Railway Age Honors Cameron Ginther

How can I make it better? That’s the approach of Watco team member Cameron Ginther.

It’s a mindset that’s made him a valuable team member at Watco since joining part time while studying at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. He graduated in 2018 and became a full-time team member helping transload operations at Port of Amory in Mississippi and Tulsa Port of Catoosa in Oklahoma, before being named project manager.

Ginther’s positive influence and outside-thebox thinking has garnered attention from his teammates. And now he’s getting recognition from outside of Watco. Railway Age recently honored Ginther with the 2023 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 award. This annual award is presented to individuals who positively impact the rail industry or workplace.

“Cameron sees a need and jumps in to help,” said Ginther’s supervisor, SVP of Operations Steve Coomes. “He’s not afraid to ask questions or to challenge the status quo of doing business.”

As a project manager for Watco Divisions I and II, Ginther serves as the point person for rail repairs and construction efforts. After a fire destroyed a South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) bridge in 2020, Ginther spent 18 days at the work site to help with the rebuild. During this time he proved that no task was too small for him, like double-counting material to ensure enough supply.

Last year, he helped launch the SKOL’s $40 million improvement project, which is largely funded by a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grant. This project didn’t come without obstacles. Estimates on material costs and contractors collected before the SKOL received the grant became out-of-date due to rising costs in the marketplace. As a result, Ginther repeatedly collected new bids and locked in prices whenever possible.

Coomes said, “No problem is too complex for Cameron. He identified lead times on materials and found contractors when availability was limited. He’s done a phenomenal job ensuring we had the materials and people we needed to be successful while also ensuring taxpayer funds were used as efficiently as possible.”