About Railmark 

Railmark's Board of Directors

The Company is fortunate to have two outside directors, each accomplished individuals, to provide corporate governance and strategy.

B. Allen Brown - Chairman, President & CEO, Railmark Holdings & Subsidiaries

Mr. Brown is the founder of Railmark Holdings Inc. and serves as its visionary, developer, and President & CEO. He is a rail industry veteran and expert in railroad development in the United States and around the world. He has hands-on experience in every aspect of planning, building, developing, and maintaining a railroad network. During Mr. Brown's extensive railroad career, he has been personally involved in or led over 60 railroad acquisitions and divestitures and has had direct experience rejuvenating dozens of rail-oriented companies, developing a reputation as a railroad turnaround expert.

Mr. Brown's railroad career began shortly after the 1981 Staggers Act, which deregulated the US railroad industry. His international railroad experience began in Europe in the late 1990's, expanding to over 40 countries today. In 2007 Mr. Brown and Railmark entered the African market, performing a comprehensive rail development plan and economic analysis for the late President Mill's administration in Ghana. Over the next eleven years Mr. Brown and Railmark would perform rail development and detailed economic analyses for 15 additional governments on the African continent. Internally, Railmark has prepared similar rail economic information for practically all of Africa's 56 countries raising its level of proficiency with the plan to address an overall railroad network on the continent of Africa. Prior to Railmark, Mr. Brown served in various rail industry senior management positions, railroad company officer positions, and on the board of directors of a publicly-held railroad company and several privately-held rail and rail-related companies.

Mr. Brown maintains an extensive working relationship with domestic and international railroad leaders, industry professionals, railroads, and railroad service companies of all sizes. Throughout Railmark's 24+ year history he has invested in new railroad industry technologies and environmentally safe rail products, delivering many to the marketplace.

Mr. Brown holds a Master of Business Administration, concentration in Finance & Economics from the University of Evansville (Evansville, Indiana USA) and a Bachelor of Business Administration-Finance from the University of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky USA).

Thomas Agbor – Director & Chief Financial Officer, Railmark Holdings Inc.

Mr. Agbor is the Chief Financial Officer for Railmark Holdings, Inc., and has been a Director of the Company since 2017. Mr. Agbor serves as the Africa Regional Director for the Structured Projects Division of The Saunders Group International in San Francisco, California. He is also President and Co-Founder of Absolute Renewable Energy Group and is a partner in several other businesses.

Mr. Agbor has over 22 years of international banking experience. As an officer of the Corporate and Institutional Banking Division of Standard Chartered Bank, Cameroon and while serving at Standard Charter’s London headquarters in1996, Mr. Thomas designed and modeled the bank’s Global Portfolio Management Systems, earning him the prestigious African Champion Award. His banking career brought him to the U.S. with Wells Fargo Bank, where he transformed four underperforming branches slated for closure into highly productive and profitable branches, earning him accolades and awards with Wells Fargo.

In 2011 Mr. Agbor transitioned to international business consulting, leveraging his contacts with Wall Street investors and technical experts, to improve and expand the operations of American and European companies with respect to business opportunities with African nations. Mr. Agbor has successfully negotiated and closed several multibillion-dollar transactions in power generation, oil and gas block development, transportation, agriculture, healthcare and commodity trading. Mr. Agbor has demonstrated a proficiency in sourcing funds for large projects from private Euro/Dollar currency accounts in top European banks with established network and experience in Africa.

Mr. Agbor holds a bachelor’s degree (Cum Laude) in Accounting and studied for the MBA Fellows in Finance, from Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School Baltimore, Maryland USA.

