislative accomplishments included the enactment of the FAST Act, the longest surface transportation bill in 17 years; the reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board and Amtrak; and the enactment of WRRDA, the first water resources authorization legislation since 2007.  Mr. Bertram previously served as assistant secretary for budget and programs and chief financial officer for the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he was responsible for a budget of nearly $70 billion.  He also held positions with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President.  Mr. Bertram has served as a member of the Northeast Corridor Commission, and he was the recipient of the Secretary of Transportation’s Gold Medal—the Department of Transportation’s highest award. Mr. Bertram holds a MPP from Harvard University and a BA from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Ms. Clark, Mr. Reilly, and Mr. Bertram will work closely with Chairman Fuchs to provide strategic counsel and support initiatives to streamline processes, improve collaboration and transparency, and ensure a more efficient and effective regulatory environment for the nation’s surface transportation network.  Their expertise will be key to bringing innovative solutions and best practices to the agency, benefiting the public through a more robust and reliable transportation system.