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Key Personnel Advisory Board

University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) College of Engineering and Computer Science

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Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS)
Engineering Portable
EPOB4 1.100
Email: railwaysafety@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 665-8878
Fax: (956) 665-8879
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Advisory Board

Kari L. Gonzales

President and CEO, MxV Rail
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Kari L. Gonzales

Biography

As the President at MxV Rail — formerly Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) — Kari Gonzales leads the world’s premier rail research organization based in Pueblo, CO. Prior to assuming this role in 2021, Gonzales served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for TTCI where she was responsible for company-wide strategic planning and business functions associated with day-to-day operations. Gonzales, a Pueblo-native, has been a part of MxV Rail’s organization since 2000 when she started as a student intern and was later hired full-time as a research engineer upon completing her degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in December of 2002. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Regis University, Denver (2015). During her time as a research engineer, Gonzales excelled in conducting research and managing a diverse set of projects in support of the industry’s Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) program and MxV Rail’s commercial customers. She contributed a body of work that resulted in authoring/co-authoring of over 25 technical publications. In early 2012, Gonzales was selected as the inaugural candidate for MxV Rail’s Railroad Exchange Program and spent a year as a visiting professional with BNSF Railway in Fort Worth, TX on the railroad’s Condition Based Maintenance team. This experience enhanced her understanding of railroad operations and extended her expertise in wayside inspection systems. Upon her return to MxV Rail, she managed the industry’s senior technical committee, the Equipment Engineering Committee, and revamped MxV Rail’s Internal Research and Development (IR&D) program. In 2014, Gonzales was selected as one of Progressive Railroading’s “Rising Stars.” In addition to her commitment to MxV Rail, Gonzales volunteers her time in several industry and community organizations. She is currently the Education Chair for the League of Railway Women and serves on several community boards.


President and CEO, MxV Rail

Kim Bowling

Director of Wayside Diagnostics, CSX Transportation
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Kim Bowling

Biography

Kim Bowling has been with CSX Transportation since 1991. She has worked her way around the Mechanical Operations group including stints in Locomotive Engineering, Car Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and AAR Services. For the last 10 years, she has focused on Wayside Detection development and integration. Her latest role in Advanced Engineering involves integrating the wayside detector data to reduce derailment risks and to move the company towards predictive maintenance. Kim is also the chairman of the AAR’s Equipment Health Monitoring Committee (EHMC) and a member of the Asset Health Task Force (AHTF). She has degrees in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from University of Florida and has completed Six Sigma training.

 


Director of Wayside Diagnostics, CSX Transportation

Amy Hamilton

Senior Manager, Trinity Industries
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Amy Hamilton

Amy Hamilton has worked at Trinity Industries since 2010. She is currently a Senior Manager with a focus on Reliability and Regulatory Compliance and represents Trinity on multiple committees and task forces to develop industry rules and regulations.  Prior to assuming this role, she worked in New Car Engineering and served as the Director of Fleet Engineering and Reliability, supporting a fleet of 130,000 railcars. She actively participates with the AAR Tank Car Committee and the RSI Committee on Tank Cars Technical Sub-committee. She also serves as co-chair of the Women of Trinity employee resource group. Amy has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University. In addition to her role and activities at Trinity Industries, Amy currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Dallas Christian School and volunteers in several community organizations.


Senior Manager, Trinity Industries

Alan E. Calegari, Ph.D.

President and CEO, MERMEC Inc.
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Alan E. Calegari, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Calegari serves as Chairman of the Board, President & CEO of MERMEC Inc. Dr. Calegari in previous executive tenures was Director and Site Manager with PanAm World Services; Director and General Manager with Johnson Controls FMS Inc.; President & CEO Union Switch & Signal (US&S) lately named Ansaldo STS; President Siemens Building Automation-Security; President and CEO, Expert System USA Inc., President & CEO Alenia North America Inc. Dr. Calegari throughout his career brought the vision and reliable tools to initiate the needed changes and achieve the necessary consensus in reaching mission-critical objectives. Dr. Calegari received the Businessman of the Year Award by American Solutions for Winning the Future. He was named Pacesetter of the Year by Smart Business magazine. Dr. Calegari was early educated by the Jesuits, received a Doctoral Degree in Arts and Science from the University of Study of Rome International Program and a Ph.D. equivalency from Harvard University. At Harvard University, Dr. Calegari also completed the International Business Management program for executive education.


President and CEO, MERMEC Inc.

R. Quinn Norman

Vice President of Headquarters for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
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R. Quinn Norman

Biography

R. Quinn Norman was elected Vice President of Headquarters for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on December 1, 2021. Prior to this role, Quinn served as a Grand Lodge Representative and worked as an Arbitration Representative. His extensive experience in the railroad industry has shaped his leadership in numerous key capacities.

Quinn currently oversees the Government Affairs Office (GAO) and served as a member of the National Advisory Board of Directors for the Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program. He is also a third-party investigator for rail accidents with the National Transportation Safety Board. His involvement extends to various Rail Safety Advisory Committees, and he is a current member of the Fatality Analysis of Maintenance-of-Way Employees and Signalmen (FAMES) committee.

Before transitioning into union leadership, Quinn worked for over 13 years with Union Pacific Railroad, holding multiple positions such as Signalman, Signal Maintainer, Signal Inspector, and Signal Foreman. In these roles, he was responsible for installing, upgrading, testing, inspecting, and repairing wayside defect detectors, as well as managing a variety of signal systems and highway-rail grade crossing warning systems.

Quinn’s background and dedication to safety and industry advocacy continue to influence his approach to leadership within the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen and beyond.


Vice President of Headquarters for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen

Gary Fry, Ph.D.

Vice President, Fry Technical Services Inc.
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Gary Fry, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Fry is the Vice President of Fry Technical Services, Inc.  He has 30 years of experience in education, research, and consulting on the design and behavior of railway infrastructure and mechanical systems and the fatigue and fracture behavior of structural metals and weldments.  His research results have been incorporated into international codes of practice used in the design of structural components and systems including structural welds, railway and highway bridges, and high-rise commercial buildings in seismic risk zones.  He has extensive experience performing in situ dynamic testing of structural systems under live loading including railway rolling stock, railroad track, and railway bridges under high-speed passenger trains and heavy-axle-load freight trains.  His research, publications, and consulting have advanced the state of the art in structural health monitoring and structural impairment detection.


Vice President, Fry Technical Services Inc.

Joey Rhine

Mechanical Subject Matter Expert, National Transportation Safety Board
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Joey Rhine

Joey Rhine served 9 years in the us Navy, domestic and overseas.  After military service he worked for Union Pacific railroad until 2007 where he worked as a Manager of Locomotive Maintenance in East L.A., CA. In 2007 he started his career with the Federal Railroad Administration as a safety inspector in Southern California where he enforced 49 CFR regulations and investigated railroad accidents.  Starting in 2014 he began his career with the National Transportation Safety Board as a mechanical subject matter expert and as Investigator in Charge of multiple rail incidents.


Mechanical Subject Matter Expert, National Transportation Safety Board

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