In recognition of their contributions to safe hazardous materials handling, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) bestowed its 2017 Holden-Proefrock Award on Paul Williams, the regional manager of hazardous materials at Norfolk Southern.
Through a hazardous materials handling career spanning 34 years, Williams has previously served as chairman of AAR’s Tank Car Committee and continues to represent his company on the committee. He also has held positions at AAR, the Bureau of Explosives and at the Transportation Technology Center’s Security and Emergency Response Training Center in Pueblo, Colorado.
In his current position, Williams is tasked with emergency response, regulatory support, and overseeing derailments and product releases in Norfolk Southern’s southeast region. Williams also manages various Northfolk Southern community outreach programs.
Named in honor of former AAR employee and tank car design and safety innovator Roy Holden and former Hulcher Emergency Services employee and hazardous materials emergency response pioneer Art Proefrock, the Holden-Proefrock Award recognizes Williams’ individual contributions to the safe handling and transport of hazardous materials by rail.
Additionally, AAR awarded its 2016 Non-Accident Release (NAR) Grand Slam Award to 21 companies. Each of the companies has proven to be exemplary shippers of hazardous materials. In order to qualify, companies must be recognized by at least four Class I railroads and must have gone an entire calendar year without a hazardous materials non-accident release.
The 21 companies receiving the 2016 NAR Grand Slam Award are: Agrium, BP Products North America, CF Industries Sales LLC, Chemtrade Logistics Inc., Citgo Petroleum Corp., Covestro LLC, ERCO Worldwide, Green Plains Inc., Husky Energy Inc., Kemira, Marathon Petroleum Co., MarkWest Energy Partners L.P., Methanex Corp., Nova Chemicals Corp., Occidental Chemical Corp., Olin Chlor Alkali, Pembina Resources Services, Chemours Co., Dow Chemical Co., Valero Energy Corp. and Westlake Chemical.