NORFOLK, Va., April 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Bruno Maestri and Robert E. Martίnez will assume additional responsibilities for Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC). This follows the retirement of F. Blair Wimbush, the railroad's vice president real estate and corporate sustainability officer. The changes are effective May 1, 2015.

CEO Wick Moorman said the changes are part of Norfolk Southern's ongoing program of executive development and support the railroad's efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and expand its market opportunities.

Maestri, vice president government relations and corporate communications, is named vice president government relations, corporate communications, and corporate sustainability officer, with office in Washington. His responsibilities include federal legislative and regulatory affairs, state relations, community affairs, and corporate communications, in addition to the new responsibilities relating to NS' sustainability programs to improve locomotive fuel efficiency and emissions, energy use, land conservation, waste management, and water conservation.

Maestri joined NS in 1995 and served in several positions relating to environmental management and protection, and then public affairs, before being named to his most recent position in 2005. He holds degrees from the University of Virginia.

Martίnez, vice president business development, is named vice president business development and real estate, with office in Norfolk. His responsibilities include business development, market research, ports and international, and industrial development, in addition to his new responsibilities relating to NS' real estate services, including purchase, sale, and development of property; natural resource management; and projects associated with wire, pipeline, and fiber optics.

Martίnez rejoined NS in 1998 and served in several marketing positions before being named to his most recent position in 2003. Earlier, he had worked at NS for a year before serving a four-year stint as Secretary of Transportation for Virginia. He holds degrees from Columbia and Yale.

Wimbush, the retiring real estate and sustainability officer, leaves after 35 years with NS and is credited with leading the company's successful efforts to adopt an enterprise-wide, results-driven approach to moderating its impact on the environment.

"Blair's contributions are reflected both in the personal environmental efforts our people make every day, as well as in our broad-based achievements that range from meaningful reductions in fuel and energy consumption to our "Trees to Trains" program for reforesting a large part of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley," said CEO Moorman. "He retires with our gratitude for a much cleaner, much greener, and far more environmentally-conscious railroad."

Wimbush joined NS in 1980 after graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law and served in a number of positions in the corporation's law department before being named vice president real estate and corporate sustainability officer in 2007.

About Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150421/200119
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150421/200120
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150421/200121

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maestri-and-martinez-assume-new-responsibilities-for-norfolk-southern-wimbush-retires-300069605.html

SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation