Press Release
August 6, 2007
For Immediate Release
SANTA MARIA VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY
PO Box 5665
Santa Maria, California 93456
Telephone (805) 922-7941
FAX (805) 922-9554
www.smvrr.com
Santa Maria Valley Railroad appoints Dave Jennings and Leah Figaro to
Additional Positions
Santa Maria Valley Railroad Company has named Dave Jennings, General
Manager, to additional positions of Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer. Office Manager Leah Figaro has also assumed the
role of Controller for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad.
Mr. Jennings has been with the railroad for 31 years and has served
as General Manager with oversight of all railroad activities since
2000. Mr. Jennings started with the railroad in 1974. From 1996 to
2000 he left the Santa Maria Valley Railroad and worked as a railroad consultant advising
western shortline railroads setting up HazMat programs, locomotive
preventative maintenance programs, and consulting engineering work
that included grade crossing signals and track. Mr. Jennings also
worked as Manager-Shortline Sales/Western Region for Safetran Systems
representing their Communications and Signal Products.
Ms. Figaro has been with the Santa Maria Valley Railroad since 2000. Ms. Figaro has 29
years of accounting and human resources experience and formerly
served as the controller of Capstar Hotels and was a certified tax
preparer.
Rob Himoto, President of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, stated "We
will continue to move key railroad personnel to decision making
positions. We will put Mr. Jennings 31 years of railroad experience
on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad to use and helping us to continue to develop long range
strategic plans as well as company guidance in day to day
operations. Ms. Figaro has seven years of railroad accounting, car
hire, and railroad specific human resources knowledge that is
invaluable to the Santa Maria Valley Railroad."
The Santa Maria Valley Railroad, serving the Santa Maria Valley's
transportation needs since 1911, provides the most efficient, cost
effective, and environmentally friendly way to transport products to
any location in the continental United States served by our national
railroad network. Santa Maria Valley Railroad's excellent service is
achieved by well maintained track and equipment, modern
communications, and loyal and dedicated employees.
Santa Maria Valley Railroad's 14 miles of well maintained mainline
track serves freight customers in the Santa Maria Valley. Our tracks
are rated to transport 286,000 lb rail cars, we can transport the
most modern freight cars. In addition to the 14 miles of mainline
track, the Santa Maria Valley Railroad maintains many sidings and spurs with capacity to
store rail cars.
The Santa Maria Valley Railroad connects with Guadalupe, California, interchanging with the
Union Pacific Railroad. Through our Cooperative Marketing Agreement
with the UPRR, we have direct access to integrated nationwide
marketing, sales, pricing, operations and administrative strengths of
the UPRR.
The Santa Maria Valley Railroad has a complete locomotive and rail car repair shop and
maintenance of way equipment and we can serve off-site customers with
track and locomotive repair maintenance.
The Santa Maria Valley Railroad Company, "The Transportation Gateway
for the Central Coast" since 1911.
Contact Information:
Rob Himoto, President
(805) 922-7941
Fax: (805) 922-9554
Email: rhimoto@smvrr.com
Dave Jennings, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and General
Manager
(805) 922-7941
Fax: (805) 922-9554
Email: jennings@smvrr.com
Leah Figaro, Controller and Office Manager
(805) 922-7941
Fax, (805) 922-9554
Email: leahf@smvrr.com
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