Brundige succeeds Kentner at S-B Books, The REB

Brian Brundige, Operations Manager at Simmons-Boardman Books, Inc. and The Railway Educational Bureau, Omaha, has been promoted to Director, effective Jan. 1. Brundige succeeds Pat Kentner, who has retired after serving as Director for 21 years.

Brundige (top) joined Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. in 1994 as a production person for the classified ad sections of Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures magazines as well as for S-B Books. He then served as production manager for the 1997 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia. Later, he oversaw production for all training materials and books produced by The REB as well as establishment of the www.transalert.com and www.railwayeducationalbureau.com websites. Prior to Simmons-Boardman, Brundige served as operations manager for Precision Transportation in Kansas City. He holds a Bachelors degree in Communications from the University of Iowa.

Kentner started her career with Simmons-Boardman in 1979 in the Student Services department of The REB. Soon after, she became Operations Manager of the Omaha office. In 1989, Kentner was appointed Director of The REB and S-B Books. Among her many duties as Director, she was responsible for marketing and product development, and is credited with building both operations into what they are today. Kentner was pivotal in building the selection of titles now offered by S-B Books as well as maintaining The REB’s training courses. During her tenure, she devised and implemented workshops and work site training to compliment the self-study courses already offered by The REB. She also established the Transportation Bookstore at the Omaha office.

Kentner also served on the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. Board of Directors for 11 years.

“We thank Pat Kentner for her many years of dedication, building S-B Books and The REB into a key part of the world’s largest provider of railway information,” said Simmons-Board Publishing Corp. President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis Jr. “Under Brian Brundige’s direction, they will continue to grow.”“I look forward to developing new and innovative training materials and methods for our railroad industry customers,” Brundige said. “The influx of new employees in the industry creates exciting opportunities.”