Railway Association of Canada Appoints CN’s Fiona Murray as Board Chair

Historical nomination of the first female chair of 103-year old organization

OTTAWA – The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) announced today that their Board of Directors has elected CN’s Fiona Murray, vice-president of Public and Government Affairs at CN, as Chairperson. She is the first female Board Chair in the RAC’s 103-year history.

“Fiona is a very effective and strong leader as well as an extremely capable railroader” said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer of CN. “I’ve worked directly with Fiona for over 20 years and her dedication and commitment to anything she gets involved with has been an incredible asset for CN and will be most beneficial to the RAC. She is the right person to help lead the Board of the RAC and the organization to the next level of performance and advocacy for our entire industry. We are all very proud to have Fiona as a colleague and that CN helped produce such a talented leader and railroader for this historic nomination.”

Ms. Murray joined CN in 1992, initially working in Public Affairs before moving to positions of increasing responsibility. Having held positions across many different departments at CN she possesses a thorough understanding of railroading and will be a great asset to the Association.

“As a career railroader, I’m honoured and grateful for this opportunity to serve the industry,” said Fiona Murray. “Over the last 28 years, I have seen railroads evolve to be more diverse workplaces and I’m proud that my nomination is a testament to that evolution. I will focus my energies on ensuring that exemplary governance continues at the board level of the RAC to support the organization in its effective communications and advocacy across the country. The RAC will continue to occupy center stage in promoting safe and effective regulations as well as the sustainable benefits of using rail transportation for both freight and passengers.”

The railway industry continues to attract more and more women to its ranks, and the increasing diversity at the Board level and in the various committees reflects this. “The RAC Board is now comprised of 30% of women, says Marc Brazeau, President and CEO of the RAC, when two short years ago, it was exclusively comprised of men. This represents a major and important milestone in Canada’s railway industry.”

About the Railway Association of Canada:
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) represents close to 60 freight and passenger railway companies that move close to 88 million passengers and more than $328 billion worth of goods in Canada each year. The RAC advocates on behalf of its members and associate members to ensure that the rail sector remains globally competitive, sustainable and, most importantly, safe.

RAC Board of Directors, May 14, 2020
Ms. Fiona Murray, CN – Chair
Mr. Robert Taylor, CP – Vice-Chair
Ms. Corina Moore, Ontario Northland Transportation Commission
Ms. Cynthia Garneau, VIA Rail
Mr. Gerald Linden, SRY Rail Link
Mr. Gord Peters, Cando Rail Services Ltd.
Mr. Jeff Ellis, CP
Mr. Louis Gravel, SFP, Pointe-Noire
Mr. Phil Verster, Metrolinx
Mr. Sean Finn, CN

Media Contact:
Stéphanie Montreuil
613.564.8101
Director of Communications, Railway Association of Canada
http://railcandev.wpengine.com