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Staff

Board and Staff

Brandy D. Christian

CEO

brandy.christian@railnola.com 504.528.3201

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Brandy D. Christian

CEO

brandy.christian@railnola.com

Brandy D. Christian serves as the CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corp., the short-line connecting railroad and subsidiary of the Port that manages $30 million in revenues and 180 employees.

Christian also serves as President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, a public agency that manages revenues exceeding $65 million, nearly 300 employees and $200 million in capital projects. In this role, Christian oversees all cargo, cruise and industrial real estate operations.

Christian serves on the Green Marine Board of Directors, Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council, Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank Trade and Transportation Advisory Council, Louisiana Board of International Commerce, the World Trade Center of New Orleans Board of Directors, the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and as the Cruise Committee Chair for the American Association of Port Authorities.

Before joining Port NOLA, Christian served 14 years with the Port of San Diego as vice president of strategy and business development.

M.D. "Mike" Stolzman

General Manager

mike.stolzman@railnola.com 504.896.7410

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M.D. "Mike" Stolzman

General Manager

mike.stolzman@railnola.com

M.D. (Mike) Stolzman is the General Manager of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. He began May 2019 and directs daily operations of the New Orleans Public Belt, including railroad strategy, safety strategy and process improvement initiatives.

Stolzman brings extensive short line and Class I rail experience. He served as President of the Pacific Harbor Line (Anacostia Rail Holdings), and has managed several short line and switching operations as an executive with Anacostia Rail Holdings including Louisville and Indiana Railroad and Gulf Coast Switching Company. His Class I experience includes multiple management positions with Union Pacific Railroad and CANAC, a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway. As a U.S. Army veteran serving as a combat arms officer, Stolzman has strong leadership skills accompanied with determination to rise to any challenge.

He holds a Master of Science in quantitative analysis from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, a Bachelor of Science in zoology from Texas State University and is a graduate of the Defense Language Institute with a fluency in German.

Bobby Franklin

Vice President, Transportation

bobby.franklin@railnola.com 504.896.7412

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Bobby Franklin

Vice President, Transportation

bobby.franklin@railnola.com

Bobby Franklin is the New Orleans Public Belt’s Vice President, Transportation. As CTO, Franklin champions the safety program while ensuring the highest service standards for Class 1 and local customers. Franklin joined NOPB in 2017 as Superintendent. Before joining NOPB, Franklin was the Superintendent of CSX’s Boyles Yard in Birmingham, Alabama. He also served CSX as Terminal Manager in Montgomery, Alabama and performed other supervisory roles across the CSX system. He began his rail career in 2002, as Yardmaster in Pensacola, Florida. Franklin holds an Associate’s Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s Business Leadership School.

Carl Kocur

Vice President, Engineering

carl.kocur@railnola.com 504.896.7423

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Carl Kocur

Vice President, Engineering

carl.kocur@railnola.com

Carl Kocur is the New Orleans Public Belt’s Vice President, Engineering. Kocur joined NOPB’s management team in November, 2014, coming from Palmetto Railways where he served as Director of Engineering and Maintenance. Kocur began his railroad career over 15 years ago as trackman and has also held the positions of equipment operator, regulator operator, tamper operator, track inspector and Roadmaster. He continued to expand his knowledge through several years spent working for a rail contractor building industry track in the Midwest. Prior to his career in the railroad industry, he worked as a safety instructor teaching OSHA courses. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Butler University.

Christian D. Bonura

Manager, Industrial Development

chris.bonura@railnola.com 504.896.7498

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Christian D. Bonura

Manager, Industrial Development

chris.bonura@railnola.com

Christian D. Bonura, Manager, Industrial Development, managed the Port of New Orleans’ acquisition of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, which closed in February 2018. Bonura now focuses on business planning to unlock the strategic value of the new synergy. Bonura formerly served as Director of Marine Rail Integration at the Port of New Orleans, where he began his maritime career in 2004. He led Port NOLA’s corporate communications efforts for eight years and managed its industrial real estate portfolio for five years. Previously, Bonura worked as a journalist and public relations professional. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Loyola University and an MBA from Tulane University. Bonura is the chairman of the New Orleans Regional Business Park, a past chairman of the Tulane Association of Business Alumni and a board member of the Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Council.

Isaac McPherson

Superintendent of Transportation

isaac.mcpherson@railnola.com 504.896.7445

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Isaac McPherson

Superintendent of Transportation

isaac.mcpherson@railnola.com

Ike McPherson serves as New Orleans Public Belt’s Superintendent of Transportation. McPherson began his rail career in 1998 as a switchman. He was then promoted to yardmaster, trainmaster, and Superintendent, a role he began in 2015. As Superintendent, McPherson manages operations and transportation needs for Downtown New Orleans as well as local customer business across the network. Prior to joining the New Orleans Public Belt, McPherson served as a Police Officer in Jefferson Parish.

Adrienne Moore

Controller

adrienne.moore@railnola.com 504.896.7409

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Adrienne Moore

Controller

adrienne.moore@railnola.com

Adrienne Moore serves as Controller for the New Orleans Public Belt. She brings fifteen years of accounting experience, including roles in the audit department of Postlethwaite and Netterville CPA firm, government accounting with New Orleans City Park, and most recently, the role of Controller at B&G Crane Service. She is a CPA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Our Lady of Holy Cross College and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of New Orleans

Jared Sleeth

Manager, Network Development

jared.sleeth@railnola.com 504.896.7440

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Jared Sleeth

Manager, Network Development

jared.sleeth@railnola.com

Jared Sleeth is New Orleans Public Belt’s Manager, Network Development. Sleeth serves as the primary contact for local customers and Class 1 railroads and helps to bring new facilities online. He also analyzes volume trends and works with the Port of New Orleans Commercial team to market the Gateway and cultivate sustainable growth throughout the region. Sleeth joined NOPB as a Trainmaster in 2015, then served as Director of Business Development. Sleeth formerly worked for Union Pacific Railroad as Manager of Yard Operations in Parsons, Kansas, and New Orleans. He also has extensive business development experience in both the trucking and construction sectors. He holds a B.S. in Business Management from Clemson University.

Rachel Zimmerle

Manager, Human Resources

rachel.zimmerle@railnola.com 504.896.7416

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Rachel Zimmerle

Manager, Human Resources

rachel.zimmerle@railnola.com

Rachel Zimmerle was appointed Manager, Human Resources at New Orleans Public Belt Railroad in March 2015. She has companywide responsibility for the human resource function including compensation, recruitment, new hire onboarding, recordkeeping, and personnel policy development and administration.Zimmerle joined the company in February 2000 and has served in leadership roles in accounting and internal audit. Prior to arriving at NOPB, she held a variety of positions in both public accounting and private industry over the course of seven years.

Zimmerle graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, concentration in Accounting, from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in 1993. She is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Louisiana and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants. Zimmerle holds the Society for Human Resource Management – Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) credential and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management.