Executive Profiles
 | James R. Young Chairman | | John J. Koraleski President and Chief Executive Officer |
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| Eric L. Butler Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales | | Lance Fritz Executive Vice President, Operations |
| Diane K. Duren Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary | | Robert M. Knight, Jr. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
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| Lynden Tennison Senior vice president and Chief Information Officer | | Robert W. Turner Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations |
| Gayla Thal Senior Vice President Law and General Counsel | ||
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| Mary S. Jones Vice President and Treasurer | | Mike Rock Vice President, External Relations |
| D. Lynn Kelley Vice President, Continuous Improvement | | William R. (Rick) Turner Vice President, Labor Relations |
| Joseph E. O'Connor, Jr. Vice President, Purchasing | ||
Chairman
James R. Young is Chairman of Union Pacific Corporation, elected in January 2007. He served as president and chief executive officer from November 2005 until March 2012.
Prior to these appointments, Young was president and chief operating officer of Union Pacific Railroad, a position he had held since January 2004. He was elected a director of Union Pacific Corporation in February 2005.
Young began his railroad career with Union Pacific in 1978 and has held a variety of management positions. In 1997, Young was named vice president - Customer Service Planning and Quality, senior vice president and corporate treasurer of Union Pacific Corporation in 1998, and chief financial officer of Union Pacific Corporation in December 1999.
Young is a member and past chairman of the board for both the Association of American Railroads and the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Young is on the boards of Grupo Ferroviario Mexicano, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Creighton University.
Young is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
President and CEO
John J. Koraleski, President and Chief Executive Officer
John J. Koraleski was named President and Chief Executive Officer for Union Pacific Corporation and Union Pacific Railroad in March 2012, and was elected to the Board of Directors in July 2012.
Since joining the railroad in 1972, Koraleski has held a number of executive positions including controller of Union Pacific Corporation, executive vice president - Marketing and Sales and executive vice president - Finance and Information Technology of Union Pacific Railroad. He also has held positions in the railroad's Real Estate and Administrative departments.
Koraleski is a member of the national advisory committee for the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and honorary member of the board of directors of the Nebraska Methodist Hospital and the Nebraska Methodist Hospital Foundation. He also serves on the advisory board of the Women's Center for Advancement (WCA, formerly YWCA) and has sponsored the Union Pacific YWCA campaign drive for more than 21 years.
Koraleski earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Executive Vice Presidents
Eric L. Butler, Executive Vice President - Marketing and Sales
Eric Butler was named Executive Vice President - Marketing and Sales, effective March 15, 2012. In his position, Butler is responsible for Union Pacific's six major business units: agriculture, automobiles, chemicals, energy, industrial products and intermodal. Collectively, the business units account for nearly $19 billion in annual revenue. He also oversees the railroad's National Customer Service Center.
Previously, Butler had been vice president and general manager - Industrial Products, a position he has held since April 2005, after serving two years as vice president and general manager - Automotive. Since joining the railroad in 1986, Butler has held a number of positions including vice president - Supply, vice president - Planning & Analysis, and director - Corporate Compensation.
Butler graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1981 and an MSIA in 1986, both from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Diane K. Duren, Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary
Diane K. Duren was named Executive Vice President effective October 1, 2012. She is responsible for strategic planning, administration and human resources. Duren also is corporate secretary.
Prior to this appointment, she served as Vice President & General Manager-Chemicals in Marketing & Sales.
Since joining Union Pacific in 1985, she has held a variety of positions in the Finance and Marketing & Sales departments, including Vice President & General Manager-Agricultural Products. In that capacity, she created a “fresh express” produce route to ship full trainloads of perishable food from producers in the West to key distribution points in Eastern metro areas.
In 2012, Duren was one of the honorees of the Women's Center for Advancement Tribute to Women. She was recognized by Profiles in Diversity Journal as one of the "Women Worth Watching in 2011," and that same year, she was awarded the Creighton University College of Business Alumni Merit Award. In 2008, Duren was recognized by Pink magazine, a magazine for professional women, as one of the top 15 women in business.
Prior to coming to the railroad, she was a certified public accountant with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in Omaha.
Duren holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Creighton University. She has been active on Boards for the YWCA, National Grain Trade Council, Farm Foundation, TEGMA, the Arthritis Foundation and the American Red Cross, of which she served as chair of the Heartland Chapter in 2010 and 2011.
Lance M. Fritz, Executive Vice President - Operations
Lance Fritz was named Executive Vice President - Operations in September 2010. In his position, he is responsible for train operations throughout 23 western states. Fritz is in charge of all transportation services, including management and maintenance of locomotives, rail cars, tracks, train dispatching and crew calling.
