Two-day Event Also Features a Roundtable Discussion on Intermodal Innovation

CHICAGO, Illinois—December 5, 2013 (James Street Media Services)—“Rail Shipping—Powering America’s Economy” will be the theme of The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) 2014 Winter Meeting to be held January 15–16 at the Oak Brook Hills Resort–Chicago in Oak Brook, IL.

It will be the 242nd regular meeting for MARS, one of five regional associations under the umbrella of the North American Rail Shippers Association. In addition to top-level industry speakers and topical panel discussions, the MARS Winter Meeting provides attendees with world-class networking opportunities and also features continuing education seminars on different aspects of railroading. Last year, almost 500 people attended the meeting and seminars, making it one of the largest gatherings of rail shippers in North America.

Speakers for the upcoming Winter Meeting include: Keith Creel, president and COO of Canadian Pacific Railway, the second largest railroad in Canada; Eric Butler, executive vice president of Union Pacific Railroad, the largest railroad in North America; Stephen Dowdle, president of Potash Corporation Sales, the world’s largest fertilizer producer; transportation financial analyst Tony Hatch with the view from Wall Street; a legislative update from government affairs insider Adam Nordstrom; and David Williams, Inspector General of the U.S. Postal Service.

The meeting will also include a roundtable discussion on “Intermodal Innovation and Insights,” and will feature executives representing the chassis, drayage, logistics, and shipper components of this fast-growing industry.
 
MARS will also continue its popular series of rail-customer success stories, this year addressed by Jason Anderson, economic development director for the City of Rochelle, Illinois and Robert Wingate, general manager for the City of Rochelle Railroad Company (CIR). The CIR was formed in 1986, when the City of Rochelle saw the need for better switching service for local firms and for future growth of its industrial sector. As demand increased for better service and a more competitive environment, the city expanded the CIR system. This has allowed rail-served industries to enjoy lower costs and better efficiency in shipping and receiving from two Class I railroads.

“The program for our Winter Meeting looks to be one of our best,” said MARS President Lisa Longtin. “We are bringing together people with a great mix of real-world experience and best-practice knowledge to inspire continued improvements in the rail-shipping industry.”

As in years past, the luncheon on Wednesday, January 15 will be jointly hosted by MARS and the Traffic Club of Chicago. The scheduled luncheon speaker is Joseph Szabo, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, the industry’s safety regulator.
 
Registration for the conference and seminars is available online. Hotel reservations can be made online, or by calling 855-458-5701.

About The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers
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.



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