Louis ("Lou") M. Schillinger, CIC LIC - Director, Railmark Holdings & Subsidiaries

Mr. Schillinger has been a Director of Railmark since 2007 and is the Founder, President & CEO of United Shortline Insurance Services Inc. (USI). United Shortline has been serving the rail industry with innovative and railroad responsive insurance products for the past 26 years and Mr. Schillinger has known Mr. Brown since then. Mr. Schillinger has devoted his entire thirty+ professional career to the insurance industry. In 1985, shortly after the deregulation of the U.S. railroad industry, Mr. Schillinger's agency began to produce unique Railroad Industry Liability and Property coverage's to the growing Shortline and Regional Railroad Industry throughout North America. He was responsible for developing the policy language, current rating structure, underwriting guide, claims manual, and has reviewed and underwritten both alone and with various consulting underwriters, virtually every shortline and regional railroad in America during the last 25 years. United Shortline Insurance Services, Inc. is the largest Managing General Agency providing insurance to over 30% of the Railroad Industry and is credited with establishing and maintaining the only fully admitted Railroad Liability Program in the country since 1994. In 2001, USI and Marsh, Inc. combined to develop a certified safety program to the ASLRRA and became the first "endorsed" liability insurance product in the ASLRRA's history. Mr. Schillinger has been awarded the exclusive marketing contract for Class I railroads Railroad Protective Program from Hudson Insurance Company in 2007. Mr. Schillinger has conducted Railroad Liability seminars for agents, legislators, industry groups, and client railroads throughout the country. In addition Mr. Schillinger has had the privilege of presenting a Small Business Curriculum for a portion of the University of Pennsylvania's 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2005 MBA Programs.

An avid lighthouse historian, Mr Schillinger acquired and begun restoring an offshore lighthouse "Port Austin Reef Light", located 2.5 miles north of Port Austin in Lake Huron in 1985 and continues this pursuit to this date. Mr. Schillinger is a graduate of Michigan State University where he earned a BA in Financial Administration and has taken numerous hours of continuing education.

B. Allen Brown - Chairman, President & CEO, Railmark Holdings & Subsidiaries

Mr. Brown is the founder of Railmark Holdings Inc. and serves as its visionary, developer, and President & CEO. He is a rail industry veteran and expert in railroad development in the United States and around the world. He has hands-on experience in every aspect of planning, building, developing, and maintaining a railroad network. During Mr. Brown's extensive railroad career, he has been personally involved in or led over 60 railroad acquisitions and divestitures and has had direct experience rejuvenating dozens of rail-oriented companies, developing a reputation as a railroad turnaround expert.

Mr. Brown's railroad career began shortly after the 1981 Staggers Act, which deregulated the US railroad industry. His international railroad experience began in Europe in the late 1990's, expanding to over 40 countries today. In 2007 Mr. Brown and Railmark entered the African market, performing a comprehensive rail development plan and economic analysis for the late President Mill's administration in Ghana. Over the next eleven years Mr. Brown and Railmark would perform rail development and detailed economic analyses for 15 additional governments on the African continent. Internally, Railmark has prepared similar rail economic information for practically all of Africa's 54 countries raising its level of proficiency with the plan to address an overall railroad network on the continent of Africa. Prior to Railmark, Mr. Brown served in various rail industry senior management positions, railroad company officer positions, and on the board of directors of a publicly-held railroad company and several privately-held rail and rail-related companies.

Mr. Brown maintains an extensive working relationship with domestic and international railroad leaders, industry professionals, railroads, and railroad service companies of all sizes. Throughout Railmark's 20+ year history he has invested in new railroad industry technologies and environmentally safe rail products, delivering many to the marketplace.

Mr. Brown holds a Master of Business Administration, concentration in Finance & Economics from the University of Evansville (Evansville, Indiana USA) and a Bachelor of Business Administration-Finance from the University of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky USA).

Jarrod Cavanaugh - Director of Mechanical Operations

Mr. Cavanaugh has worked for Railmark’s Mechanical Department in different roles since 2017, becoming Director of Mechanical Operations in January 2022. In his capacity, Mr. Cavanaugh is responsible for the operations of Railmark Rail Services Inc. and with the mechanical functions for all other Railmark subsidiaries.

Mr. Cavanaugh is a 21+ year railroad industry veteran who began his career with CSX (12 years), eventually becoming Senior Manager for several CSX Mechanical Department locations. After departing CSX, Mr. Cavanaugh worked for industry-leading railroad contractors before finally joining Railmark in 2017. Throughout his railroad industry tenure, Mr. Cavanaugh has gained extensive experience in railcar repair, fleet management, derailment response, heavy repairs, auto handling, rail switching, project management, and customized railcar repair solutions.

