Railinc Director of Application Engineering and PMO Joan Smemoe has been recognized as a 2018 Rising Star by Progressive Railroading magazine.
The award recognizes individuals under the age of 40 who have made, or are making, a positive impact on their company, organization, department or team, and are viewed by others — peers, colleagues, supervisors, clients or associates — as up-and-coming leaders in the rail industry.
As Railinc’s No. 2 technology officer and a member of the executive management team, Smemoe helps to create the vision, shape the strategy, provide leadership and drive the success of Railinc’s IT operations. She leads the company’s software development and applications engineering across all product groups, guiding more than 100 IT professionals who are responsible for dozens of essential applications that help to keep the North American freight-rail network moving.
Smemoe’s technology leadership and expertise have been integral to the success and impact of Railinc technology solutions and initiatives. These include
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The AskRail mobile application, which helps to ensure that emergency responders have access to accurate, timely information about railcars carrying hazardous materials when they arrive at the scene of a rail emergency.
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The Gateway Operations Services program, which is developing traffic management solutions for major rail gateways with a focus on the Chicago Terminal.
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The Component Registry, which supports the tracking of rail equipment health.
Smemoe, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Missouri-Columbia, joined Railinc in 2006 as a senior software engineer. She has shown progressive growth, moving into leadership roles such as project manager, senior manager and director that have enabled her to shape Railinc technologies that are critical to freight rail industry operations in North America.
Smemoe and the other 2018 Progressive Railroading Rising Stars will be recognized at a dinner in Chicago on July 22. Click here to see a complete list of winners.