In January 2010, he had been named vice president - Operations, after serving two years as vice president - Labor Relations, responsible for the negotiation and administration of all collective bargaining agreements for Union Pacific's 47,000 unionized employees.
Fritz began his career with Union Pacific in Marketing and Sales in July 2000, as vice president and general manager - Energy. In 2005, he moved to Operating as regional vice president - Northern Region, and in 2006 was named regional vice president - Southern Region, where he was responsible for the day-to-day safe operation of trains over the 8,670-mile Southern Region in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Louisiana.
Prior to joining Union Pacific, Fritz was general manager of several divisions for Fiskars, Inc. He has held marketing and operating positions with Cooper Industries and began his career in operations with General Electric.
Fritz graduated from Bucknell University with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and earned a master's degree in management from the Kellogg School of Management.
Robert M. Knight, Chief Financial Officer
Robert M. Knight, Jr. was named chief financial officer of Union Pacific Corporation in February 2004. In his position, he is responsible for all financial activities of both the corporation and Union Pacific Railroad.
Knight began his career with Union Pacific Corporation in 1980 and has held a variety of positions including serving as vice president and general manager - Energy and vice president and general manager - Automotive. In February 2002, Knight was named senior vice president - Finance of Union Pacific Corporation, the position he held until his election to his current position.
In 2012, Knight was ranked No. 15 on the Wall Street Journal’s inaugural list of the Top 25 CFOs in the S&P 500. He is a member of the Grupo Ferroviario Mexicano and TTX Company boards of directors.
Knight holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University.
Knight and his wife have three children: a daughter who is an accountant, a son who is a CPA, and a son who is an investment banker.
Senior Vice Presidents
Lynden Tennison, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Lynden Tennison was named Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Union Pacific Corporation in February 2005. In his position, Tennison is responsible for organizing and managing the development, implementation and operation of Union Pacific Railroad’s information and telecommunications technologies.
Before his promotion, Tennison was vice president of Information Technologies and chief technology officer for Union Pacific Railroad. Tennison was named to that position in 2001 and had responsibility for the application systems and architectures for the entire company. From 1998 through 2001, Tennison was president and chief executive officer of Nexterna, a technology subsidiary of Union Pacific. Nexterna develops applications and hardware solutions for the mobile asset marketplace.
Prior to joining Union Pacific in 1992, Lynden spent five years with American Airlines’ SABRE division and was responsible for the Knowledge Systems organization. From 1979 through 1987, Lynden worked on various management and technical capacities for AT&T and Southwestern Bell Telephone.
Tennison has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a member of the Board of Directors for several Corporation Boards and is involved in both church and community activities.
Gayla Thal, Senior Vice President – Law and General Counsel
Gayla Thal was elected Senior Vice President - Law and General Counsel in March 2012. Previously, she had served as vice president and Chief Compliance Officer, and in that capacity aggressively led Union Pacific's Compliance and Ethics Program, implementing best-practice legal procedures and a strong ethical culture. She also oversaw legal matters for the railroad, including commercial transactions and litigation, regulatory matters, labor and employment.
Thal began her career with the railroad in 1980 as a litigator, and served in the Operating department for two years before assuming responsibility for the Claims department in 1993. In 1997, she was named vice president - Risk Management, where she led and managed departments including Operating Practices, Environmental, Chemical Transportation, Security, Medical and Claims.
She has represented the industry and Union Pacific on related public policy matters, and also has led industry joint-defense initiatives.
Thal graduated from the University of Nebraska - Kearney with a bachelor's degree in Economics, and has a J.D. from Creighton Law School. She has served as adjunct faculty at Creighton Law School, and has served on the 8th Circuit Practice and Procedures Committee and the 8th Circuit Judicial Conference Committee.
Robert W. Turner, Senior Vice President – Corporate Relations
Robert W. Turner was named Senior Vice President - Corporate Relations of Union Pacific Corporation in August 2000. He has companywide responsibility for internal and external communications, corporate advertising and brand management, public affairs, media relations, community and government affairs and corporate philanthropy. He serves as president of the Union Pacific Foundation and is head of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum.
Turner serves on the executive committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Nebraska Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and Board of Trustees of Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio. He also serves on the board of the Public Affairs Council, Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Board of Governors, GoRail (a national grassroots organization supporting policies benefitting the rail industry), U.S. Bank of Nebraska Advisory Board, and the Durham Museum.
In February 2013, Turner was elected to the board of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.
Prior to joining Union Pacific, Turner was vice president, Public Affairs of Champion International Corporation. He is a graduate of Northfield Mt. Hermon School and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hiram College.
