June 21, 2016
R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC President, Craig King, Announces His Retirement
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. - After nearly four years of dedicated service to R. J. Corman Railroad Group, Craig King has announced that he will be retiring from his position as President and CEO and will be assuming a seat on the Board of Directors. Rick Corman, R. J. Corman’s founder, hand-selected King to fill the position before his passing in 2013. King’s 35 year career with CSX Transportation made him an ideal candidate for the position.
“Rick Corman was a personal friend of mine for years,” King stated. “I am proud to have been able to continue his legacy and lead the company that he worked so hard to build. I greatly value the relationships I have built with our employees, customers, and suppliers. With the help of a great leadership team, we have accomplished more than I had hoped to during my time with R. J. Corman.”
Mr. King’s experience and leadership have been influential in the continuous expansion of the company, growing from 1,065 to 1,646 employees. R. J. Corman Railroad Company has acquired two new short lines since his start in January of 2013, beginning operations in Texas and the Carolinas and adding 104 miles of track. Additionally, 10 new R. J. Corman Railroad Switching Company locations have been opened, which significantly diversified the company’s customer base. The R. J. Corman Railroad Services Company has added 135 new employees to their railroad construction and emergency response teams. This increase in manpower has contributed to a larger geographic footprint, increased railroad construction and maintenance of way capacity and improved efficiency for emergency response.
One of Mr. King’s primary goals was to continue to diversify the company by providing new value added services to the railroad industry. King helped launch the R. J. Corman Signaling Company in April of 2013, adding to the already comprehensive list of services provided by R. J. Corman. This company now consists of a total of 56 employees and is well regarded in the industry. Additionally, R. J. Corman acquired the Roadway Worker Training company in 2014, which included the hiring of 48 new employees and added flagging and training services.
“Craig has served an integral role during his tenure with our company,” said Fred Mudge, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We thank him for providing invaluable leadership during the transition after our founder’s passing, and for the contributions he has made toward R. J. Corman’s success. With Craig’s guidance and operational focus, we have solidified the strong foundation that was instilled by our founder and recognized significant strategic growth.”
The Board of Trustees will begin considerations for a new President and CEO immediately. They will work diligently to ensure that a highly qualified and capable candidate is selected to fill the position. The date of Mr. King’s transition will be announced following the Board’s decision to name his successor.
“While we will greatly miss Craig King serving as our President and CEO, we are excited for his new chapter in life and know he will continue to be instrumental to the success of the company through his new role on our Board of Directors. On behalf of The Board of Trustees, I would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for what he has done and will continue to do for R. J. Corman,” added April Corman Colyer, member of the Board of Trustees and Director of Public Affairs for R. J. Corman Railroad Group.
R. J. Corman remains focused on its strategic plan of continued growth through current and prospective services and will maintain its strong commitment to customers and employees.
Altogether, R. J. Corman Railroad Group employs more than 1,600 people in 25 states. R. J. Corman companies provide a myriad of services to the railroad industry such as: short line railroad operations, industrial railcar switching, emergency response, track material distribution, track construction, signal design and construction, railroad worker training, and building eco-friendly locomotives.
For more information about the company, visit www.rjcorman.com or call 859-881-2400
