|
Only have a minute? Listen instead
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Norma Torres, president and chief operating officer of Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway (BRG), has retired from the position after 34 years with the short-line railroad, which serves the Port of Brownsville.
BRG since 2014 through an agreement with the port has been an affiliate of OmniTRAX, which announced her retirement on Dec. 19. Torres, who joined BRG as a customer service agent in 1989, was the first female executive to be part of Denver-based OmniTRAX’s supply chain, industrial development and logistics network; the first woman to lead a domestic short-line railroad, and the first Hispanic woman to run a railroad, period, according to OmniTRAX.
Torres became BRG’s vice president of administration in 1994, executive vice president in 1998, and president and COO in 2001. During her years with BRG, carloads increased by more than 3,000 percent, OmniTRAX said. Carloads increased from 26,000 in 2001 to more than 85,000 estimated for 2023, according to the port, which noted that since 2019 “annual volumes have grown exponentially, a trend that is expected to continue,” the port said.
“Norma Torres has set the standard for service, commitment and excellence, and we have been fortunate to have such a strong role model for our teammates,” said OmniTRAX President and COO Sergio Sabatini. “Norma is a true original and an industry pioneer. We celebrate her accomplishments and the wonderful legacy she leaves for the BRG and our network.”
On Dec. 14, Torres on was recognized by the Brownsville Navigation District board with the 2023 Chairman’s Award for her role in the railroad’s success through cultivating important partnerships and “navigating significant increases in the movement of commodities serving industries across North America,” BND said.
“On behalf of the (BND) Board of Commissioners, I am pleased to congratulate Norma Torres as the honoree of the 2023 Chairman’s Award,” said board Chairman Esteban Guerra. “She has led an exceptional career and made a tremendous impact on the port. Norma’s leadership and dedication have set a standard of excellence, and we are proud to recognize her achievements with this award.”
Torres expressed gratitude to the port for its support over the years and said she’d been “blessed to work with an amazing rail team and will treasure the successes we have shared.”
“Brownsville and the BRG family have been very important to me, and I am grateful for the opportunities to serve the community and help it grow,” she said. “I’m grateful for such a wonderful journey to grow with the BRG and I have been blessed by wonderful teammates that have made this experience so meaningful.”
Shariff Gonnella succeeded Torres as BRG president in August.
