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Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern announce retirements, appointments

Executive changes afoot this summer and fall

Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern recently announced some changes within its executive ranks. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Kansas City Southern’s chief innovation officer to retire

Brian Hancock, Kansas City Southern’s (NYSE: KSU) chief innovation officer, will retire from Kansas City Southern (KCS) effective July 2, according to a company filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The filing did not indicate who would replace Hancock. It says Hancock will receive payments totaling $2 million through July 2 per an agreement between KCS and Hancock made last week. The agreement also includes standard noncompetition and nonsolicitation provisions.

Hancock has been with KCS since July 2015, according to a June 2019 FreightWaves article. He has held executive positions at Family Dollar Stores, Martin Brower, Whirlpool and Schneider National.

Jason Morris to succeed Scott Weaver at Norfolk Southern

Jason Morris will take over as Norfolk Southern’s (NYSE: NSC) vice president of labor relations, the railroad said last week. Morris succeeds Scott Weaver, who is retiring after serving Norfolk Southern (NS) for 32 years. 


Morris will start his role on Oct. 1 and will report to Annie Adams, executive vice president and chief transformation officer. Morris currently serves as assistant vice president for safety and environmental.

“Jason is an innovative and collaborative leader who will forge strong partnerships between management and labor in his new role,” Adams said. “As head of our safety and environmental team, he built a track record of bringing management and our craft workforce together to improve safety performance and culture.” 

Jason Morris. (Photo: Norfolk Southern)

Morris graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the University of Virginia School of Law, and he attended the executive development program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He began working in NS’ legal department in 2010, where he handled safety, labor and employment issues. 

Adams said of Weaver, who started working in 1989 as a labor relations specialist before moving up the ranks, “Scott’s understanding of our business and ability to build relationships earned him the respect of colleagues, labor leadership, and peers across our industry.”


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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.