People News: RMG, WSP

Pictured, Left to Right: WSP’s Jerry Jannetti, Sofia Berger and Jannet Walker-Ford. (WSP Image)

Todd Whitmore and Zach Christinson join the executive team at Rail Modal Group (RMG), an Albany, N.Y.-based integrated intermodal transportation services provider. Also, engineering, environment and professional services firm WSP realigns its U.S. business.

RMG

Todd Whitmore and Zach Christinson are the new Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, respectively, at RMG, which offers shipping and freight, export/import, drayage, supply chain management, and refrigerated and dry cargo services.

Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth office, Whitmore will be responsible for all commercial activities in the U.S. He is a 27-year veteran of BNSF, and served most recently as the Class I railroad’s General Director of Sales for International Intermodal.

Christinson will be responsible for operations and safety activities in the U.S. at all RMG locations, including Kansas City, Mo.; Blair and Fremont, Neb.; Minot, N.Dak.; Amarillo, Tex.; and Oklahoma City, Okla. He has more than 20 years of industry experience, serving previously as partner at P5, specializing in operations, safety, technology, and P&L management. He has also held the roles of Chief Operating Officer at Fenix Marine Services and Vice President–Southern California at Ports America Group.

Whitmore and Christinson join founder and CEO Greg Oberting and President Mike Piazza on the executive leadership team.

WSP

WSP on June 12 reported realigning its U.S. business to best serve its multi-sector client base. In support of the changes, the firm has made three internal appointments, which will “advance the vision we have for growth in the U.S. over the next three years,” said Joe Sczurko, who took on the role of U.S. Region President in April, following the retirement of Lou Cornell.

WSP’s Advisory and Planning (A&P) business will be led by Jannet Walker-Ford, who previously served as National Transit and Rail Market Sector Leader and is one of Railway Age’s 2023 Women in Rail honorees. With a focus on equity, sustainability, and community building, she has served in executive leadership and strategic advisor roles on programs and projects for large transit and rail and transportation agencies across the U.S. Prior to joining WSP, Walker-Ford served as Deputy General Manager/Deputy CEO and Chief Information Officer and Assistant General Manager at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, where she led the implementation of the regional smart card fare collection system. (Separately, she was recently named Keolis Board Chair.)

“Jannet is the right leader for our A&P business,” Sczurko said. “Given the importance of advisory capabilities to our clients—from project development and financing to organizational management and asset management to planning and alternative delivery—Jannet’s understanding of our business and the industry will support trusted and sustained client partnerships.”

The firm’s U.S. Transportation and Infrastructure business will be headed by Jerry Jannetti, who will be responsible for project delivery and operating performance. With more than three decades of experience and numerous leadership positions at WSP and across the transportation industry, Jannetti served most recently as WSP’s East Region President and is the firm’s former Southeast Region President. He oversaw the Champlain Hudson Power Express power transmission line project, East Side Access and Second Avenue Subway projects in New York City, and B&P Tunnel Replacement and Purple Line light rail projects in Maryland.

Sofia Berger succeeds Sczurko in her new position as Leader of the U.S. Earth and Environment (E&E) business, overseeing more than 4,000 employees. Berger transitions from her previous role of National Director for WSP’s U.S. Transportation and Infrastructure business. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Leader for Advisory.

“Sofia’s multi-sector and multi-service experience will serve her well in this new leadership role,” Sczurko said. “Her deep understanding of our markets and tremendous focus on value creation and client satisfaction, coupled with her passion for leading and unifying people and teams, ideally positions her to lead E&E into the future.”

“I am a firm believer in career development and internal mobility to build the strongest executive leadership team in the industry,” Sczurko concluded. “With these key executive appointments—all internal—we demonstrate to our employees, clients, and partners the crucial importance of personnel development, promotion, and succession, and prove our employee value proposition.”

These appointments are effective immediately.