Finance & Administration Seminar Sessions

 

This schedule is for the Finance & Administration Seminar sessions only.
For breaks, meals, general sessions and networking activities, view the full Fall Super Regional Meeting schedule here.

Professional Development Credits

ASLRRA is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® and SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. Sessions offered through the Finance & Administration Seminar qualify for up to 4.5 SHRM PDCs.

Monday, October 5

12:30 p.m.-1:20 p.m. — Practical AI for HR: Best Practices for Efficiency, Compliance, and Employee Experience  — Midway 5

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way HR professionals work, but success depends on using it responsibly. This session would focus on practical, low-risk ways HR teams can leverage AI to improve efficiency, enhance employee communications, support recruiting, strengthen workforce analytics, and streamline day-to-day operations while maintaining compliance and protecting employee data.

Speaker(s): Leah Twombly, Director, Enterprise Services, OmniTRAX; Laura Lone, Human Capital Management Consultant, Coastal Payroll

1:30 p.m.-2:20 p.m. — Training Managers on Best Practices in Handling Employee Safety Reports and Other FRSA-Protected Activity — Midway 5

In a work environment of ever-increasing claims of whistleblower activity, are your managers well-equipped and trained to handle safety reports raised by your employees who might also claim such activity constitutes legally protected activity under the Federal Railroad Safety Act (“FRSA”)?  Join Tracey at this morning’s breakout sessions to learn how to train and educate your managers on best practices when receiving and handling safety reports, injury reports, requests for medical treatment and other potentially FRSA-protected activity that can help your company avoid – or defend - potential legal claims.  This interactive session will include several fact-based scenarios to help illustrate guiding principles to train your management workforce.

Speaker(s): Tracey Holmes Donesky, Partner, Stinson LLP

2:30 p.m.-3:20 p.m. — Passing the Baton without Dropping It: Aligning Ownership and Management in Transition — Midway 5

4:00 p.m.-4:50 p.m. — Small Steps, Big Rewards: Simple Actions to Improve your Employee Health Plan — Midway 5

Railroads are built on precision, efficiency, and control. Shouldn't our approach to healthcare costs be too?  Explore proven strategies to control costs, improve care, and support a dispersed workforce.  Learn how employers are tackling specialty drugs, high-cost claims, and chronic conditions without shifting costs to employees.  Leave with a roadmap for the first 90 days of building a smarter, more sustainable health plan strategy.

Speaker(s): Donovan Ryckis, CEO, Ethos Benefits

Tuesday, October 6

12:20 p.m.-1:10 p.m. — Navigating FELA Claims: The Critical Partnership Between HR and Legal — Midway 6

Human Resources often plays a critical role in the defense of a Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) claim, it is essential for legal and HR teams to understand each other’s responsibilities and processes. Effective collaboration helps ensure regulatory compliance, protects employee rights, and strengthens claim management from the initial injury report through resolution.  Join this interactive session to explore key questions, including:

• What can be done when an employee is unable or unwilling to complete a timely injury report?
• How should known pre-existing medical conditions be addressed in the context of a workplace injury?
• When does an injury trigger alcohol and drug testing requirements?
• Who should have access to details regarding an injured employee’s medical condition, and what privacy considerations apply?

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss real-world scenarios, share organizational best practices, and learn from the experiences of their peers. Leave with practical insights and strategies that can help improve coordination between HR and legal teams and enhance your organization’s approach to injury management, drug and alcohol testing and FELA claims.

Speaker(s): Colleen Helenhouse, Attorney, Fletcher & Sippel LLC; Bobbi Allen, Chief Administrative Officer, Iowa Interstate Railroad; Holly Rainwater, VP, Business Development, Spark TS, a RailCube Company

12:20 p.m.-1:10 p.m. — From Data to Decisions: Using AI to Answer Railroad Finance Questions — Midway 5

Speaker(s): Mike Tetler, Carload Express

1:20 p.m.-2:10 p.m. — Claims, Litigation, and Market Trends — Midway 1-4

Navigating concerning shifts in jury verdicts, the critical role of video evidence, and how to build a defensible record on inspections and sightlines. State of the Market -2026/2027 Outlook- A broker and underwriter panel discussing carrier capacity, rate trends, and appetite shifts driving renewals heading into next year.

Speaker(s): Beth Garguilo, VP Marketing & Sales, Lincoln Transportation Insurance Brokers Inc.; Edwin Palmer, Esq. Member, Burns White, LLC; Jeff Hinkle, President & CEO, Railroad Risk Management; Jeffrey Bauman, Vice President, Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad

1:20 p.m.-2:10 p.m. — Inside a Cyberattack: What Hackers See and Do — Midway 5

Short line railroads are critical infrastructure, and hackers know it. In this session, you won't just hear cybersecurity statistics. You'll see how attackers gain access to a business email account, move through a network undetected, and exfiltrate data before anyone notices something is wrong.  Most people assume a cyberattack looks dramatic: alarms, flashing screens, immediate chaos. The reality is far more unsettling. Attackers are often inside systems for weeks or even months before detection, reading emails, mapping systems, and waiting for the right moment. This session pulls back the curtain on that process, showing railroad operators what a breach actually looks like from both sides of the keyboard.  You'll leave with a clear picture of your real exposure, the specific warning signs your team should recognize, and practical first steps to make your operation meaningfully harder to attack.

Speaker(s): Andrew Hollister, Founder & CEO, Simple Tech Innovations

3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m. — Greener Tracks: Sustainable Locomotive Operations — Midway 5

Sustainability in rail does not have to include big investments; it is about smarter daily decisions. This session uncovers one of the rail industry’s most overlooked efficiency levers — locomotive idling — and shows how advanced idle reduction strategies can deliver significant gains in fuel savings, emissions reduction, and maintenance performance. Through real-world examples, we will show how operators can turn downtime into a strategic advantage. Attendees leave with a practical framework for aligning daily decisions with both sustainability and financial targets.

Speaker(s): Lou Panzica, President & CEO, Power Drives Inc.; John Steedle, Global Accounts Leader, Power Drives Inc.