Norfolk Southern Corporation has appointed Ann. A. Adams as its new Chief Human Resources Officer, responsible for overseeing human resources and labour relations. Adams will report directly to CEO Mark George.
Adams first joined Norfolk Southern in 2001 as a Manager in Human Resources and has since climbed the ranks, taking on various leadership roles. Her career at the company has given her extensive experience across multiple departments, including her tenure as Chief Transformation Officer, where she led initiatives spanning HR, Labour Relations, Corporate Communications, IT, and Sustainability. Earlier this year, Norfolk Southern reorganised these areas, and Adams took on an advisory role during the transition, which included overseeing the recruitment of new leaders, including the CHRO position.
“I asked Annie to step into the CHRO role because she is adept at building a high-performing organization and aligning the enterprise behind who we are, how we grow, and how we bring employees along with us every step of the way,” said CEO Mark George. “Her strong skillset, organizational knowledge and vast experience make Annie the right partner as we focus on deepening engagement, promoting excellence and delivering even greater results. As we round out the executive leadership team, Annie’s voice at the table will be vital to our ongoing transformation and success.”
Throughout her career, Adams has played a significant role in various key projects, including culture change initiatives, the relocation and redesign of Norfolk Southern’s headquarters, and national rail labour negotiations. She has also gained valuable board experience, currently serving on the Board of Directors for Specialty Building Products, a North American distributor based in Duluth, Georgia, as well as for the Midtown Improvement District and Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta. Adams holds a Bachelor’s degree from Davidson College, along with a Master’s and Ph.D. from Rice University. She also completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School. In 2022, she was recognised as one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Women of Influence and was named one of Railway Age’s 10 Influential Leaders for 2021.
“I am excited to continue working alongside my colleagues to build a great culture at NS, and proud to have PC leading our Human Resources function,” Adams said. “PC is a collaborative leader who aligns HR strategy with enterprise goals and embraces data and technology to propel the work, all while staying grounded in what is most important – our people.”
Bryant, who joined Norfolk Southern in 2020 as Assistant Vice President of Human Resources, has led efforts on organisational change, workforce planning, performance management, and training. Before joining Norfolk Southern, he held roles in Human Resources at companies like CSX, The Home Depot, and Intercontinental Hotels Group. Bryant holds a Master’s degree in industrial and organisational development from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s in marketing from the University of Alabama.