Kyle Christine - Director of Track Operations

Mr. Christine serves as Railmark’s Director of Track Operations, having joined Railmark’s Track Construction & Maintenance team in the Great Lakes Region in 2019, and becoming Director of Track Operations in January 2022. In this capacity, Mr. Christine is responsible for the operations of Railmark Track Works Inc. and with the track and maintenance of way functions within all other Railmark subsidiaries.

During Mr. Christine’s Railmark tenure, he has worked to incorporate state-of-the-art track maintenance practices into Railmark’s servicing and has undergone extensive advanced track maintenance training. Mr. Christine has enhanced Railmark’s position as industrial track specialists with his experience in concrete and industrial plant equipment installation. Mr. Christine’s experience in industrial project management, safety, and crew management. Mr. Christine’s demonstrable success in industrial operations, skilled crew management, safety assurance, commercial relationships, and project management makes him well-suited to lead Railmark's track construction and maintenance teams across the U.S.

A life-long resident of Ohio, Mr. Christine received an Associate Degree from Hocking Tech in Nelsonville, Ohio in 2010. Mr. Christine holds certificates in welding, mobile equipment operations, and other industrial and railroad track maintenance functions.

Scott Bauer – Manager of Rail Storage and Equipment Leasing

Mr. Bauer joined the Railmark team in 2020 as Manager of Rail Storage and Equipment Leasing. He offers a strong knowledge of railcar and storage options, allowing Railmark to be successful in providing customer solutions to meet their needs.

Mr. Bauer has been directly involved in the rail industry since 2013, bringing his experiences of start-up and building railcar manufacturing to the Railmark Team. His experience includes building/outfitting facilities with railcar manufacturing equipment, hiring all major positions, achieving Association of American Railroads (AAR) facility certification and AAR first railcar certification. He has also established and built relationships with key AAR approved suppliers and many large-scale lessors and rail equipment owners. Mr. Bauer’s proven honesty and eagerness to work with people to find solutions helps him to stand out and demonstrate Railmark Core Values when dealing with our customers.

Jonathan Pesce, Marketing Manager

Mr. Pesce joined Railmark in 2021 as Marketing Manager, rising to Director of Marketing in January 2022. Mr. Pesce oversees Railmark’s marketing and customer engagement, primarily focusing on the company's subsidiaries Railmark Track Works Inc., Railmark Industrial Railway Inc., and Yreka Western Railroad. Mr. Pesce also leads the Company’s ECORail® Products Division and manages Railmark corporate communications.

Mr. Pesce comes to Railmark from the Communications and Technical side of the railroad industry, having consulted with many shortline, regional, switching, and rail service operations to implement radio communications and best practices for users and safety teams. Mr. Pesce's railroad industry and customer development experience makes him well-suited for managing marketing teams and customer relationships across Railmark's full-service range of railroad operations.

A life-long resident of Tennessee, Mr. Pesce received a Bachelor of Arts with a double-major in humanities from the University of Memphis (UofM) in Memphis, Tennessee, where he also studied French, making him a valued addition to Railmark's operations in Haiti and francophone Africa.

Sharnia "Tab" Buford - Treasurer, Railmark Haiti Inc.

Mr. Buford is the Treasurer of Railmark Haiti Inc. and is working closely with Railmark with an extensive rail development program for this Caribbean nation. Mr. Buford is also President & CEO of "Sharnia Tab Buford & Associates Inc." that provides financial services on a national and international basis. Mr. Buford has an extensive background in the senior management of banks in New York, St. Louis, Memphis and Kansas City. Mr. Buford has also negotiated large credit facilities with corporations such as Wal-Mart and others. Internationally Mr. Buford has corrected credit and foreign exchange problems for banks in South Africa. Mr. Buford is both a domestic and international bank leader.

Mr. Buford has been recognized and presented awards by National Banker's Association, Harlem Business Alliance, White House Fellow Selection Committee and listed as one of Ebony Magazine's "100 Most Influential Black Americans" and is guest lecturer at Harvard's Black MBA's Annual Conference.

Mr. Buford is a graduate of the University of Colorado's (Boulder Colorado) Graduate School of Banking and holds both a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Texas College (Tyler Texas).

