2014 Annual Meeting (108th)

Navigating the Sea of Opportunity:
Finding Opportunities and Evaluating Potential

With over 100 attendees, the ARDA 2014 Annual Meeting, Navigating the Sea of Opportunity: Finding Opportunities and Evaluating Potential, provided a relaxed, open setting, allowing attendees to connect and get to know each other on a more personal level and share openly about their professional experiences and challenges. The successful three day conference included yet another insightful program with presentations from a wide array of rail industry professionals.

Session Topics and Speakers

Selected presentations are available for download by current ARDA members at this link.

Session 1: Trans-Border and Border-Crossing Issues - U.S., Canada, and Mexico

Pam Nehring, Partner, Daley Mohan Groble, P.C. & ARDA Law Committee Vice-Chair
Cynthia Bergmann, Partner, Freeborn & Peters LLP
David Reeves, Kansas City Southern Railway
Guy Smith, Stinson Leonard Street

Session 2: Mobile Data Collection for Railroad Industry Professionals

Mike Murphy, Rail Business Development Leader, Bartlett & West & ARDA Technology Committee Chair
Allan Pickering, GIS Project Manager, Bartlett & West
Cameron Rex, Appraiser - GIS Specialist, RMI Midwest

Session 3: Joint US-Canada Beyond the Borders Program

David Drach, Director, Real Estate, Canadian Pacific & ARDA President
Caron Wilson, Policy Advisor, Privy Council Office - Government of Canada

Session 4: A Brief Overview of Canadian Pacific

Steven Noble, Manager, Internal Communications, Canadian Pacific
Joshua Pender, Manager Corporate Communications, Canadian Pacific

Session 5: High Voltage DC Lines on Rail Corridors

David Drach, Director, Real Estate - U.S., Canadian Pacific & ARDA President
Don Jessome, CEO, Transmission Developers Inc

Session 6: Crude by Rail - Working Together to Increase Capacity and Navigate Opportunities

Stephanie Johnson, Manager of Market Development, Arkansas Midland Railroad & ARDA Second Vice President
Roger Bennett, Director Industrial Development, Norfolk Southern
Dan Gordon, Vice President of Crude Supply & Trading, Delek US
Bill Hjelholt, Senior Vice President, Americas Director, Freight Rail, AECOM

Session 7: Impact of Rails to Trails Supreme Court Decision on Railroads

Rebeca Ortiz, Senior Manager, Real Estate & Development, BNSF Railway & ARDA Real Estate Committee Chair
Richard Chamberlain, Senior General Attorney, BNSF Railway
Beth Steel, Real Estate Director, Kansas City Southern Railway & ARDA First Vice President

Session 8: Railroad Technology

Mike Murphy, Rail Business Development Leader, Bartlett & West & ARDA Technology Committee Chair
Matt Aston, President, Ground Penetrating Radar Systems Inc.
Jason Schaff, Regional Director - Mountain Region, Ground Penetrating Radar Systems Inc.

Session 9: Leased Property Audit Program

Scott Keating, Vice President, GEI Consultants & ARDA Environmental Committee Chair
Yves Decoste, Coordinator Environmental Site Assessments, CN
Don Girard, Manager Environmental Leases, BNSF Railway
John Hawkins, Director - Real Estate Operations, Union Pacific Railroad
Pam Nehring, Partner, Daley Mohan Groble, P.C.
Malcolm Roop, Director Real Estate, Norfolk Southern
LeeAnn Thomas, Director Environmental Remediation, Canadian Pacific

Session 10: New Orleans & Gulf Coast Railroad Relocation

Stephanie Johnson, Manager of Market Development, Arkansas Midland Railroad & ARDA Second Vice President
Mark Hemphill, Director, Railway Consulting Services, HDR Engineering, Inc
Kevin Keller, Vice President, HDR Engineering, Inc

Session 11: Successfully Navigating Rail Development Project Financing

Stephanie Johnson, Manager of Market Development, Arkansas Midland Railroad & ARDA Second Vice President
Michael Sussman, President, Strategic Rail Finance

Session 12: Due Diligence Guidelines for Crude Oil Terminals

Kevin Keller, Vice President, HDR Engineering, Inc
Grete Bridgewater, Director Environmental Programs & Regulatory, Canadian Pacific