- WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25th
- 11:30 – NEARS TopGolf Pittsburgh!
- Golf Time: 11:30 to 14:30
- 400 Presto-Sygan Rd, Bridgeville, PA (About 14 miles from The Westin)
- We have a NEARS Shuttle!
- Meet in the lobby of the hotel.
- - Pickup Time: 10:30
- - Estimated Arrival Time: 11:15
- - Must leave event by: 15:00
- - Estimated Return Time: 15:45
- 15:00 – Conference Registration Opens – Registration Sponsored by Genesee & Wyoming Railroad
- 17:00 – The Joseph & Eileen Gearin Networking Reception
- Sponsored By American Truck and Rail Audits, Inc
- Signature Cocktail Sponsored by Carboline
- 18:30 – Dinner On Your Own in Fabulous Pittsburgh!
- 18:40 - The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing the Milwaukee Brewers starting at 18:40pm!
- 22:00 – NEARS Speakeasy/Hospitality Lounge Open
- - Come join us for some evening networking
- THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26th
- 07:00 – Breakfast Starts (Available until 08:15)
- Sponsored by Curry Rail Services
- 07:30 – Conference Registration Opens - Registration Sponsored by Genesee & Wyoming Railroad
- 08:00 – Welcome to NEARS, Safety Briefing and Housekeeping
- - Mark Ritchey, Acting President, NEARS
- 08:15 – Welcome to Pittsburgh from the Port of Pittsburgh Commission
- - Mary Ann Bucci, Executive Director, Port of Pittsburgh Commission
- 08:30 – Welcome to Pittsburgh from the Traffic Club of Pittsburgh
- - Josh Konesni, VP Board of Directors, Traffic Club of Pittsburgh
- 08:45 – What does the future hold? Let’s look at the data!
- - Jason Trompeter, AVP Market Research and Forecasts, Norfolk Southern Corp.
- - Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
- 09:30 – The UP Perspective of the Industry
- - Jacque Bendon, SVP Industrial M&S, Union Pacific
- - Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
- 09:45 – NEARS Friends and Family Attendees Meet in Hotel Lobby for a Very Special Day
- - Tour of Pittsburgh
- - Lunch at Grand Concourse Restaurant
- - Afternoon Matinee Orchestra Level Tickets at the O’Reilly Theater
- - Return to Hotel at approximately 3:30pm
- 10:15 – Networking Break Sponsored by Sherwin Williams
- 10:45 – The BNSF Perspective of the Industry
- - Colby Tanner, Group VP Industrial Products, BNSF Railroad
- - Moderator: Don Cameron, VP Enterprise Sales, STG Logistics
- 11:30 – NEARS Awards Ceremony
- - Michael Miller, President, Genesee & Wyoming – Transportation Person of the Year
- - Chad Grinnell – NEARS Hall of Fame
- - Pete Petersen – NEARS Hall of Fame
- - Carl Citelli – NEARS Hall of Fame
- NOON – NEARS Networking Lunch and Vendor Fair
- Networking Lunch Sponsored By Carboline
- 13:30 – Measuring the Vitals of the Rail Industry - RailPulse
- - Mike McClellan, Senior VP and Chief Strategy Officer, Norfolk Southern
- - Moderator: Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
- 14:15 – The Intermodal Picture by the Intermodal Experts
- - Paul Svindland, CEO, STG Logistics
- - Moderator: Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
- 15:00 – Networking Break Sponsored by Sherwin Williams
- 15:30 – FRA – Grants, Rail Safety, Operation Lifesaver, Other New Initiatives
- - Gary Longo, Railroad Safety Inspector, FRA
- - Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
- 16:00 – The Amazing, Educational and Independent Jason Seidl Show
- - Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
- - Moderator 1: Don Cameron, VP Enterprise Sales, STG Logistics
- - Moderator 2: John Meyers, Director of Sales, DM Bowman
- 17:00 – The Joseph & Eileen Gearin Networking Reception
- Sponsored By American Truck and Rail Audits, Inc
- Signature Cocktail Sponsored by Carboline
- 18:30 – Dinner On Your Own In Fabulous Pittsburgh!
- 22:00 – NEARS Speakeasy/Hospitality Lounge Open
- - Come join us for some evening networking
- FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27th
- 07:30 – Networking Breakfast Starts (Available Until 08:15)
- Sponsored by Curry Rail Services
- 08:00 – Opening/Announcements
- - Mark Ritchey, Acting President, NEARS
- 08:15 – Strategies for a Successful Rail Future
- - Farrukh Bezar, Operating Advisor, Littlejohn & Co.
- - Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
- 09:00 – Electrifying Freight Rail!
- - Corey Vasel, Chief Technology Officer of IntraMotev
- - Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
- 09:30 – Rail Asset Panel – Boxcars and Tankcars and Hoppers, Oh My!
- - Jeff Lytle, President – Rail, CIT
- - Brian Smalley, Exec. VP Marketing and Sales, National Steel Car
- - Jonathan Sunde, Chief Engineer, Strato Inc.
- - Moderator: Paddy O’Neill, Principal, Glynn Lane Consulting
- 10:15 – The Academic Perspective – The Rail Freight Vision 2024 and Beyond
- - Dr. Peter Swan, Associate Professor of Emeritus, Penn State (Ret.)
- - Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
- 11:00 – Closing Remarks and William J. Donovan Memorial Drawing