Yusupha F. Kamara - Market Development Director - Africa

Mr. Kamara joined Railmark in 2011, originally as the Company's Special Advisor, Emerging Markets, focusing on rail development in Africa. In 2015 Mr. Kamara was named "Market Development Director for Africa" and leads Railmark's local teams in Africa with rail development projects in The Gambia, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal and other locations throughout Africa. Mr. Kamara is also CEO of Detroit-based Greenfield Capital Group Inc. Mr. Kamara's professional career has focused on international business, banking and finance. Mr. Kamara has planned and successfully implemented a series of trade missions to Africa and actively works with trade between the U.S. and Africa. Prior to joining Greenfield Capital Group Inc. Mr. Kamara was Executive Vice President of Washington DC-based The Goman Group Inc., a firm engaged in international business transactions. Mr.Kamara is very active in the local community in the Metro Detroit area where he serves as a board member to different non-Profit organizations.

Mr. Kamara holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration in Finance from Davenport University (Grand Rapids, MI) and a Masters in Business Administration in Global Management from the University of Phoenix (Metro Detroit, MI)

Charlie Cheng - Business Development & China Trade Representative

Mr. Cheng joined Railmark in 2015 as a Company Advisor and now serves in the position of Manager, Business Development for the Company's subsidiary Rail Freight Solutions Inc. In this capacity Mr. Cheng is focusing on the successful launch of Railmark's new logistic services for companies shipping to and from the U.S. and China. Mr. Cheng also serves as Railmark's Trade Representative in China, representing all of Railmark's interest in China and working with the Company's local representatives there. Mr. Cheng is an enterprising young professional who has spent the majority of his time in Shanghai, China. Mr. Cheng attended China's largest international school, Shanghai American School, which first opened its doors in 1912 and later reopened in 1980 on the grounds of the U.S. Consulate. As the President of SAPTC at a young age, he has had first-hand experience in international business. SAPTC is the exclusive representative and North American window for the National Auto and Parts Export Base (Shanghai)'', a national program mandated by Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China in 2006. Through this platform Mr. Cheng enjoys access to a vast network and information resources in China and provides him with the value needed to innovate any potential business ventures with China. He has experience with bridging the new automotive industry relationships between China and North America.

While in college Mr. Cheng provided pro-bono consulting to non-profit organizations in the state of Michigan as a leader in the Students Consulting Non-Profit Organizations (SCNO) and will be working with the RAILMARK FOUNDATION. Mr. Cheng holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Michigan State University (East Lansing, Michigan).

Railmark's registered slogan, what does it mean?

Railmark's founder and principal B. Allen Brown has experienced, firsthand, the rebirth of the U.S. rail system from the beginning with the industry de-regulation, the Staggers Act of 1980. Then as a college student in finance and economics Mr. Brown conducted a research project on the proposed effects of the new legislation in Congress de-regulating the transportation industry – The Staggers Act of 1980. This project would comprise a major part of a business class grade requirement for subjects based upon current business trends in the U.S. The paper would be written and graded even before the implementation of the new law in 1981. Mr. Brown as a graduate student was pursuing a Masters of Business Administration – Economics degree. He would then pull out that old paper and expand it to include the implementation of the new law and the positive effects it was having even in its early stages.

Now fascinated with the business of railroading Mr. Brown became very involved with the start-up of a new shortline holding company and had the opportunity over the next 16 years to learn and be responsible for every component of the railroad industry including acquisitions and divestitures and gained unique experience with rail business development. During that time the industry matured and became more efficient.

By 2000 Mr. Brown witnessed several business practices within the industry that he thought should be performed better or more customer-focused. He formed Railmark Holdings, Inc. to demonstrate his ideas and today those unique approaches to serving customers in the railroad industry, both as a direct rail services provider and as a supplier of services to the railroad industry, is being recognized by the railroad industry around the world.

Railmark's business strategy is to deliver its products and services with the highest degree of service delivery, customer communications, workmanship and quality. It is these standards which set Railmark apart from its competitors, along with the ease of doing business with a company that can provide multiple rail services to the same customer. Railmark can perform all rail services needed by the same customer, improving both the customer's cost savings and the Company's margins with better and more focused operating and management efficiencies. Railmark combines this strategy, delivered by a strong competent team of railroad professionals, marketing its style of service delivery with the registered slogan: “A New Train of Thought ...™”.