Vice Presidents
Mary S. Jones, Vice President and Treasurer
Mary S. Jones was named Vice President and Treasurer of Union Pacific Corporation in March 1999. In her position, Jones is responsible for corporate finance, investor relations, banking and cash management, and oversight of the company’s benefit plan investments.
Jones joined Union Pacific in 1980 and has held a variety of financial positions during her tenure, including vice president - Investor Relations, the position she held before her promotion to vice president and treasurer.
Jones began her career with Doubleday & Co. in New York and holds a master's degree in Finance and Marketing from Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree from Carleton College.
In addition to her work at Union Pacific, Jones is a trustee for the National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and a member of the board of directors of the Omaha Community Foundation and the Omaha Symphony Orchestra.
D. Lynn Kelley, Vice President - Continuous Improvement
Lynn Kelley was named Vice President - Continuous Improvement at Union Pacific Railroad on June 2011. In this role, she reports to the Chairman and CEO and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team. She oversees the Quality and Continuous Improvement activities of the company.
Prior to joining Union Pacific, Lynn was employed at Textron where she held the position of vice president, Operational Excellence. She was responsible for Engineering, Integrated Supply Chain, Procurement and Corporate Six Sigma/Quality Councils across all business units, which include Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter. During her Textron career, Lynn had several international assignments, where she was based in France and South Africa, and was responsible for activities at facilities located in Australia, Switzerland, France, Germany and South Africa.
Kelley was previously a professor, department chair, and director of the Master's Degree in Quality and Operations Management at Madonna University, School of Business, in Livonia, Mich. She also served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Doctors Hospital in Detroit.
Kelley holds a Ph.D. from Wayne State University, an M.B.A. from Michigan State University Executive MBA Program, and a bachelor's degree in Business Management from the University of Detroit-Mercy. She has published books in the fields of statistics and operational excellence.
In addition to her work at Union Pacific, Kelley does volunteer work for the Joslyn Art Museum.
Joseph E. O'Connor, Jr., Vice President – Purchasing
Joseph E. O'Connor was named Vice President – Purchasing of Union Pacific Railroad in June 2003. In his position, O'Connor is responsible for purchasing, warehousing, inventory management, materials distribution and logistics.
Since joining Union Pacific Corporation and Union Pacific Railroad, O'Connor has held a number of positions including controller; vice president, Bulk Products; and vice president, Planning and Analysis, the position he held before his current appointment.
O'Connor received a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Notre Dame and a master's degree in industrial administration from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Mike Rock, Vice President – External Relations
Mike Rock was appointed Vice President – External Relations in 2007. He operates out of the Washington, D.C., office of Union Pacific Corporation and its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad.
In this position, Rock is responsible for issues dealing with transportation and the railroad. This includes economic and safety regulation, passenger rail and Amtrak, security, labor, and state and local transportation projects involving the railroad.
From 1998 to 2006, he served as assistant vice president, External Relations, and from 1992 to 1998, Rock served as the director of Washington Affairs for Transportation. Prior to taking that position, he worked at Union Pacific’s hazardous waste management subsidiary, USPCI, as its director of State Relations in Houston, Texas.
In 1989, under Secretary Sam Skinner, Rock served as deputy director of Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Before joining DOT, he was Minority Professional Staff on the Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the U.S. House Public Works and Transportation Committee. He was also the legislative director for Congressman Bud Shuster (R-PA).
Rock holds a bachelor's degree from Dickinson College.
Rick Turner, Vice President – Labor Relations
Rick Turner was appointed Vice President - Labor Relations in January 2010. In this position he is responsible for the negotiation and administration of all collective bargaining agreements for Union Pacific's 44,000 unionized employees. The bargaining agreements, negotiated with 15 unions representing Union Pacific employees, comprehensively govern such subjects as wages, work rules and health and welfare benefits. He also represents Union Pacific on the five-member National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC). The NCCC negotiates major contracts on an industrywide basis for most Class 1s and many smaller railroads.
Turner began his career with Union Pacific in 1981 in the Missouri Pacific Railroad Management Training Program, and has held numerous positions in Engineering, Marketing and Sales, and Operating. Since September 2008, he had served as assistant vice president - Labor Relations, Operating Crafts.
His first 10 years with the company were in the Engineering department where he attained the position of Director - Engineering Project Management, and he subsequently served as vice president of the National Customer Service Center, and vice president - Premium Operations, where his responsibilities included operations of all Intermodal and Automotive facilities, freight car, container and chassis distribution, facility planning and premium customer service on the system.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee - Knoxville with a bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Turner also received his master’s degree in business administration from Creighton University in Omaha.
