Canadian Pacific Kansas City has appointed Gordon Trafton as chair of its board of directors following the retirement of Isabelle Courville.
Trafton previously served as vice-chair and has been a member of the CPKC board since January 2017. His appointment took effect immediately and was completed as part of the board’s succession plan.
Courville joined the board in May 2013 and became chair in May 2019, making her the first woman to chair the board of a Class 1 railroad.
During her tenure, Canadian Pacific proposed and completed its combination with Kansas City Southern, creating CPKC as the first single-line transnational railway connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Courville previously chaired the Audit Committee and the Management, Resources and Compensation Committee. She also has more than 25 years of experience in the energy and telecommunications industries.
Trafton retired from Canadian National in 2010 after a 33-year railroad career that also included positions at Illinois Central and Burlington Northern Railroad.
His roles at Canadian National included Senior Vice President of Strategic Acquisitions and Integration, Senior Vice President of the Southern Region and Vice President of Operations Integration.
KEY QUOTES:
“I am extremely proud to have been part of the remarkable history of Canadian Pacific and the creation of CPKC. It has been an honor to work alongside the company’s outstanding management led by Keith Creel and the dedicated Board of Directors during this period of industry-leading growth and transformative change.”
Isabelle Courville, Former Chair of CPKC
“Isabelle’s leadership played a pivotal role in guiding Canadian Pacific and CPKC through historic growth and our transformative journey, especially during the challenging road that ultimately led to CP’s successful combination with Kansas City Southern.”
“Looking to the future, with Gordon’s strong railroad operating background and exceptional leadership skills, the Board remains in excellent hands.”
Keith Creel, President and CEO of CPKC
“On behalf of my fellow board members, I thank Isabelle for her outstanding leadership and invaluable contributions, which have been instrumental to the growth and success of CPKC. I am honored to assume this role and look forward to collaborating closely with my fellow board members and our talented management team.”
Gordon Trafton, Chair of CPKC
