STB names Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council appointees

STB names Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council appointees    The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has named its new appointees to serve on the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council (RSTAC).
   RSTAC comprises 15 executives appointed by the STB chairman. The council offers a private-sector forum to discuss problems for small shippers and railroads, especially in the areas of railcar supply, service, rates, competitive issues and procedures to settle disputes.
   The new RSTAC members are: James M. Brunkenhoefer, U.S. national legislative director for the United Transportation Union; Eric Butler, vice president and general manager of industrial products, the Union Pacific Railroad; Roger Fray, vice president for grain, West Coast Central Cooperative; D.J. Kratzberg, rail transportation manager, Exxon Mobil Corp.; Charles Marshall, president and chief operating officer, Genesee & Wyoming; Bill Matheson, vice president and general manager of truckload services, Schneider National; Reilly McCarren, chairman, Arkansas & Missouri Railroad; Larry R. Parsons, chairman and chief executive officer, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co.; Dean Piacente, vice president of chemicals and fertilizer sales and marketing, CSX Transportation; Robert Pugh, vice president of logistics, Georgia-Pacific; Bruce A. Ridley, mill manager, Packaging Corp. of America; Connie Thede, manager of purchasing and stores, Muscatine Power & Water; Terry J. Voss, senior vice president of transportation, Ag Processing; Rick Webb, CEO, Watco Cos.; and Owen Zidar, vice president of marketing and sales for the carload business unit at Kansas City Southern Railway Co.
   The RSTAC was created under the 1995 ICC Termination Act. In addition to the industry appointees, the U.S. transportation secretary and three STB board members serve as ex officio members.
   The council provides advice on regulatory, policy and legislative matters to the STB chairman; U.S. transportation secretary; Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.