FOR RELEASE
Contact: Dennis Watson
10/07/2002 (Monday)
(202) 565-1596
No. 02-43
FIRS 1 (800) 877-8339
www.stb.gov


Surface Transportation Board Chairman Announces Appointments to Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council


Surface Transportation Board (Board) Chairman Linda J. Morgan today announced the selection of new appointees to serve on the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council (Council). The Council is to be comprised of 15 members representing various rail sector interests, and provides a private-sector forum for the discussion of matters of concern to small rail shippers and small railroads, in particular rail car supply and service, rates, competitive issues, and procedures for resolving disputes.



Chairman Morgan named the following individuals to be Council Members:

• Mr. Dean Atkinson, Traffic Manager, Bobcat Company, Gwinner, ND;

• Mr. Bob Bailey, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Port Jersey Railroad, Jersey City, NJ;

• Mr. David Brotherton, Director of Transportation, Bowater Inc., Greenville, SC;

• Mr. James M. Brunkenhoefer, U.S. National Legislative Director, United Transportation Union, Washington, DC;

• Mr. James M. Foote, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Canadian National, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;

• Mr. James A. Howarth, Vice President, Merchandise Marketing, CSX Transportation, Inc., Jacksonville, FL;

• Mr. Charles Marshall, President and Chief Operating Officer, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., Pottstown, PA;

• Mr. George Price, Director of Transportation, Berg Steel Pipe Corp., Port Industrial Park, FL;

• Mr. Robert Pugh, Vice President - Logistics, Georgia Pacific, Atlanta, GA;

• Mr. Mike Scherm, Director of Logistics and Customer Service, BP Solvay Polyethylene North America, Houston, TX;

• Mr. Gary Spiegel, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, RailAmerica, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; and

• Mrs. Connie Thede, Manager - Purchasing and Stores, Muscatine Power & Water, Muscatine, IA.



In addition to those new Members, Chairman Morgan has reappointed the following individuals to second terms:

• Mr. Peter Gilbertson, Chairman, Chicago SouthShore and South Bend Railroad, Chicago, IL;

• Ms. Sharon Clark, Vice President, Commodities and Traffic, Grain & Oilseed Division, Perdue Farms Incorporated, Salisbury, MD; and

• Mr. Steve Bobb, Group Vice President, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Fort Worth, TX.



The Council was established pursuant to section 726 of the ICC Termination Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-88, 109 Stat. 803) (ICCTA). Its 15 members consist of senior officials representing large and small railroads and large and small shippers, one member representing the general public, and the Secretary of Transportation and the three Board Members serving as ex officio members. The Council is to provide advice on regulatory, policy and legislative matters, as appropriate, to the Board Chairman; the Secretary of Transportation; the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.



In making this membership announcement, Chairman Morgan noted the broad interest in serving as a member of the Council, and the breadth of transportation expertise reflected in the individuals chosen to be on the Council.



Further information regarding the Council is available for viewing on the Board's website at



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