Leadership Biographies

Alan Shaw is President and Chief Executive Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation. Since 1827, Norfolk Southern has safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customercentric and operations-driven freight transportation network that serves a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to more than 54 inland, lake, river, and sea ports. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. The railroad’s dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, operate the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern US, and originate more automotive traffic than any other Class I Railroad.

In his current role, Shaw oversees all areas of the company’s business, building a customer-centric and operations-driven organization. With 28 years of achievement at Norfolk Southern, he is one of the most respected leaders in the industry. Shaw has helped the company build the strongest intermodal franchise in the eastern U.S., positioning the railroad for growth in consumeroriented, service-sensitive markets. He has also led support for numerous innovations in customer-facing technology, sustainability, and new product offerings.

Shaw joined Norfolk Southern in 1994 as a Cost Systems Analyst and steadily moved into positions of increasing responsibility. Throughout his career at the company he has served as Business Development Manager (1998-2003); Director and Group Vice President, Coal Transportation Services (2003-2009); Group Vice President Industrial Products/Chemicals (2009-2013); Vice President Intermodal Operations (2013-2015); and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (2015-2021).

Currently, Shaw serves on the board of directors of Norfolk Southern and the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He also sits on the board of trustees of Virginia Wesleyan University and Pace Academy in Atlanta, as well as the Roanoke College Parent Leadership Council.

Shaw earned a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering and an MBA in finance from Virginia Tech. He completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School and is a CFA charterholder.

Ed Elkins is EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation. Since 1827, Norfolk Southern has safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network that serves a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to more than 54 inland, lake, river, and sea ports. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. The railroad’s dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, operate the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern US, and originate more automotive traffic than any other Class I Railroad.

Appointed Chief Marketing Officer in 2021, Elkins leads the company’s Intermodal, Automotive, and Industrial Products business divisions. He also manages the Real Estate, Industrial Development, Short Line Marketing, Field Sales, and Customer Logistics business groups.

After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Elkins was hired by Norfolk Southern as a Road Brakeman in 1988. He then served as a Conductor, Locomotive Engineer, and a Relief Yardmaster. Following his time in Operations, Elkins spent two decades in Intermodal Marketing. In 2016, Elkins was named Group Vice President of Chemicals Marketing, and in 2018, he was promoted to Vice President of Industrial Products.

Currently, Elkins serves as the Vice Chair of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and sits on the boards of directors of the National Association of Manufacturers and TTX Company. Elkins also serves on the Georgia State University Marketing RoundTable and is a member of The Conference Board, Inc. on the Council for CMOs.

Elkins is a native of Southwest Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and an MBA from Old Dominion University with a concentration in Port & Maritime Economics.

• Fourth-generation railroader
• Began his career as a craft railroader and union leader
• Strong track record of implementing scheduled railroading and achieving operational results

John Orr is EVP and Chief Operating Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation. Since 1827, Norfolk Southern has safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes.

Appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2024, Orr leads Norfolk Southern’s railway operations, including safety, transportation, network planning and operations, engineering, and equipment maintenance. Orr is helping to accelerate the execution of the company’s balanced strategy to deliver safe and reliable service, continuous productivity improvements, and smart growth.

Orr joined Norfolk Southern from Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, and oversaw network operations planning and design, labor relations, and regulatory affairs. In this role, he led the integration and optimization of operations following Canadian Pacific Railway’s acquisition of Kansas City Southern (KCS) in December 2021. At KCS, Orr was Executive Vice President of operations, where he shaped and guided the execution of their service-focused precision scheduled railroading initiatives. Orr began his career at CN as a conductor and held various operating and network positions at the company, including Chief Safety and Sustainability Officer, ultimately being promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Transportation Officer.

Orr holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from University of Waterloo and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.

Mark George is EVP and Chief Financial Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation. Since 1827, Norfolk Southern has safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network that serves a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to more than 54 inland, lake, river, and sea ports. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. The railroad’s dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, operate the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern US, and originate more automotive traffic than any other Class I Railroad.

Appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2019, George is responsible for overseeing the company’s Finance teams as well as Investor Relations, Sourcing, and Corporate Strategy teams. During his time at Norfolk Southern, he has enhanced the company’s focus on productivity and cost control – utilizing his expertise across multiple industrial segments to drive even greater financial success.

George has more than 30 years of experience in financial management, strategy, and business development. Before Norfolk Southern, he held successive roles of responsibility across multiple commercial and business segments of United Technologies Corporation and its subsidiaries, including six years in Asia as the regional CFO for the Otis Elevator Company. He ascended to and ultimately served as the Global CFO for both the Otis Elevator Company and the Carrier Corporation from 2008 to 2019.

George is on the Board of Directors for Trane Technologies plc (NYSE: TT), where he serves on the Finance and Audit Committees. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Georgia.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Central Connecticut State University and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Nabanita Nag is EVP Corporate Affairs and Chief Legal Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation. Since 1827, Norfolk Southern has safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network that serves a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to more than 54 inland, lake, river, and sea ports. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. The railroad’s dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, operate the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern US, and originate more automotive traffic than any other Class I Railroad.

Appointed Chief Legal Officer in 2022 and EVP Corporate Affairs in 2023, Nag is responsible for the company’s Audit and Compliance, Government Relations, Corporate Communications, Corporate Giving, and Legal departments. She first joined Norfolk Southern in 2020 as General Counsel Corporate, where her responsibilities included SEC reporting and compliance, corporate finance, corporate and board governance, shareholder engagement, labor and employment, and oversight for cybersecurity and data privacy matters.

Before Norfolk Southern, she served as Vice President & Corporate Counsel in the Financial Management Law Group at Prudential Financial. Prior to that role, Nag was Vice President & Associate General Counsel in the Finance & Corporate Legal Group at Goldman Sachs. She began her career as an associate at law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Government and English from Georgetown University, and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.