Executive Moves: Norfolk Southern, Port of Oakland and ECSA

Norfolk Southern appoints chief information officer; Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff re-nominates two Port of Oakland board of port commissioners; and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) names new secretary general in Brussels.
Source: Pressmaster/Shutterstock Norfolk Southern appoints chief information officer; Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff re-nominates two Port of Oakland board of port commissioners; and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations names new secretary general in Brussels.
   Norfolk Southern Corp.’s board of directors appointed Fredric Ehlers as chief information officer. Ehlers, a 32-year railroad veteran, joined the Class I railroad in 1985 as a management trainee. He served in various transportation positions before being named assistant vice president in the executive office of the chairman in 2004, and served as vice president of customer service and vice president of network and service management before being named vice president of information technology in 2013. Under his new role, he will continue to serve as vice president of information technology.

   Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf re-nominated Michael Colbruno and Earl Hamlin for new 4-year terms on the Port of Oakland’s board of port commissioners. Colbruno and Hamlin are both former presidents of the seven-member board.
   Colbruno is a partner at the Milo Group of California, a public affairs firm. He joined the board of port commissioners in 2013 and previously served on the city’s planning commission.
   Hamlin, who is retired from investment bank Hambrecht & Quist, joined the board of port commissioners in 2012. He previously served on the Alameda County planning commission.

   The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) named Martin Dorsman as its new secretary general in Brussels, effective Nov. 1. Dorsman will transfer to the ECSA from the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR), where he has served as managing director since 2011. Prior to that, Dorsman worked as the KVNR’s deputy managing director for five years. Before his time at the KVNR, he worked as a civil servant for the Dutch government, including six years at the shipping policy department.
Upcoming FreightWaves Events
AI

Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post • Chicago, IL
Register Now
Rail

Future of Rail Symposium

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

July 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
AI Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • The Old Post • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post • Chicago, IL Register Now
Rail Future of Rail Symposium Jul 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga TN

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now