OREANDA-NEWS. Kansas City Southern (KCS) (NYSE: KSU) announced today the reorganization of several operations department functions.

“These organizational changes will ensure the U.S. operating team is well structured and prepared to manage our rapidly growing business. We continue to develop our team internally and grow individuals with tremendous leadership capabilities to build a stronger KCS,” said KCS executive vice president and chief operating officer Dave Ebbrecht.

Steve E. Truitt, previously assistant vice president of Shreveport Terminal, will move into the newly-created position vice president safety training and standards. In this role, Mr. Truitt is responsible for safe operating practices and other workplace safety matters, as well as implementation and enforcement of operating rules and standards for all of KCS' U.S. operating departments. Mr. Truitt will also lead the environmental group and the Shreveport, Louisiana Transportation Engineering and Mechanical (TEaM) Training Center. He has 31 years of railroad experience. He joined KCS in 2011 and has also held operations positions with CSX and Union Pacific. Mr. Truitt holds a bachelor of science in business management from Virginia Tech.

Gregory S. Walling's position of assistant vice president was expanded to vice president network planning. Mr. Walling has 13 years of railroad experience. He joined KCS in 2006 and also held operations positions with Norfolk Southern. He holds a bachelor of science in international business with a concentration in intermodal transportation from the College of Charleston.

Within Mr. Walling's group, Olivia A. Daily will move from capacity planning analyst to assistant vice president network design and optimization. She is now responsible for KCS' service design and measurement disciplines, as well as long-term planning for the physical capacity of the network. Ms. Daily joined KCS in 2010 from YRC Worldwide. She holds a bachelor of science in industrial engineering from Kansas State University.

Kelly P. King has moved from director of network planning to the newly-created position assistant vice president advanced systems. She is responsible for KCS' implementation of Positive Train Control and other real-time technology initiatives. Ms. King joined KCS in 2010 after serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army. She is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Additional operations department changes include:

Timothy A. Ott was promoted from director field transportation to assistant vice president of the Southeast Division. Mr. Ott has 29 years of transportation experience. He joined KCS in 2010 and has also held operations positions with CF and YRC Worldwide. He holds a bachelor of business administration from the University of Mississippi.

Eloy Sanchez was promoted from director field transportation to assistant vice president of the Southwest Division. Mr. Sanchez has 16 years of railroad experience. He joined Texas Mexican Railway Company, now a subsidiary of KCS, in 1997. Prior to joining the railroad, Mr. Sanchez served in the military police corps of the U.S. Army. He is a 2014 candidate for a bachelor of science in business administration from Baker University.

In addition to these promotions, assistant vice presidents Mike Curry moved from the Midwest Division to the Network Operations Center; Chad Devenney moved from the Network Operations Center to the Midwest Division; and Rick Pennington moved from the Southeast Division to Shreveport Terminal.

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., KCS is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. Its primary U.S. holding is The Kansas City Southern Railway Company, serving the central and south central U.S. Its international holdings include Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., serving northeastern and central Mexico and the port cities of Lazaro Cardenas, Tampico and Veracruz, and a 50 percent interest in Panama Canal Railway Company, providing ocean-to-ocean freight and passenger service along the Panama Canal. KCS' North American rail holdings and strategic alliances are primary components of a NAFTA Railway system, linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Mexico and Canada.