NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC) said it is realigning the reporting structure for two key departments.

Effective Oct. 1, 2015, NS' Strategic Planning department will report to James A. Squires, president and CEO, and NS' Information Technology department will report to Cindy C. Earhart, executive vice president administration.

The Strategic Planning and Information Technology departments previously reported to Deborah H. Butler, executive vice president planning and chief information officer, who announced her retirement effective Oct. 1, 2015.

"We seek opportunities to streamline our structure at every level throughout the NS organization," Squires said. "These changes employ our resources to the best advantage while maintaining the full capabilities of our planning and IT teams."

Earhart joined NS in 1985 and has served in positions of increasing responsibility in accounting, IT, and human resources. She was named executive vice president administration in 2013.

John H. Friedmann, vice president strategic planning since 2008, and Fredric M. Ehlers, vice president information technology since 2013, will report to Squires and Earhart, respectively, under the new structure.

Butler's retirement comes after a 37-year career centered on transportation, customer service, planning, technology, and sustainability.

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.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation