MARK A. BENNETT is Siemens Mobility North America’s Project Director for the Lexington project, guiding complex, engineer‑to‑order rail programs with a focus on rigorous process, safety, and measurable outcomes.

Previously as Vice President of Operations at Siemens Mobility’s Rolling Stock Division in Sacramento, he led a multi‑year expansion, scaling the operations workforce from 400 to 1,500, integrating major plant and warehouse additions, and setting successive production records—while driving injury‑rate reductions and multimillion‑dollar cost improvements.

Earlier in his career, Bennett held executive and leadership roles at TAS Energy and Siemens Energy & Automation, building broad expertise across manufacturing, project/program management, and continuous improvement.

He holds an MBA and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University and is a PMP.

Kellen joined CSX in 2010, as part of the Business Development team in Jacksonville, FL, overseeing the expansion of CSX’s petroleum, plastics, phosphates and fertilizers business. He later managed the Crude Oil & Petroleum Products market segments, working primarily with oil producers and refiners to develop strategies to enhance their supply chain by transporting their products via rail.

In 2014, he transitioned into Industrial Development first covering the Carolinas, and since expanded that role to lead a team covering CSX’s 26 state footprint, with the primary function of recruiting and expanding new industry within CSX’s network.

In this role, Kellen’s team has led industry recruitment efforts that have attracted over 500 new customers and business expansions, resulting in over $30 billion in capital investment and the creation of over 22,000 new jobs across 26 states.

He currently serves on the Business Partnership Foundation’s Board of Advisors for Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree and an International MBA. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the North Charleston Terminal Company, Southern Economic Development Council, and the Oversight Committee for the Winston-Salem Southbound Railroad. In 2025, Kellen was recognized by the Southern Business & Development publication as one of “50 under 50” to watch in its annual publication of economic development practitioners. Kellen and his wife, Mollie, have two kids and live in Columbia, SC.

Mary Lesa Pegg is the Industrial Development Manager for Norfolk Southern, one of country’s largest class 1 rail providers with a presence in 22 states. In this role Mary Lesa serves as the economic development contact for NC and supports new and expanding businesses in the state.

Prior to her time at Norfolk Southern, Mary Lesa served as Senior Manager for Business Recruitment at the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina where she supported the creation of thousands of jobs and over $1B of capital investment in the state. Mary Lesa has also served on numerous non-profit boards including the East Carolina Board of Visitors, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, and the Junior League of Greensboro. Mary Lesa was awarded the Triad Business Journal’s Top Forty Under 40 in 2019 and was recognized as one of North America’s top economic developers by Consultant Connect in 2024.

She is a proud graduate of East Carolina University (undergrad) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) and a Master of Education in Higher Education (M.Ed.).

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Rebecca (Becky) Hensley is a Manager Environmental Programs at CSX Transportation, Inc where she coordinates CAA permitting and compliance activities and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting. She has over 25 years of experience with EHS and regulatory compliance. At CSXT, Her previous role was with TRANSFLO Terminal Services, Inc – managing environmental and systems compliance: facility permitting; audits; training; and Quality Management. She specializes in data management solutions and collaborating with field operations.

Before joining CSXT and TRANSFLO, she worked as a consultant for a variety of transportation, manufacturing, military and government clients. Her career has specialized in environmental permitting and developing customized compliance solutions for air, water and waste programs.

She holds a BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida and currently lives in Louisville, KY where she became a Certified Bourbon Steward and backyard chicken farmer.

Jenny leads engagement efforts at the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS), a research institute within the NC State University Office of Research and Innovation, co‑located with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). With nearly 25 years of professional experience, her career spans management consulting with Accenture, waste‑to‑energy initiatives in Southeast Asia, and building collaborations between NOAA and industry to accelerate the application of environmental data.

She leads NOAA NCEI’s industry initiative with the retail sector and supports the NOAA Open Data Dissemination program. Her work focuses on translating Earth system science into practical applications that strengthen community and economic resilience—a perspective shaped in part by her experience with Western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene and wildfire preparedness.

Jenny’s career includes global and domestic initiatives such as the Clinton Climate Initiative in Southeast Asia, the U.S.–India Partnership for Climate Resilience, contributions to North Carolina’s Climate Science Report, and work on state resiliency plans. She holds both a BS and MS in Environmental Engineering from NC State University and a certificate from the NC State Climate Change and Society program. She has served on the boards of MountainTrue and the Electric Power Research Institute, and supports the Asheville Museum of Science. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga, skiing, global travel, and exploring the outdoors with her two children.

Chad D. Russell, President of George D. Daly Jr. & Associates, Inc., has led the organization for more than 11 years, continuing the legacy he helped shape during the prior decade with his predecessor. Earlier in his career, he spent several years in technology consulting at Salesforce and Accenture working on revenue management implementations, business process design and the deployment of technology solutions for corporate clients. This foundation in consulting methodologies and revenue frameworks allows him to bring a structured analytical approach to the portfolio management challenges facing mineral asset owners and investors. A seasoned management professional, Chad built his career driving results for global corporations before bringing that expertise to the energy sector.

Under Chad’s leadership and influence, George D. Daly Jr. & Associates has been propelled into the 21st century, setting new standards in mineral management and distinguishing itself from competitors. Guided by a commitment to process, discipline and clarity, Chad and his team help clients gain transparency and make informed decisions about their mineral holdings. The team’s focus extends beyond short-term gains, working to safeguard the client’s mineral interests and deliver lasting benefits.

Chad holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management information systems from Kansas State University.

Jennifer Todd is the Director of Land Management at George D. Daly Jr. & Associates, Inc., where she has worked since 2016. As a Certified Mineral Manager (CMM) and Registered Landman (RL), Jen brings deep expertise in minerals rights management, legal documentation and strategic support for royalty owners navigating complex inheritance and legacy issues.

Jen’s career in energy began in 2001 on the Oil & Gas Futures desk at BNP Paribas, followed by a decade trading and scheduling physical natural gas at institutions including Macquarie Cook Energy, UBS, Credit Suisse, and Barclays Capital. This commodity markets background provides her with unique insight into the intersection of physical asset management and market dynamics.

Since transitioning to land management, Jen earned her CMM and RL certifications, completed the University of Houston’s Professional Land Management course, and became an active member of National Association of Royalty Owners, American Association of Professional Landmen, and Tulse Association of Petroleum Landmen. Her family’s multi-generational legacy in Texas Energy – spanning drilling, engineering, geology and mineral ownership = dives her commitment to protecting and empowering mineral owners. Jen holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a focus in Risk Management from Oklahoma State University.

As a member of Railinc’s Executive Management Team, Jerry’s primary focus is to lead the discovery and realization of industry value. He has over 15 years of transportation product management experience including the implementation of multi-year industry programs such as Component Tracking, the Asset Health Strategic Initiative (AHSI) and the Gateway Services Program. Each of these programs leverages Railinc’s strong technology and network visibility competences to deliver valuable IT solutions. He was recognized as one of Progressive Railroading’s Rising Stars of 2016 and given a Corporate Leadership Award by the Triangle Business Journal in 2023.

For the past 9 years, Jerry has been leading the AAR Products business units where he is responsible for product lines supporting car accounting, intermodal, mechanical, operations, and transportation needs. Included in these products are the management of over 3 billion annual events, $9 billion in industry revenue settlement, and the switching of industry waybills.

Prior to Railinc, Jerry spent four years in management consulting and two in real estate development before joining the rail industry. Jerry received his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Mr. Keller is a Vice President and Principal Professional Associate with HDR Engineering, Inc. He is also HDR’s Director of Intermodal Transportation Planning. Kevin has over 30 years of environmental, planning, and engineering experience in the transportation and freight logistics sector. Kevin is a Board member of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) Foundation, a Past President of the American Railway Development Association (ARDA), Member of the Inland Rivers, Ports, and Terminals Association (IRPT) Board of Directors, Chair of TRB Committee AR013 (Freight Rail Transportation and Supply Chain Reliability), Chairman of the Board of the U.S./Panama Business Council, and Co-Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Working Group of the U.S./Mexico Chamber of Commerce. He’s also acknowledged by USDOT as an expert in federal discretionary grant programs.

Jay Johnson serves clients in a wide range of infrastructure and natural resource contexts, both by guiding them past regulatory and environmental review obstacles to win agency approvals and by litigating the complex issues that often arise in such contexts. Jay focuses on projects that attract scrutiny from both regulators and third-party groups, including mining, rail and surface transportation, and port projects. He was also counsel for the petitioner in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision addressing the contours of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Jay has briefed and argued dozens of cases in trial and appellate courts around the country. One of his appellate briefs is featured in Level Up Your Legal Writing by Joe Regalia (Aspen Publishing, 2024). There, the author describes Jay’s brief as “a master class” that “hook[s] you from the first words” by using “storytelling details” that “tug on some heartstrings” and “make you care about what happens” to his client. Jay uses the same persuasive writing skills for all his clients.

Jay has experience with a broad spectrum of federal and state environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and their state analogues. He has also helped his clients win approvals under a range of substantive federal statutes employed by federal agencies like the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). More broadly, Jay’s litigation experience includes cases brought under the federal Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and similar state statutes, as well as many other laws governing federal and state agency action.