2022 RAILINC HIGHLIGHTS
Number of employees: 254
Year founded: 1998
Location: Cary, NC
Promotion Rate in 2022: 18%
Railinc would not be in its position today without the support of our employees. We recognize employees throughout the year with several awards through our Rewards and Recognition Program, which recognizes and supports the good work that happens at Railinc during the year on an individual, departmental and company-wide basis.
Our team members are frequently recognized by their coworkers through our company RailCash program as well as our quarterly Peer Excellence Award. These individuals go above and beyond in their day-to-day duties and make a big impression on others.
2022 Railinc Award Winners
Application Architect
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Winner of Q2 Peer Excellence Award
Application Architect
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Winner of Q3 Peer Excellence Award
Product Owner
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Winner of Q4 Peer Excellence Award
Senior Program Manager, IT Strategic Initiatives
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President’s Award Winner
Throughout the year we also submit outstanding team members for industry awards.
We’re incredibly proud of the employees who dedicate their time and effort to improving Railinc and, in turn, the rail industry. We do our best to put them in a position to succeed through our internal programs and professional development opportunities.
Cinzia Atkinson
Cinzia Atkinson, Business Solutions Manager on the TransmetriQ team, was recognized as one of Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine’s “Pros to Know” in 2022. Ward Proctor, also with the TransmetriQ team, won the previous year’s award.
Joan Smemoe
In October, Railinc Chief Information Officer and Vice President Joan Smemoe was honored with the 2022 Women in Supply Chain Award. Smemoe had previously been noted by Railway Age magazine as one of the top Women in Rail.
Railinc Supports Your Growth
Our 18% promotion rate in 2022 is almost double the national average. Nearly fifty employees were promoted throughout the company, across several departments.
Employees are given opportunities to explore what interests them most. Whether it’s learning Python, getting a project management certificate or attending a professional conference, Railinc supports an employee’s growth from the moment they are hired.
Employees are always open to suggestions and working with each other. When there is a larger issue and you can’t figure it out alone, there is someone willing to hop on a Zoom call to work it out together. You’ll find many people who have been in your shoes! Even before starting here, you may hear from employees who say they love working at Railinc because of the collaboration-focused culture.
Watch a recap of our 2022 Holiday Party. We look forward to seeing you in 2023!
Another Strong Year for Health & Wellness
Wellness Champion Program
Railinc’s Wellness Champion program, created in 2021, highlighted four employees who have consistently made healthier choices both at home and at work. A member of our Executive Team was recognized for completing a mile-a-day running challenge in 2022 and for recording over one million steps in one of our fitness challenges! By setting this example, she proves that health and wellness are incredibly important to our company.
Our sports and recreation leagues remained a popular way to connect with team members while getting in a great workout. Railinc even provides equipment for employees looking to try out a new sport or participate in a wellness activity. Pickup games were held throughout the week near the office, and sometimes we participated with other local companies in friendly competition. The Railinc employee cricket team went to finals this year, competing against several other teams in the Triangle. We also added pickleball to our rotation and it was an instant hit; extra pickup games were even scheduled on weekends!
The weekly pickleball games have been a great way to join in the growing national phenomenon while encouraging friendly competition amongst colleagues. Players of any and all skill levels are welcome to join as many of the regulars would be more than happy to provide a tutorial on the rules and basics of the game. I hope to see more new faces out there in 2023!Rory O’Brien
Business Analyst II
One of the Top Wellness Programs in the Triangle – 10 Years Running
Railinc’s Wellness Program has been a cornerstone of our company culture since it was first launched in 2012. From the first day on the job, you are welcomed into an environment that supports healthier choices in the workplace and at home. We offer new employees a free ergonomic assessment and a guide to our fitness programming upon hire and send monthly wellness bulletins with tips and encouragement for living a healthier lifestyle. We provide ergonomic workstations in our Cary office and an onsite workout facility at no charge.
