The Dispatch June 2020

The

Dispatch The newsletter for Watco Companies

June 2020 | Volume 21 | Issue 6

Table of Contents

Safety Anniversaries ______________________________________________________________________ 3 Diesel Returns to Blytheville ______________________________________________________________ 4 Rengel Joins Watco Legal Team ___________________________________________________________ 6 Team Member Spotlight: Matt Heeren ___________________________________________________ 8 Alabama Railroad Rolls Out New Logo ____________________________________________________ 10 Team Member Anniversaries _______________________________________________________________ 11

Highlights

On the Cover

Our annual Summer Spike safety program kicked off on Memorial Day. The days between Memorial Day and Labor Day mark a period with potential for increased work and recreational-related injuries. During this time, we ask everyone to be extra vigilant to protect themselves, their families, friends, and team members, and place safety first in all their activities, at work and at play. Each week, we will share information on safety topics that are relevant at work and at home, and our locations will receive messages specifically tailored to the teams. Let’s work together to make it through this critical time safely!

A Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad train was caught crossing the state border from Illinois into Indiana.

2020

2 The Dispatch | June 2020

Photo by Jackson Vandeventer

Safety Anniversaries Congratulations to the following locations that celebrated May Safety Anniversaries May 6: Houston Material Handling (TX) – 7 years May 20: Blytheville Terminal (AR) – 3 years May 22: Pittsburg Mechanical (KS) – 3 years May 23: Dravosburg Terminal (PA) – 2 years May 30: Gillette Black Thunder Switching (WY) – 3 Years May 31: Green River Ciner Switching (WY) – 8 years

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June 2020 | The Dispatch 3

Diesel Returns to Blytheville

4 The Dispatch | June 2020

There’s a reason that the Watco team places so

Kevin Wright provided required hazmat training

much emphasis on building customer relationships.

to the 17 team members at the facility. Each

It’s our customer-first mentality, plus, many times,

team member was also required to obtain a

those relationships will lead to new opportunities

Transportation Worker Identification Credential

for Watco. Such is the case at the barge terminal in

(TWIC) card as part of the Maritime Transportation

Blytheville, Arkansas.

Security Act, which is required by Coast Guard-

For the past several years, the terminal has

licensed facilities.

specialized in fertilizer and fertilizer blending.

Terminal Manager Vancell Lucas said, “It was crunch

However, at one time, the location also served

time, and there were several things that needed to

the diesel industry. An employee of a former

be done in a short amount of time. The safety team

Blytheville diesel customer had taken a position

came in to assist, and they did an outstanding job

with another company, and when they needed to

getting us through the whole process and giving

move and store diesel, he thought of the Blytheville

us a hand to make sure we got our TWIC cards,

facility. He reached out to his Watco connection,

and anything else needed to make sure we met all

who introduced him to Len Crescenzo, the sales

safety requirements.”

manager who covers the Blytheville terminal.

The first barges began arriving at Blytheville on May

Talks about bringing the diesel into the facility

22. The diesel was pumped through the 1.5-mile-

began in mid-March with an in-tank deadline of

long pipe from the dock to the tanks. It took two

May. There was a lot to get accomplished in just a

weeks for all of the barges – 12 from the north and

short amount of time.

nine from the south – to arrive and get unloaded

“Originally, the contractors said the facility wouldn’t

into the tanks. The final amount of diesel unloaded:

be ready until June 22, almost a month behind what

358,00 barrels or approximately 15,036,000 gallons.

was required; we would’ve lost the opportunity,”

Crescenzo said, “The fact that we were able to get it

said Crescenzo. “I can’t say enough about Watco’s

ready to go in about a 30-day window is impressive.

project management team and how they helped

The team was able to complete the project a

make this happen. Mike McAllister, vice president

full month early, and now the next step will be

of operations, stepped in and did everything he

working on phase two, which will be the outbound

needed to do to make sure it would happen. By

operations side of the project.”

separating the project into two phases, we were able to complete what we needed to do so we could bring in the diesel.”

The U.S. Coast Guard regulates the transport of diesel, so the facility was upgraded to Coast Guard standards. Brent Shields, AVP of Safety, and Sean Strong, AVP of Environmental Services, took the lead in meeting Coast Guard requirements and passing inspections to free up the rest of the team to prepare the facility for the incoming diesel.

Preparations at the facility included cleaning out onsite tanks, installing specified safety mechanisms, new pumps, modifications to the piping system, and installing flow alarms. Senior Safety Manager

June 2020 | The Dispatch 5

Rengel Joins Watco Legal Team

Matt Rengel | Corporate Counsel

When Matt Rengel accepted the role of Corporate Counsel with Watco there was no way he could have anticipated the amount of personal and professional change that was on the horizon. Within weeks of starting his new position, the world’s population withdrew into the protection of its own homes, offices closed and encouraged their team members to work remotely, and courthouses all but shut down except to honor constitutionally guaranteed protections.

