BNSF Railway Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Lanigan has decided to retire effective Jan. 15, 2013 and will be replaced by coal business group Vice President Steve Bobb, the company announced Nov. 1.
Lanigan started with BNSF as executive vice president and chief marketing officer in January 2003. Prior to joining BNSF, he served as president and CEO of Logistics.com, Inc.
In his new role, he’ll be responsible for BNSF’s sales, marketing, customer service, economic development, and business unit activities. Assuming his position with the coal business group will be consumer products group Vice President Steve Branscum.
Branscum began his career with the company’s Industrial Engineering department in 1980. He had been group vice president, Consumer Products, since June 1999. Prior to that, he served as vice president, Intermodal Marketing, since July 1996.
Additionally, Katie Farmer has been promoted to group vice president, Consumer Products, succeeding Steve Branscum. In this capacity she is responsible for the commercial activities of BNSF's intermodal and automotive business. Farmer was appointed vice president, Domestic Intermodal, in June 2010. Prior to that she was vice president, Sales, Industrial Products, where she was responsible for leading the carload sales effort across the US and Canada.