Rising Stars 2026: Alyssa Boecker

Alyssa Boecker, 33 
Financial planning and analysis manager
Railserve, a Marmon Rail Company

Nominator’s quote: “Alyssa believes financial data tells a story — and when paired with strong cross-functional collaboration, it becomes a powerful driver of performance improvement. ... Through financial leadership, process innovation and a collaborative mindset, Alyssa represents the next generation of strategic finance professionals in rail.” — Mark Pyk, Marmon Rail

Education: Bachelor of Science in accounting, Butler University.

Job responsibilities: Leads the team responsible for compiling the annual budget and re-forecasting throughout the year, pricing new business opportunities, and arming the operations and sales teams with the financial metrics to help them make good business decisions.

Briefly describe your career path.
I’ve been with Marmon Rail since 2017, first with Union Tank Car (UTLX) as an accountant for the Repair Business Unit. After a few years, I transitioned over to the Leasing Business Unit as a commercial analyst and later pricing leader. In these roles, I was able to continue building my financial acumen while also coordinating with the sales and operations teams to report on operational KPIs, help direct pricing initiatives and develop budgets and forecasts. In 2023, I moved over to Railserve as the financial planning and analysis manager.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
In high school, I worked as a sales associate for Hallmark, the greeting card store. The customer service industry is a great way to learn how to work with different types of people from all walks of life. It made me realize that seemingly small interactions can have a big impact on someone’s day.

What sparked your interest in the rail industry? What told you it could be a place for you to thrive?
To be honest, I didn’t know much about the rail industry before I started working for UTLX … I have no family members in rail, and with a finance/accounting background, any and all industries are a possibility to find a job … every business needs an accountant! I was with UTLX for about three years before the pandemic hit, and that really opened my eyes to just how critical the work we’re doing is to every aspect of the economy. Marmon Rail is made up of eight businesses serving various facets of the industrial railyard, so it’s a great place to learn about many different areas of the rail industry. I’ve also really enjoyed getting to know the people I’ve worked with throughout my career; they’re dedicated, smart and kind people who are happy to share their knowledge.

What’s one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned in your career?
If you work hard and are willing to step outside of your comfort zone, there’s a world of possibilities available to you! A decade ago, I assumed I would be an accountant my entire career. But I quickly realized that I wanted more diversity out of my work and that I most enjoyed working cross-functionally. It can be uncomfortable and vulnerable to step into an area of the business that’s unfamiliar but is extremely worthwhile and rewarding.

What are your passions outside of work?
My life outside of work over the past few years has been mostly family-focused, as I have an almost 2-year-old and another baby due this summer. I played volleyball most of my life and love playing both indoor and sand volleyball. … I hope to get back to it post-pregnancy! I’m also a big Chicago sports fan and am trying to pass that fandom down to the next generation in a house divided between Chicago and Indianapolis teams.

How do you plan to keep making an impact in your corner of the industry?
I might be biased, but I believe a strong understanding of the financial impacts of any and all business decisions is very important. So, I hope I can continue in roles that allow me to work closely with other business functions to share some of that finance knowledge in a digestible and useful way. I also think having a consistent internal business partner that coworkers can depend on and build a relationship with is highly beneficial, so I hope I can provide that for my coworkers.

What's the biggest challenge confronting the rail industry today?
Technology/AI, an ever-changing workforce, the economy … there are a lot of really big changes that the industry is facing at a fast pace. Most of those are largely out of our control, so it’s extremely important to remain nimble, open to updated processes and ways of doing business, and optimistic that these big adjustments will lead to continued success.