Rail shippers meeting set for Jan. 20

The Chicago-based Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) is holding its virtual Winter Meeting Jan. 20, 2021, with a registration process in progress through Jan. 15.

MARS says speakers at the event will include Kathryn Farmer, the new president and CEO of Texas-based BNSF Railway Corp., and Keith Creel, president and CEO of Canadian Pacific.

“Having two rail industry leaders in Ms. Farmer and Mr. Creel—as well as an excellent lineup of freight rail experts and advisors—makes our Winter Meeting a can’t-miss event,” says MARS President Stefan Loeb. “We reviewed evaluations from recent meetings to determine the speakers and topics that were of highest interest and have put together a value-packed meeting for attendees.”

In addition to Creel and Farmer, other speakers at the half-day afternoon event include Timothy Quinlan, a senior economist with Wells Fargo; Paul Titterton, North American rail chief operating officer with Chicago-based railcar leasing firm GATX Corp.; and Anthony B. Hatch of New York-based transportation financing firm ABH Consulting.

The Winter Meeting is available to all MARS members who have paid 2021 dues of $25.

MARS describes itself as one of five regional North American associations under the North American Rail Shippers (NARS) national organization that provide “an open forum for discussion and resolution of rail transportation issues by bringing railroads, shippers, receivers, and rail supply companies together.” MARS members usually meet in person twice each year.