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“The COVID-19 pandemic provided me with a

“I’m incredibly excited about bringing my prior legal

unique opportunity to familiarize myself with the

experience in the transportation industry to bear for

company instead of focusing exclusively on claims

Watco. There are significant similarities between the

and litigation” said Rengel.

business models that will allow me to capitalize on

As Corporate Counsel, Rengel’s primary

the hard-fought lessons I’ve learned in my almost 20

responsibility will be to represent Watco and

years of legal practice.”

its subsidiaries from bodily injury and property

One thing that Rengel wants to make clear in

damage claims and similar litigation throughout

introducing himself to Watco is that he wants his

North America. He will also focus on overseeing

fellow Watco team members to view him and his

workers’ compensation, longshore claims,

team as a resource.

employment, and environmental matters with the assistance of team members Jamie Wilson, Lori

“I want the team members in the field to understand that Watco’s legal team is here for you

Magee, and Lacie Moore.

anytime day or night,” said Rengel. “We want to be

When asked what attracted him to the opportunity

a valued member of your decision-making process

at Watco, Rengel noted that the company’s

and are more than happy to talk you or your team

culture appeared to align with his personal and

through any legal challenge you may have. Whether

professional values.

it’s gathering information in the field for a claim or

Rengel said, “I immediately recognized a real sense

negotiating with a customer over a contract, don’t

of family at Watco. I went through a rather intensive

be afraid to use us as a resource. That’s what we are

interview process and was struck at the amount of

here for.”

attention that was paid to whether I’d be a good

Although Rengel spends a large portion of his time

fit for the team. There seemed to be a genuine

familiarizing himself with Watco’s legal portfolio,

concern about if I was the type of person who could

he likes to spend his evenings and time off being a

seamlessly flow into the role and be a positive

father to his almost 2-year-old daughter Abigail and

influence on those I worked with. I came away from

a husband to his wife of four years, Gena. Having

those interviews knowing that I was going to work

grown up in the northwest suburbs of Illinois,

for a company that was committed to providing me

Rengel has made the Kansas City area his home for

with an opportunity to lay down long-term roots

the past 18 years and is looking forward to raising his

and develop myself.”

family there for years to come. Rengel and his wife

Prior to joining Watco, Rengel served as Senior

are excited to welcome a second child to their family

Counsel for YRC Worldwide. In that role, Rengel was

in August 2020.

responsible for managing YRC’s nationwide liability portfolio of trucking and logistics claims.

June 2020 | The Dispatch 7

Team Member Spotlight: Matt Heeren

Matt with his dad and grandfather in front of the WSOR 101 locomotive.

Railroading is in Wisconsin & Southern Railroad

“Ever since I was little, it’s what I wanted to do.

(WSOR) Conductor/Engineer Matt Heeren’s

As my parents can always remember, I wanted

blood. He comes from a long line of railroaders.

to work for the railroad,” Heeren said.

His grandfather, great-grandfather, and

It wasn’t his initial career path, though. He started

great-great-grandfather all worked on the Milwaukee Road, which later became part of the Soo Line. Now, he’s operating trains in the same region that his family has for generations.

8 The Dispatch | June 2020

out working for a window furnishings producer in northern Illinois. He was unsure of his future there, and then the factory closed. But Heeren didn’t make his move into railroading until he met a girl.

“It was a girl,” Heeren laughed. “She lived up in

the camaraderie between us team members is so

Wisconsin and went to school with my sister. Next

strong. I work with an amazing team.”

thing I know, I was like ‘There’s a job in Janesville, Wisconsin. You live in Whitewater. Let’s give this a shot.’ Now 16 years and two kids later, we have

The personal and family connection is another aspect of the WSOR that Heeren, unfortunately, became more familiar with recently. His father’s

a happy marriage.”

health quickly declined, and he passed away last

Heeren hired on in 2005 as a conductor, before

December.

the WSOR became part of Watco. He became an engineer in 2007. A position he’s held ever since, and is still based out of Janesville.

“I am forever grateful that the company worked with me so I could help and visit him. When he passed away, the company was extremely helpful giving

Heeren’s days start early, or late, depending on

me the time off I needed during this a very difficult

how you look at it. Most days, he catches a ride

time,” Heeren said.

to Madison, Wisc., and collects all the traffic from that area. Railcars coming from customers on the Reedsburg, Prairie, Cottage Grove, and Watertown subs, and the Canadian Pacific interchange are built into a train and moved by Heeren and his

Heeren enjoys his weekends gardening, raising chickens, visiting family with his wife, Jennifer, 9-year-old son Jacob, and 4-year-old daughter Charlotte. The family inherited land following his dad’s recent passing and are working on a pumpkin

crew down to Janesville.

patch there. He also likes watching trains and helps

“The majority of my train is empties. A lot of our

document worker art.

customers bring goods like metal for canned foods, aggregates, corn, lumber, salt, and scrap metal. We gather up all the Madison area traffic and take it to Janesville for the return trip back to the originator,” Heeren said.

“If you watch railroad cars go by, and you ever see the chalk drawings on a car, all these little markings are from railroad workers. It’s not the graffiti, it’s these small markings, usually from carmen. It’s got a long history, almost 100 years, and I like looking

There’s no aspect of the job Heeren dislikes. His

into the history of it. It’s kind of a secret society that

set schedule, railroad retirement, compensation,

knows about it,” Heeren said.

vacation, benefits, team members, safety focus, and more are the the reason he’s more than happy to stick around.

“It’s just pride. It’s an amazing job to have. When I mention to people that I’m a railroader, the first thing out of their mouth is, ‘That must be a great job!’ I make friends with customers while we’re spotting cars. I’ve got a mile, mile-and-a-half of train behind me. That’s my baby, and it’s great,” Heeren said. “Another big part of me staying is because

June 2020 | The Dispatch 9

Alabama Railroad Rolls Out New Logo One thing the state of Alabama doesn’t lack is pride, and Watco’s Alabama Southern Railroad (ABS) team strongly reflects that. They wanted to show their pride in the way they represent themselves and recently unveiled a new logo as part of that effort.

Cain Greene, ABS General Manager, moved back home to Alabama when he took the position of general manager in September of 2019. One of the first things his new team members asked him was if the railroad’s logo could be updated.

Greene said, “I told the team to come up with some ideas, and I’d see if we would be able to get it done. They came up with several different ideas, and then I worked with Reagan (Chalupnik, Watco’s Creative Director). She fined-tuned it into what we have now.”

“They wanted to use the crimson color to tie it in with the University of Alabama, and Cain wanted to make sure it all tied in with the Pulling for the Tide locomotive,” said Chalupnik. “It’s a more modern look, and the scalability will work better when it is sized up or down.”

Greene said, “The response has been excellent. Our team members loved it. We showed our two biggest customers, and they were impressed by the new look and how it represents us.”

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Team Member Anniversaries Congratulations to the following team members celebrating June anniversaries:

1 Year: Chelsea Anderson,

Michael Lawver, Nichole Morcher,

Alexandria Andrews, Jacob

Saleh Mothana, Patrick Nemec,

Atchley, Ruth Becker, Joseph

Dustin Osborne, Kristi Pelfrey,

Bernal, Ruby Blackwood, Adam

Sloan Sanders, Caleb Schmidt,

Blethen, Joshua Buee, Randall

Riley Seger, Travis Sinn, Ivan

Campbell, Gregory Carlton, Jimmy

Smith, Justin Vaclavik, David

Caruthers, James Clark, Kyle

Weber, Mark Woznicki, Julia Yeatts

Cleland, Billy Collins, Adrian Cooks, David Crossley, Kenneth Davis, Jerry Doyle, Shawn Eller, Jermaine

3 Years: Michelle Bowling, Brian Dolan, Gregory Humphreys,

Estes, David Fenton, Reynaldo

William Jennings, Ladarion

Gallegos Almeda, Brandon

Johnson, Christopher Keefe,

Gates, Virginia Goodwill-Sivley,

Joshua Kingery, Francisco

Dustin Hill, Michael Kane, Alonzo

Marroquin, Gilbert Maxie, Luis

Kimbrough, Colter Kofoed, Jeffrey

Medina, Rene Mendoza, Casey

Larson, Jon Link, Seth Lloyd,

Miller, Jamie Owens, Roger Reed,

Kelvin Lopez, Ruben Marroquin,

Amber Reeves, Hugo Silva, Jerick

Patrick McCabe, Laura Mccoy,

Staker, Michael Throne, James

Casey Mckinney, Caleb Muia,

Trollope, Jacob Wiebelhaus,

Juan Olivares, Brandi Orr, Donald

Wayne Wiza

Paulat, Chris Perry, Kyle Peterson,

4 Years: Jacob Baker, Austin

Lashunda Poole, Hagen Presley, Jesse Prine, Darren Scott, Harrison Short, Candace Smith, Timothy Stewart, Bailey Thomas, Christina Villarreal, Ailsa von Dobeneck, Eric Westerfield, Ty White, Amanda Widmer, David Wright, Jennifer Zettler

