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Association of American Railroads

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Association of American Railroads

  • Login
  • Publications
  • Join AAR
  • Data Center
  • News & Events
  • Blog
  • COVID-19

Association of American Railroads

  • Railroad 101
    • Industry 101
      • COVID-19
      • Economic Regulation
      • Integrated Rail Network
      • Positive Train Control
    • Freight Rail Resources
      • Signal Newsletter
      • Fact Sheets
      • Podcasts & Interviews
      • Railroad Chronology
  • Impact
    • Private Investments
    • Economic Impact
    • Freight Rail in Your State
    • Railroad Jobs
    • Consumers
    • Amtrak
    • Occupied Crossings
  • Policy
    • Economic Regulation
      • Final Offer Rate Review
      • Revenue Adequacy
      • Competition
      • Staggers Rail Act 40th Anniversary
    • Operational Regulation
      • Crew Size
      • Mexican Crew Interchange
      • Hazmat/Tank Cars
      • Emerging Safety Technologies
    • USMCA & Trade
    • Infrastructure Priorities
      • Highway Trust Fund
      • Truck Size & Weight
      • Section 130
      • CREATE
      • Shortline Tax Credit
      • Environmental Permitting
      • Passenger Rail
      • Railroad Right of Way Access
  • Climate Change
    • Climate Change Policies
    • Sustainable Technology
  • Safety
    • COVID-19
    • Employee Safety
    • Positive Train Control
    • Safety Record
    • Hazmat Safety
      • Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)
      • Crude Oil by Rail (CBR)
    • Network Safety
    • Pedestrian & Drivers
    • Preparedness & Response
      • Community Planning
      • First Responder Training
      • Natural Disasters
      • Physical & Cybersecurity
  • Technology
    • Workforce
    • Safety
      • Positive Train Control
      • Track
      • Equipment
    • Sustainability
    • Service
  • Industries We Support
    • Agriculture
      • Grain
      • Food Products
      • Fertilizers
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals
    • Construction
      • Lumber
      • Steel
      • Stone, Sand & Gravel
    • Energy
      • Coal
      • Ethanol
      • Crude Oil
    • Intermodal
    • Forest Products
      • Lumber
      • Pulp & Paper

AAR Leadership

  • Ian Jefferies

    AAR President & CEO

    2019 – Present

    As AAR’s President and CEO, which is a role he took on in 2019, Jefferies advocates for and works with member railroads to ensure the long-term viability of America’s railroad industry. Jefferies has more than a decade of experience working in government. From 2009 to 2013, he served as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and from 2013-2019 he was AAR’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs.

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  • Michael Rush

    Senior Vice President, AAR Safety & Operations

    1980 — Present

    Rush serves as the industry’s liaison with regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Homeland Security. Among other responsibilities, he oversees the rail industry’s interchange standards, homeland security plan and environmental protection and safety programs. Prior to his current position, he served as Associate General Counsel where he represented AAR in various regulatory agency and legislative activities, testifying at hearings and drafting comments, briefs and Congressional testimony.

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  • John Gray

    Senior Vice President, AAR Policy & Economics

    2008 — Present

    Gray conducts and supervises economic, financial, statistical and cost studies dealing with various aspects of the rail industry. Prior to joining AAR in 2008, Gray held commercial, operating, strategic and management positions at Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Burlington Northern Railroad, ARCO-Alaska and the Alaska Railroad. Gray also served in a faculty position at the University of Alaska. A veteran of the United States Army, he served as a commissioned officer and was based in Germany for four years.

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  • Kristin Smith

    Senior Vice President, AAR Communications

    2009 — Present

    Smith is responsible for enhancing freight rail’s reputation and cultivating a favorable policy environment in support of industry initiatives. With more than 20 years of communications experience, Smith has overseen the creation of numerous award-winning campaigns, including AAR’s decade-long “Freight Rail Works” paid advertising campaign and Operation Lifesaver’s “See Tracks? Think Train.” safety PSA campaign.

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  • Jeffrey Marsh

    Senior Vice President, AAR Finance & Administration / Chief Financial Officer

    2012 — Present

    Prior to joining AAR, Marsh directed financial and treasury activities at the National Capital Reciprocal Insurance Company. In this role, Marsh also handled issues related to corporate governance, finance and accounting, policyholder services and loss reserve analysis and related matters of the professional liability insurance company.

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  • Kathryn D. Kirmayer

    Senior Vice President, AAR Law & General Counsel

    2015 — Present

    Kirmayer began her work with the AAR in January 2015 as General Counsel. Prior to AAR, Kirmayer practiced with an AmLaw 100 law firm for 25 years. Her practice focused on complex business litigation and arbitration, with specific expertise in antitrust, contract and business torts. During her tenure, she also served as chair of the firm’s litigation group and as Vice Chair of the firm’s Finance Committee.

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  • Adrian Arnakis

    Senior Vice President, Government Affairs

    2018- Present

    Arnakis is responsible for leading the rail industry’s government affairs and advocacy efforts in Washington. Prior to joining AAR in 2018, Arnakis served for more than 13 years in the United States Senate where she established herself as a policy leader and trusted advisor on transportation and infrastructure issues.

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  • Lisa Stabler

    President, Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

    2010 — Present

    Stabler joined TTCI in 2010 as Vice President of Operations and Training. Prior to TTCI, she was Assistant Vice President of Quality and Reliability Engineering at BNSF. Stabler also served as Chairperson of AAR’s Advanced Technology Safety Committee. She came to BNSF RR from Delphi Corporation, where she had a number of assignments in Product Engineering, Quality Assurance and Strategic Planning.

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  • Allen West

    President & CEO, Railinc

    2006 — Present

    West has 25 years of experience in information technology and business management with leading companies in the transportation sector. Prior to joining Railinc, he was director of information technology for Sea-Land Service Inc., a subsidiary of CSX Inc. There he led technology teams in developing applications and business solutions for Sea-Land’s global operations. He has also held key leadership positions within Tenneco, Inc. and Norfolk Southern Corp.

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Association of American Railroads

America’s freight railroads operate the safest, most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound freight transportation system in the world — and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is committed to keeping it that way. Founded in 1934, AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research, standard setting, and technology organization that focuses on the safety and productivity of the U.S. freight rail industry. AAR Full members include the major freight railroads in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. Affiliates and Associates  include non-Class I and commuter railroads, rail supply companies, engineering firms, signal and communications firms, and rail car owners.

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