LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., June 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Greenbrier
Companies, Inc. (NYSE:GBX) announced today the election of
Wanda Felton and David L. Starling to the Company's Board of
Directors. The election of two new directors increases
Greenbrier's Board of Directors to nine members, eight of whom are
independent directors.
Wanda Felton has approximately 25
years of investment banking and private equity advisory experience.
After twice being confirmed by the United
States Senate, Ms. Felton recently completed service as
First Vice President and Vice Chair of the Export Import Bank of
the United States (Ex‐Im
Bank). As Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, she voted on
policy matters and approved transactions that spanned global
markets and addressed many industry sectors, including
manufacturing and transportation, among others.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Felton worked in corporate finance,
serving clients in the financial services industry. She led
transactions that steered more than $3.5
billion to emerging markets, including sub‐Saharan
Africa.
Prior to joining Ex-Im Bank, she operated MAP Capital Advisors.
Previously, she was a managing director at Helix Associates, a
division of Jefferies Inc.; a director at Credit Suisse First
Boston; and a managing director at Hamilton Lane Advisors. Ms.
Felton began her career as a loan officer at Ex-Im Bank. She holds
a B.A. from the University of
Pennsylvania and MBA from Harvard
Business School.
"I am very pleased to have an expert in international finance
like Wanda join our board," said William A.
Furman, Chairman & CEO. "Greenbrier will benefit
from her experience with international markets and financial
strategies as we pursue a growth plan that includes an emphasis on
successfully executing transactions around the world."
David L. Starling recently
retired from the Board of Directors of Kansas City Southern (KCS)
where he served since 2010. From 2008-2016, Mr. Starling also
served as President and COO at KCS and as President and CEO and a
member of the Board of Directors of its affiliate, Kansas City
Southern Railroad. KCS is a NYSE-traded transportation
holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S.,
Mexico and Panama. KCS' North American rail holdings and
strategic alliances are primary components of a NAFTA railway
system, linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S.,
Mexico and Canada.
Mr. Starling possesses substantial experience in the North
American rail industry and in intermodal transportation and global
shipping logistics. He began his railroad career in 1971 with the
St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (the Frisco) and over the next 14
years held various positions in rail operations at the Frisco and
later Burlington Northern (BN) after the Frisco was acquired by
BN. From 1988 to 1999 he served American President Lines
(APL) in various roles including as Vice President of Central Asia where he had oversight of APL's
operations in Hong Kong, China and
Taiwan. Subsequently, he relocated to Panama to serve as president and director
general of Panama Canal Railway Company, a KCS affiliate, with
responsibility for the reconstruction of the railroad and its
subsequent operation. In 2012, Mr. Starling was awarded
Railway Age's prestigious Railroader of the Year award.
Furman added, "With over four decades in the transportation
business, Dave Starling is a
railroader's railroader and a well-respected leader in the rail
industry. Dave brings to the Board deep industry experience
from executive roles in the transportation business on multiple
continents. Gaining a director with Dave's background in
railroading, particularly in Latin
America, is advantageous to our pursuit of new railcar
markets in Central and South America. As a NAFTA champion
throughout his career, Dave will bring an important voice and
perspective to Greenbrier when we engage with U.S. and Mexico policymakers during the upcoming NAFTA
renegotiations."
"Wanda Felton and Dave Starling are two exceptional additions to
the Greenbrier Board. We expect them to make immediate and enduring
contributions to our Board activities and deliberations. I
join all of my fellow Greenbrier Directors in welcoming them both
to the Board," Furman concluded.
About Greenbrier
Greenbrier (www.gbrx.com),
headquartered in Lake Oswego,
Oregon, is a leading international supplier of equipment and
services to freight rail transportation markets. Greenbrier
designs, builds and markets freight railcars in North America, Latin
America and Europe. We also build and market marine
barges in North America. We manufacture freight railcars in
Brazil through a strategic
partnership in which we hold a majority interest and produce rail
castings through a separate Brazilian partnership. Greenbrier also
has a majority stake in Greenbrier-Astra Rail, an end-to-end,
Europe-based freight railcar
manufacturing, engineering and repair business. Through our
European manufacturing operations, we deliver U.S.-designed tank
cars to Saudi Arabia. We are a
leading provider of wheel services, parts, leasing and other
services to the railroad and related transportation industries in
North America and a supplier of
freight railcar repair, refurbishment and retrofitting services in
North America through a joint
venture partnership with Watco Companies, LLC. Through other joint
ventures, we produce rail castings, tank heads and other railcar
components. Greenbrier owns a lease fleet of over 9,000 railcars
and performs management services for 267,000 railcars.
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SOURCE The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (GBX)