Norfolk Southern renames its Memphis yard in honor of Deb Butler

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Sep 29, 2015, 10:00 ET

NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation's (NSYE: NSC) yard in Memphis has a new name, and it is "Harris Yard," in honor of Deborah Harris Butler, the railroad's executive vice president planning and chief information officer, who is retiring Oct. 1, 2015.

Deborah H. Butler, executive vice president planning and chief information officer

In making the announcement, NS President and CEO Jim Squires said, "Consistently over her 37-year career, Deb envisioned and championed systems and technology that keep the freight moving. Her name on a key yard that handles important segments of our business – in her own hometown -- is apt and well-deserved recognition."

Harris Yard is situated on NS' mainline from Birmingham and Chattanooga and is located in the midtown area of Memphis, near the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and not far from Graceland, Elvis Presley's home. Harris Yard is a focal point for traffic moving east and west, as NS interchanges in Memphis with the UP, BNSF, and CN railroads. The yard also is home to NS' 38-acre truck-to-rail transfer facility that connects Memphis' intermodal shippers to global markets via six days per week rail service to and from the major container port facilities on the U.S. Southeastern coast.

Joining Norfolk Southern in 1978 as a customer account auditor, Butler was named to positions of increasing responsibility in operations, including assistant vice president transportation customer services in 2000 and vice president customer service in 2002, before being named EVP planning and chief information officer in 2007.

Butler is recognized for her expertise in car management and distribution. Early in her career, she oversaw modernization of many of NS' core transportation systems, such as ITMS for transportation information sharing, TYES for yard management and inventory, RIT for remote work orders, and the Pacesetter customer portal.

More recently her tenure saw implementation of the optimized dispatching system to improve network velocity, significant progress toward installation of Positive Train Control systems, successful negotiation to purchase 282 miles of Delaware and Hudson Railway Co. lines to support rail service in the Northeast, and a growing commitment to sustainable business practices. Butler also is known for her work in mentoring new railroaders -- she helped start WiNS (Women in Norfolk Southern), the railroad's first official employee resource group.

"Deb's contributions in technology, the environment, and employee development have made a lasting difference," Squires said. "Our board, officers, and employees are grateful for her vision and leadership."

About Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route milesin 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation