GWI

The Association of American Railroads Wednesday awarded its 2011 Professional Environmental Excellence Award to Genesee & Wyoming (GWI) Vice President for Motive Power David Powell.

Based in Jacksonville, Fla., Powell has 19 years of environmental experience all within the rail industry. The award, the first ever awarded to an employee of a short line and regional railroad, was presented at the annual Railroad Environmental Conference at University of Illinois, Urbana.

“Environmental excellence is a trademark of the railroad industry thanks in large part to the hard work and dedication of exceptional employees like the ones we are honoring here today,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “David Powell is a wonderful example for all rail employees in his dedication to Genesee & Wyoming and the industry’s overall progress in achieving environmental excellence.” 
Powell was recognized in part for focusing on making improvements in the locomotive area that would reap benefits on the environmental front. Powell created an Environmental Team at GWI consisting of someone from each of the company’s regions and brought in industry experts to heighten awareness and increase training. He also set up field environmental assessments at operational locations where deficiencies were found and quickly rectified.

Powell also launched the process by which GWI acquired its first GenSet locomotives, and developed a program where Standard Environmental Procedures have been identified across areas that have the potential to impact the environment. He was also the force behind GWI’s entry into the EPA SmartWay Program in 2007.