CHICAGO—December 15, 2021 (James Street Media Services)—The list of high-level speakers continues to grow for the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) Winter Meeting to be held in person January 12–13 in Lombard, Illinois.
 
The theme for the 257th MARS meeting is "Restarting the Supply Chain with Rail." President Stefan Loeb says key industry experts will be offering insights on the current state—and recovery—of the supply chain. He adds that the extensive schedule has something for everyone.
 
"We have a top-shelf program with seven C-suite level railroad speakers lined up, our popular vendor expo, educational sessions, and several networking events—including a co-sponsored luncheon with the Traffic Club of Chicago," said Loeb.
 
The educational breakout sessions include: Railroading 101–Introduction to Rail Operations; Railcar Fleet Management; Intermodal 101; Railroading 201–How Railroads Think About Marketing and Pricing; and Transloading 101.
 
The Westin Lombard is following all national, state, and local guidelines to assure guests remain safe throughout the event.
 
The meeting will feature presentations from:
·      Keith Creel, President & CEO, Canadian Pacific
·      Janet Drysdale, Vice-President Sustainability, Canadian National 
·      Anthony B. Hatch, President, ABH Consulting
·      Ian Jefferies, President & CEO, Association of American Railroads
·      Michael Miller, President, North America, Genesee & Wyoming
·      Gregg Mitchell, Chief Commercial Officer, Trinity Industries, Inc.
·      Matthew Nee, General Manager Logistics Services & Transtar, U.S. Steel
·      Adam Nordstrom, Principal, Viking Navigation
·      Patrick J. Ottensmeyer, President & CEO, Kansas City Southern Railway
·      Timothy Quinlan, Managing Director & Senior Economist, Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking
·      Kenny Rocker, Executive Vice President Marketing & Sales, Union Pacific Railroad
·      Dan Smith, CEO, WATCO
·      James A. Squires, Chairman & CEO, Norfolk Southern Corporation
 
“I cannot think of a more dynamic time for the freight rail industry,” Loeb said. “Clearly industry leaders agree and are taking the time to come together in January to collaborate and educate Midwest shippers on how to navigate the complexities and opportunities in the market. The opportunity to interact and learn from this high-level agenda is something you cannot miss.”  
 
The conference starts with a welcome reception on the evening of Tuesday, January 11, a full day on Wednesday, January 12, and a half-day on Thursday, January 13. The day-long rail goods and services vendor exhibition will run January 12, concurrent with the formal meeting.
 
The meeting registration fee is $325—increasing to $375 on December 20. There are no refunds after December 20 for the meeting registration. That date is also the cut-off for the preferred hotel rate at the Westin.
 
Registration and more information are available online at www.mwrailshippers.com.
 
ABOUT MARS

The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) is one of five regional North American associations under the North American Rail Shippers (NARS) national organization. Headquartered in the Chicago area, MARS provides an open forum for discussion and resolution of rail transportation issues by bringing railroads, shippers, receivers, and rail supply companies together twice annually for formal meetings in the Chicago area. To review the most recent meeting presentations and to inquire about MARS membership, please visit the MARS website at www.mwrailshippers.com. 
 
MEDIA CONTACT

Bill Fahrenwald

James Street Associates

708-528-0681
bill@jamesstreet.net