Minneapolis, MN, September 23, 2019 – The League of Railway Women (LRW) named Canadian Pacific (CP) Assistant Vice President Customer & Corporate Services Pam Arpin the winner of the 2019 Railway Woman of the Year award. Arpin was honored at the General Session of Railway Interchange.  

“I am extremely proud to be recognized among a list of such notable women in this industry," said Arpin. "I proudly share this honour with the many talented women across CP and the entire 13,000-strong CP family, particularly the dedicated employees of CP’s Network Service Centre, a team I am fortunate to lead every day. The face of the rail industry is changing in a positive way and it is a privilege to be a steward of this change. As we begin to further appreciate and actively seek out diversity in railroading, we open ourselves up to new ways of looking at things; this is a cornerstone of innovation and I am excited about what the future holds for women in our chosen field.”

Co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading, this annual award is presented to a woman in the rail industry who demonstrates vision, initiative, creativity and guidance in a leadership role within her professional railway field; is innovative, a problem-solver and overcomes challenges; and brings consistent excellence to her organization and surrounding community.

“Pam Arpin has been a leader for men and women in the rail industry,” said Tanis Peterson, LRW President. “She is a true visionary who has supported women throughout her career.”

Mary Proc, Chair, Railway Woman of the Year Advisory Committee and Former Vice President, Customer Service Delivery, Metrolinx, said, “LRW had a record number of nominations for this year’s Woman of the Year Award. In a field of outstanding candidates, Pam Arpin truly is an exceptional rail industry leader and trailblazer.”

The Railway Woman of the Year (WOY) advisory committee, established in 2019 to help select each year’s awardee, includes former WOY recipients.

In 2019, the committee members included Proc (the 2015 Awardee), Transportation Technology Center, Inc. President, Lisa Stabler who received the award in 2017, 2016 recipient Anamaria Bonilla, P.E., Director of Structures with Metro-North Railroad, 2012 awardee Tracy DeLeon, Owner, Decal Management Corporation and 2011 winner Jo Strang, Vice President, Safety and Regulatory Policy, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

“Pam's leadership, drive, dedication and problem-solving abilities make her highly regarded at CP,” said James Clements, Vice President Strategic Planning & Transportation Services. “Her work is helping to transform the way CP is doing business.”

Keith Creel, President and CEO of CP, said, “Pam is an accomplished businesswoman and passionate volunteer in her community. She serves as a positive role model and mentor to other women across the organization and proves exceptional railroaders are not bound by their gender.”

As Assistant Vice President Customer & Corporate Services, Pam Arpin is responsible for a diverse team of more than 400 employees. Since joining CP in 1997, Pam has found ways to continually improve process through innovative solutions to challenging problems. 

Under Pam's leadership, the Shared Service Centre (SSC) has widely increased its scope since its inception in 2012. At first housing CP's clerical workforce, the SSC has grown into an operation that touches every CP dollar, including finance activities, the company's customer service center, truck dispatch management of the customer service portal, and all of CPs payroll-related activities.

She received a 2018 CP CEO Award for Excellence for her work on the development and launch of CP Fast Pass, an in-house system that automates all clerical gate activities across the company's intermodal facilities. This system has reduced operating costs by approximately $5 million annually and has created time efficiencies for truckers using CP terminals.

Pam has worked on other groundbreaking approaches and technologies, such as the use of robotic automation and artificial intelligence, improving the mobile workforce automation and renewing CP's Customer Portal.            

Pam also spearheaded CP's Customer Advisory Council, an initiative that began in 2018, as part of the company's commitment to customer experience excellence.

Pam's in-depth industry experience makes her a highly respected senior leader in the railway industry. Relentless in her approach to learning, she has worked in a variety of roles, including sales and marketing, strategic asset management, operations, finance, payroll and human resources. This knowledge base has enabled Pam to empower and support her employees, particularly women, to develop expertise in railway operations. She developed employee-led engagement committees, which provide educational opportunities and career advancement workshops.

At the industry level, Pam is currently chair of the Association of American Railroads' Customer Service Committee. 

Last year’s distinguished LRW Railway Woman of the Year winner was Ontario Northland President and CEO Corina Moore

For further information: Media Contact: Emilia Marceta, LRW Chair, Public Relations & Outreach, E-Mail: info@railwaywomen.org; LRW Awards Contact: Lisa Tackach, LRW Awards Chair, E-Mail: awards@railwaywomen.org.

About the League of Railway Women

Founded in 1997, the League of Railway Women (LRW) is committed to improving the railroad industry by connecting and cultivating women in rail. Our mission is to advance the representation, recognition and opportunities for women, thereby promoting diversity and improving the business results of the railroad industry. Learn more at www.railwaywomen.org; follow the LRW on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.