On Dec. 9, Union Pacific (UP) announced several executive assignments effective January 1, 2010.
Dennis J. Duffy, who is currently executive vice president - Operations, will become vice chairman - Operations of the Union Pacific Railroad, remaining as the senior operations executive of the company. Lance M. Fritz, currently vice president - Labor Relations, will become vice president - Operations of the railroad, reporting to Duffy. Also reporting to Duffy will be Barry J. Kanuch, chief mechanical officer; David A. Connell, vice president - Engineering; Dennis Jacobson, vice president - Premium Operations; and Robert D. Naro, vice president - Mexico Operations.
Reporting to Fritz will be Joseph M. Santamaria, vice president - Transportation; Stephen R. Barkley, vice president - Harriman Dispatching Center and Network Operations; John H. Rebensdorf, vice president - Network Planning and Operations; James A. Bell, general manager - Operating Services, and Robert M. Grimaila, in his new position as vice president - Safety, Security and Environment (see below).
Duffy joined Union Pacific in 1973 and has held a number of positions in the Finance, Marketing & Sales, and Operating departments during his career. He was named executive vice president - Operations in 1998.
Fritz joined the company's Marketing & Sales organization as vice president - Energy in 2000. Prior to being named to his position in the Labor Relations department, he served as regional vice president - Operations in two of the company's three operating regions.
William R. (Rick) Turner, who is currently assistant vice president - Labor Relations, will succeed Fritz as vice president - Labor Relations.
Turner started as a management trainee at Missouri Pacific Railroad, now a part of Union Pacific, in 1981 and worked in the Operating and Marketing & Sales organizations before joining Labor Relations in 2008.
Robert M. Grimaila, currently senior assistant vice president - Safety, Security and Environment, will be vice president - Safety, Security and Environment for Union Pacific.
Grimaila joined Missouri Pacific in 1976. He held a number of positions in the Operating department before being named to head the Safety group in 2001.