Rising Stars 2025: Lauryn King

Lauryn King, 39
Senior sales manager
CSX

Nominator’s Quote: “Lauryn King is making a significant impact in the railroad industry through her strong leadership, business growth strategies, and commitment to mentorship and community service. Her ability to build relationships, drive results, and support others has positioned her as a rising leader at CSX.” — Kia Warren, CSX

Education: Bachelor of Science, health promotion, University of Georgia; pursuing a Master of Business Administration, Florida State University.

Job responsibilities: Retaining customer business and supporting the growth and onboarding of new opportunities in the agriculture and food department by building strong relationships and fostering cross-functional collaboration with the operations, car management, finance, industrial development and sales and marketing teams.

Describe your career path.
I officially began my career with CSX in 2012 as a management trainee in network operations. I soon transitioned into the customer solutions department, where I held several key roles that allowed me to cultivate strong skills in strategic thinking, relationship management and effective communication. These roles provided valuable insight into our operations and customer expectations, building a solid foundation.

Seeking continued growth, I stepped outside my comfort zone and moved into the sales and marketing department. In this capacity, I’ve been able to blend creativity with strategy, leading impactful initiatives that have driven business growth and strengthened our market position in the agriculture and food sector.

How did you find your way into the rail industry?
Upon graduating from the University of Georgia, I was determined to locate to Florida and join a large organization where I could grow personally and professionally. I began my journey with CSX as a temporary contractor in the real estate department. Through perseverance and dedication, I earned the support of CSX employees, who became advocates for me, ultimately leading to my acceptance into the CSX management trainee program.

What was your very first job and what did it teach you?
From a young age, I learned that achieving something worthwhile requires hard work, thus, my first job was babysitting. This experience taught me valuable skills such as responsibility, patience and problem-solving. It also gave me the chance to unleash my creativity and form meaningful connections with children, skills that I continue to apply in both my personal and professional life.

Describe something about you that might surprise people.
I once struggled with confidence. While I felt confident with tackling tasks I was familiar with, new challenges sometimes caused my confidence to waver. Over time, I've developed strategies to boost my confidence and perform at a high level, even in unfamiliar situations. I’ve learned that the key to overcoming obstacles isn't always having all the answers but knowing who to turn to and how to approach problem-solving effectively.

What is one of the most valuable lessons that you’ve learned so far in your career?
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from my grandmother (Rosa Lloyd): “No matter where you come from, always believe in yourself and know you deserve to be where you are.” This belief in myself and my abilities has been a guiding principle throughout my career and has helped me navigate challenges with confidence.

How do you stay motivated and resilient when things get tough in life or on the job?
Through both the good times and the tough moments, I’ve learned just how important my immediate family is to me. They provide the unwavering foundation I need, whether it’s by reminding me not to take myself too seriously or by helping me prepare before a big work presentation. But more than anything, they offer constant love and support, always knowing how to make me laugh when I’m feeling down. Their presence in my life keeps me grounded and motivated, and reminds me of what truly matters.

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world today, who would it be and why?
The one person I’d love to have dinner with more than anyone else is my husband, Evan King. With the growth of our family of two kids, Bryson and Audyn, and two English bulldogs, Minnie and Summer, date nights are few and far between. It would be wonderful to have a quiet, uninterrupted dinner, just the two of us. I admire Evan deeply; his empathy, strength and unwavering support allow me to truly be myself. By the time this is read, I hope we’ve had a chance to enjoy more dinners together.

What do you think is the biggest challenge in the rail industry today?
One of the biggest challenges the rail industry faces is effectively promoting our story and the value rail brings. Rail offers significant advantages; it's cost-effective, environmentally friendly and a dependable mode of transportation. We have a powerful opportunity to reshape the perception by communicating just how easy it is to use rail.

By leveraging the right tools and messaging, we can not only attract new talent by showcasing meaningful careers in rail, but also help customers move goods that support economic efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint.