A Salute to Our Veterans

In honor of Veterans Day later this month, we’re sharing a few stories of Watco team members who have served our nation. From all of us at Watco, thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Sharron Lankford, Director of Customer Support, John Lankford, Assistant Vice President of Operations, and Shannon Parker, Senior Pricing Analyst

A legacy of family members’ service encouraged twins and Watco team members Sharron Lankford and Shannon Parker to join the armed services.

Parker said, “At a young age our grandparents taught us to respect our country and do what we can to protect freedom.”

Lankford first enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1995 as a young private first class. After four years, she left the Army to finish her degree in Kansas at Pittsburg State University, where she simultaneously joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and the Kansas Army National Guard.

Spouses and fellow Watco team members Sharronand John Lankford at her promotion ceremony to lieutenant colonel.

After graduating, she returned to active duty in the Army as a second lieutenant and later served two combat tours in Baghdad, Iraq. It was during her second tour that she married fellow Army soldier, John Lankford. Both deployed overseas at the time, they were legally wed by a double proxy marriage — when two representatives legally tie the knot on another couple’s behalf.

After both retired as lieutenant colonels, Sharron in 2019 and John in 2020, they joined the Watco team. Sharron now serves as director of customer support for Watco facilities in Southeast Texas and John as an assistant vice president of operations.

Remarking on her sister’s career of service, Parker said, “Sharron spent so much of her life devoted to our soldiers and making sure they have what they need to do their jobs. Her past experiences and knowledge make her a valuable asset to Watco.”

Parker joined the Kansas Army National Guard in 1997 where she climbed the ranks in the 130th Field Artillery Brigade in Topeka. As a corporal, Parker was selected as Kansas’ best individual soldier in 2000.

Watco Senior Pricing Analyst Shannon Parker in uniform at basic training.

Lankford praised her sister’s accomplishments, saying, “I could never fill her boots when we were in the National Guard together. She was beloved by all and set a high expectation of what a soldier should be.”

In 2003, Parker was elevated to chief of her section at the brigade, making her responsible for 13 soldiers and $6 million worth of equipment. She describes training the soldiers in her section as comparable to preparing for a championship game.

“You train and train with the outlook that you will serve overseas,” Parker said. “The National Guard can bring credit to active duty Army troops. We bring assets they may not necessarily have to fulfill the overall mission.”

After nine years, she left the National Guard to welcome her second child in 2006. She returned to the Watco team in 2018 as a senior pricing analyst after previously working as an executive assistant for Watco founder and former Chief Executive Officer Dick Webb from 1996 to 2001.

Wayne Wiza, Director of Locomotive Support Services

The U.S. Marines took Watco team member Wayne Wiza around the globe during his six active years of service.

Enlisting at age 18, he began his military career as a private first class. After completing combat engineer school, he traveled to Honduras for a three-month humanitarian mission to build schoolhouses.

A corporal at the time, Wiza didn’t let limited supplies or no access to running water and electricity get in the way of completing construction.

Wiza said, “I had to be a problem-solver. I never lost sight of the end goal and found ways to get around problems with the limited tools I had.”

Watco Director of Locomotive Services Wayne Wiza on duty as an embassy security guard.

After returning to the United States, Wiza started the extensive selection process of becoming an embassy security guard. Upon completion, he traveled to Cairo, Egypt, to work at the U.S. embassy. It was here that he met his future wife, Wendy, a fellow American who also worked there.

As an embassy security guard, Wiza was responsible for protecting personnel and property. Day-to-day responsibilities included guarding the front door, security inspections, and routinely checking safes and vaults.

After completing his 18-month duty in Egypt, Wiza transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Bonn, Germany, the final stop of his active service in the Marines.

Now at Watco as a Director of Locomotive Support Services, Wiza recalls how his experience in the Marines prepared him for his current position at Watco.

“The military teaches you that you can’t do anything by yourself,” Wiza said. “You must be a team player and understand it takes more than one person to keep things moving. The same principle applies at Watco.”

Rodney Huffman, Track Inspector

From diesel mechanic to recruiter, Rodney Huffman wore many hats during his 15-year career in the U.S. Navy.

Huffman’s first deployment sent him to the Baltic Sea. This six-month deployment stretched out to nine months as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom, making him miss the birth of his second son.

Huffman said, “When I left home, I thought I would be back before my son was born. I returned home that May to meet my 6-month-old baby.”

“The Navy travels more than any other branch in the military,” Huffman said. “Where else can you go to see 69 different countries for free?”

After serving a tour in Afghanistan, a second tour in Iraq, and traveling to 69 countries, Huffman returned stateside during his final years of service. In his last role as a recruiter, Huffman encouraged young adults with a desire to travel to choose the Navy.

Spouses and fellow Watco team members Sharronand John Lankford at her promotion ceremony tolieutenant colonel.

Now, as a track inspector at the Kanawha River Railroad, Huffman continues to apply the lessons he learned in the Navy to his daily duties.

Huffman said, “The military taught me to always do the right thing. If you don’t, people get hurt. This same principle applies to my current job. I have to be alert and disciplined to make sure tracks are safe.”