MARS July 14–15 Summer Meeting Focuses on Safety and Service Improvements

CHICAGO—May 21, 2014 (James Street Media Services)—“Managing Railroad Capacity for Future Success” will be the theme for the 243rd meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) that will be held July 14–15, 2014 at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

“Rail carriers endured a brutal winter while handling increasing volumes, and those challenges faced by the freight rail industry will be at the heart of our Summer Meeting program,” said MARS President Tom Tisa.

The two-day meeting includes a variety of speakers and presentations, with representation from a majority of the Class I railroads in North America. The keynote presentations will be a rail industry update from Norfolk Southern Vice President Mike McClellan and the shipper’s outlook from Rick Shearer, CEO of Superior Silica Sands.

“In the freight rail community, our common goal is to increase capacity while maintaining the very highest standards of safety and service. This winter impacted the rail industry’s ability to serve rail customers efficiently, using up rail capacity and eroding levels of service. All of this happened in the face of rising freight volumes across a number of commodity groups,” said Tisa.

“At the Summer Meeting, we will hear about the railroad’s new investments in equipment and infrastructure designed to boost capacity and deliver more reliable service,” he said.

The schedule on Monday, July 14 features the traditional Scholarship Golf Outing and reception. A full-day business meeting will follow on Tuesday, July 15.

In addition to the keynote speeches, the program highlights on Tuesday include:
•    two panels reviewing rail capacity and service—first from a shippers’ viewpoint, then from the railroads’ perspective. There will be a Q&A session following the second panel;
•    individual sessions with updates on rail equipment, freight capacity, and transportation legislation;
•    an economic outlook from David Altig, Executive Vice President and Director of Research with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; and
•    a speech by Michael Berg, the Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Date
Monday and Tuesday, July 14-15, 2014

Location
Grand Geneva Resort
7036 Grand Geneva Way
Lake Geneva, WI  53147
(262) 248-8811
(800) 558-3417

Cost
Members $150; Non-members $175

Registration
Advance reservations are required for the conference and golf outing. For information or to register:
•    Online conference information and registration
•    Email: mars@mwrailshippers.com
•    Phone: (630) 513-6700



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.

MEDIA CONTACT
Bill Fahrenwald
James Street Associates
bfahrenwald@jamesstreetassoc.com
708-371-0110 Ext. 1-#