CSX’s Mark Wallace loses battle with cancer

Rail industry career spanned 25 years and included stints at CN and Canadian Pacific

Mark Wallace died Sunday after a battle with cancer. (Photos: CSX, Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Mark Wallace, who served as CSX’s executive vice president of sales and marketing,  died from cancer on Sunday, the company announced Monday.

“The entire CSX organization is mourning Mark’s loss, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Throughout his illness, Mark maintained his characteristic passion for life, good humor and concern for the loved ones he leaves behind,” said CSX President and CEO Jim Foote in a release.

In July 2018, Wallace became CSX’s (NASDAQ: CSX) vice president of sales and marketing, a position he held until this past July, when he moved into a strategic advisory role as he underwent cancer treatment, the company said.

He joined CSX in the spring of 2017 as an executive vice president of corporate affairs and chief of staff during the period when CSX transitioned to precision scheduled railroading. Before CSX, Wallace worked for Canadian Pacific and Canadian railway CN. He was a 25-year veteran of the industry.

“Mark’s acumen, energy and integrity helped drive the company’s overall transformation and more recently played a pivotal role in the ongoing cultural transformation of CSX. He helped set our course toward achieving a revolutionary vision for the company,” Foote said.

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Joanna Marsh

Joanna is a Washington, DC-based writer covering the freight railroad industry. She has worked for Argus Media as a contributing reporter for Argus Rail Business and as a market reporter for Argus Coal Daily.