Our Wellness Team is made up of volunteer employees and guided by our Wellness Coordinator. They plan and implement various activities throughout the year for Railinc employees, and several members are the captains for our sports and recreation teams. These employees are often the first and last ones you’ll see at events like the Yam Jam, the Chili, Curry & Dessert Cook-Off, the annual 5K and more.
Our office has its own onsite fitness center and is just a short walk to North Cary park, providing plenty of opportunities to get out and exercise each day. Employees can get in a workout during their lunch break, rent some sports equipment and head over to the park to practice, or just enjoy a quick stretch in the parking lot before they head in to the office.
The programs we offer our employees may change over time. However, Railinc will continue to host an environment that encourages fitness, fun and accountability each and every day.
Railinc’s Corporate Responsibility
Railinc is no stranger to supporting local and national nonprofit agencies. We believe in improving the community where we live and work, and our employees are a significant driving force.
Many Railinc employees participate in activities that benefit local and national nonprofits
or people in need, and members of our Executive Team lead by example:
Allen West
Railinc President and CEO Allen West supports small businesses and startups in the Triangle area by investing in their venture capital efforts. He previously served on the board of a local IoT startup and is a charter member of the IBM Global Rail Innovation Center advisory board.
Joan Smemoe
Joan Smemoe, Railinc CIO and Vice President of Information of Technology, sits on the Board of Executives of the NC TECH Association, which has helped pave the way for young girls to break into the technology industry. Joan was also recently elected Chair of the Board of Directors for the Triangle Technology Executives Council, which strives to create more diversity in leadership roles at all organizations in the Research Triangle.
Railinc Employees Support Their Community All Year
Team members truly enjoy taking part in our charitable events. Our longest-standing partnership lies with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Railinc employees have participated in events that support the Food Bank every year since 2001. In the last five years, Railinc has donated nearly half a million meals to support the Food Bank’s important goal of ensuring no one in our area goes hungry.
Throughout the 2022 season of giving, Railinc worked with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to spread holiday cheer to families in need and support its "No One Goes Hungry" mission. In November, volunteers took great care in sorting and packing sweet potatoes, butternut squash and russet potatoes into bags that will be distributed to people in need during the holiday season.
I think the Yam Jam is a great team-building exercise and it’s great to get everyone together for a good cause.Matt Walker
Manager of Solutions Engineering
The Yam Jam, held every year, is an incredibly important piece of Railinc’s corporate responsibility program and is done in support of the Food Bank. Some of our executive team members, along with their employees, volunteered to sort and bag produce in the Railinc parking lot. We even had team members stop by in their office attire to help!
Between our annual Yam Jam and Giving Tuesday events, close to 30,000 meals were provided for disadvantaged families and individuals throughout the Food Bank’s service area. Railinc also donated $10,000 to the Food Bank as part of our annual giving program.
Our employees didn’t stop there – some contributed canned goods directly to the Food Bank of CENC, others volunteered at the Food Bank throughout 2022, and some of our out-of-state employees volunteered at a nonprofit near their homes. This commitment to charitable organizations is just one of the ways our employees contribute to building a better community.
Railinc’s Applications Serve Our Community
You can even find support for the community in our applications. AskRail® provides more than 35,000 first responders across the United States and Canada with data about what type of materials a railcar is carrying so they can make an informed decision about how to respond to a rail emergency. One of our upcoming projects will include more training materials and training scenarios for first responders, giving them more awareness of what to do when an incident occurs.
The Clear Path™ system enhances the visibility in some of the busiest ports and terminals in North America, providing railroads with more accurate information when they are planning, monitoring and executing train movements. The improvements we make to this application each year are essential to keeping railroads and their employees safe, on track and on time in these areas.
Railinc’s Equipment Health Management System (EHMS) is vital in keeping railroad equipment in good condition. Through a web-based application, EHMS communicates the condition of equipment and will send alerts to responsible parties when repairs are needed. EHMS is designed to reduce costly repairs and increase the safety of rail workers.
One of Railinc’s core values is serving the changing needs of our customers and our industry to enhance the value they bring to our community, the environment and the economy. Find more information on safety, efficiency and productivity updates to our applications in the Technology section of our report.