Union Pacific Names Diane Duren Executive Vice President

OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Union Pacific today announced Diane Duren has been named executive vice president, effective October 1. She will be responsible for strategic planning, administration and human resources upon two senior executive retirements in February. Duren also will become corporate secretary at that time.

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Senior Vice President - Strategic Planning & Administration Charley Eisele and Senior Vice President - Human Resources and Corporate Secretary Barb Schaefer will retire in February after 34 and 31 years of service, respectively.

"Union Pacific's robust management succession planning process is designed to ensure we have highly qualified and talented people prepared for leadership roles," said Jack Koraleski, Union Pacific president and chief executive officer. "Our board of directors recognizes Diane's ability to establish customer relationships, build strong teams and develop talent. Those strengths, combined with her finance and strategic planning background, make her an excellent choice to guide the company's strategic direction, while ensuring we have the best qualified workforce to achieve our business goals."

Duren currently is vice president and general manager - Chemicals, where she is responsible for marketing and sales activities within the chemical and petroleum industries. Union Pacific's Chemicals business generated $2.8 billion in freight revenue in 2011. Duren has held a variety of positions in the Finance and Marketing & Sales departments since joining the company in 1985. Several organizations have acknowledged her leadership ability including Profiles in Diversity Journal, which named Duren to its previous Women Worth Watching list. A Creighton University graduate, Duren earned her bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in accounting.

The company also named Beth Whited vice president and general manager - Chemicals, succeeding Duren, effective October 1, and promoted Roy Schroer to vice president - Human Resources, effective in February.

Whited currently serves as vice president of Union Pacific's National Customer Service Center. She joined Union Pacific in 1987 and has held a variety of executive roles in Strategic Planning, Marketing & Sales, Investor Relations, Finance and as president of Union Pacific Distribution Services, a Union Pacific subsidiary. She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in accounting from the University of Iowa.

Schroer serves as assistant vice president - Human Resources. He joined the railroad in 1978 and has held leadership positions in the Finance, Marketing & Sales and Human Resources departments, including assistant vice president - Employee Benefits. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Creighton University and master's degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska - Omaha.

Eisele, Schaefer Retiring

Eisele was named senior vice president – Strategic Planning & Administration in September 2001, where he has been responsible for strategic planning and business development at Union Pacific Corporation and its subsidiary companies. He has been responsible for Union Pacific's executive department and its related functions, and serves as Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO. Eisele joined Union Pacific in 1978 and has held positions in Finance, Accounting, Planning and Analysis, Human Resources, Supply, Management Systems and the Executive Department. He currently serves as chair of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition.

Schaefer was named senior vice president - Human Resources for Union Pacific Corporation in April 1997, and corporate secretary for Union Pacific Corporation in June 2004. She joined Union Pacific in 1981 in the Law department before being named to lead Human Resources. Prior to joining Union Pacific, Schaefer was an attorney in private practice in Omaha. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Weitz Funds, a mutual fund company. Schaefer is active in the community, has served as a board member for many nonprofit organizations and currently is chair of Children's Hospital & Medical Center.

"Charley and Barb served Union Pacific in many capacities over their careers and each made positive, lasting impacts on our company and employees," Koraleski said. "While we will miss their counsel, we thank each of them for their many contributions and wish them well in their retirement."

About Union Pacific
It was 150 years ago that Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862, creating the original Union Pacific. One of America's iconic companies, today Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP), linking 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail and providing freight solutions and logistics expertise to the global supply chain. From 2000 through 2011, Union Pacific spent more than $31 billion on its network and operations, making needed investments in America's infrastructure and enhancing its ability to provide safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation. Union Pacific's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and emphasizes excellent customer service. Union Pacific operates competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways.

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SOURCE Union Pacific