Genesee & Wyoming's David Powell Wins Railroad Industry's Professional Environmental Excellence Award

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) (NYSE: GWR) Vice President of Motive Power David L. Powell today received the 2011 Professional Environmental Excellence Award from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) in a ceremony at the University of Illinois. This achievement marks the first time that the AAR's top award for environmental professionals has been won by someone from the short line and regional railroad industry.

David L. Powell of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. today received the 2011 Professional Environmental Excellence Award from the Association of American Railroads (AAR). This achievement marks the first time that the AAR's top award for environmental professionals has been won by someone from the short line and regional railroad industry. (Photo: Business Wire)

Powell's accomplishments include organizing GWI's Environmental Team; leading efforts to fund, design and build three ultra-low-emission GenSet locomotives; entering GWI in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's “SmartWay” Program; developing GWI's Standard Environmental Procedures; and instituting GWI's annual Earth Day cleanup, hazmat spill reporting and worldwide recycling programs.

“This honor is wonderful recognition for David and for everyone at GWI who supports our commitment to protect the environment wherever we operate in North America and worldwide,” said Jack Hellmann, GWI president and CEO.

Powell joined GWI in 2003 and has more than 35 years of railroad experience.

GWI owns and operates short line and regional freight railroads and provides railcar switching services in the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium. In addition, we operate the Tarcoola to Darwin rail line, which links the Port of Darwin to the Australian interstate rail network in South Australia. Operations currently include 64 railroads organized in 10 regions, with more than 7,500 miles of owned and leased track and approximately 1,400 additional miles under track access arrangements. We provide rail service at 17 ports in North America and Europe and perform contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50045926&lang=en