2 Years: Clifford Birch, Joshua Boudreaux, Clayton Brown, Chase Cannon, Christian Cedeno, Sean Cochran, Robert Cooper, Joseph DaRonche, Jerry Davis, Joshua Dreese, Marquet Freeman, Hunter Griggs, Gina Hansen, Joshua Klossen, Marshall Lafontaine,

Barton, James Cooper, Chad Easterling, Derrick Jackson, Howard Jackson, Ricky Justice, Antonio Perez, Gregg Robbins, Nicholas Sharp, Elizabeth Tatum, Jordan Wagner, Joseph Zachmann

5 Years: Jay Benedict, Cameron Benson, Josiah Breeden, William Butler, Brantley Chambliss, Julie Christensen-Chock, Arla Cress, Curtis Daly, John Jansen, Douglas Jones, Christopher McKinney, James Rehm, Olen Reid, Grant Robinson, Robert Sharp Jr, Norma Torres, Brandon, Vaughn, Jeremy Watson, Stacey

Wilberding Sprayberry, Daniel Tumbleson

6 Years: Robert Ayers, Jamal

Campbell, Timothy Chew, David Eller, Jerod Gofourth, Daniel Gross, Cris Hatcher, Michael Hernandez, Jeffery Joseph, Michael Kot, Jonathan Lacy, Daniel Lee, Zachary Leingang, Jason Longfellow, Brent Morrison, Breana Nalesnik, Javier Pertuz, Kathryn Price, Nicholas Pritchard, Jose Rios, Jose Rodriguez, Joseph Rowan, Charles Skinner, Jason Wetta, Shari Wilson, Eric Wolfe

7

Years: Cassidy Arnold, Larry Belk, Jeff Elkins, Timothy Hart, Philip Hennessee, Edwin Himmerich, Artemus Hines, Sergio Lara, Jenna Maiseroulle, Jerry Rivera, Edward Sepulvado, Jason Sigman, Paul Suarino, John Thompson

8 Years: Ronald Abbott, Sean

Benzmiller, Susan Buffington, Tara Carpenter, Jordan Cheatham, Sean Cox, Curtiss Hemby, Jeff Kelly, Audie Pankhurst, Justin Pankhurst, Brian Pindell, Jacob Renfroe, Steven Renn, Johnathan Robertson, Jose Rodriguez, Angela Schaefer, Amanda Shanholtzer, Derrick Thomas, Duff Wagnon, Dana Wilkerson, Lloyd Young

June 2020 | The Dispatch 11

Team Member Anniversaries

9

Years: Felicia Fearmonti, Brian Keithan, Nathan Kime, Benjamin May, Kristi Nunnelley, Michael Stotts

10 Years: Robert Betts, Jeff Everitt, Silvestre

Garza, Paul Goins, Russell King, Melissa Pennington, Thomas Scheidemantel, Douglas Steed, Brandon Tomblin, John Wimberg

11 Years: Sean Crowe, Brent Marsh 12 Years: James Hite, Adam Jones, Bernardo

Santos, Richard Smith, Rendall Thompson, Matthew Troth

13 Years: Michelle Hubbard, Casey Miller,

Curtis Testerman

14

Years: Randall Chaney, Phillip Forrest, Timothy Ragsdale, Pete Tavernaro

15 Years: Frankie Carpino, Paul Christenson,

David Gonzales, Nicolas Hanson, Jeremy Hollis, Leslie Kissel, Cameron Lundy, James Marr, Randall McIntyre, Angelina Pridemore

16 Years: Nolan Darthard, Otis Jackson, Brian

Kostef, Joey Meadows, Marco Mendoza, Billy Mott, Chad Schilleman

17 Years: Donnie Creed, Mark Glover, Wade Lunt, James Waite

18

Years: Jean Camphort, Matthew Diestler, Carl Silcox, Mark St Aubin

19 Years: Enrique Castillo,

Christopher Hamill, Allen Kellar, Richard Kelly, Duane Spurrier

20 Years: Barbara Crawford, Colin Schneider 21 Years: Anthony Jones 22 Years: Gabriel Carrizales, Christopher Jacobson,

Jason Rossman, Daniel Tank

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23 Years: Chad Wilson 24 Years: Jason Ford 25 Years: Brian Lanham 27 Years: Sally Berkstresser, Willis Iverson, James McDaniel

28 Years: Teodoro Arellano, John Nippa 29 Years: Paul Lawson 31 Years: William Gamble, Gary Harville,

Michael Pollard

32 Years: Janice Ferrin, Barry Jack 33 Years: Todd Meshell, Jack Sepulvado 39 Years: David Cherry, Michael Koon