From the Editor: Jim Vena: Innovating in clear, relentless fashion

In late September, I traveled to Union Pacific Corp. headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, to interview CEO Jim Vena, the 2025 Railroad Innovator Award recipient, for this month’s cover story. Upon thanking him for accepting the award (it’s never assumed), Vena — candid and clear, the way he always is — weighed in on what he believes innovation is.

Accordingly, innovation also can be about people, as in leading them, listening to them and trusting them to make decisions, Vena said.

“We want people to make decisions at the right level — they understand the business closer than somebody here in Omaha looking out the window,” Vena said. “Don’t be afraid if you’re looking at ways to move ahead that once in a while you’re going to make a mistake on that decision. Learn from it and move ahead. We’re OK with that.”

“When you put the railroad at the center of all things, and make fast decisions, you can achieve things you didn’t think were possible. It’s a simple message that he shares.”
— Union Pacific EVP of Operations Eric Gehringer on UP CEO Jim Vena

Vena’s more than OK with it; UP needs input from every link in the chain, he said. Wanting to look at problems through different lenses is one of his strengths, UP Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hamann told me.

“Sometimes, all it takes is reframing something a little bit, asking questions a little differently, and you come up with a different perspective,” she said.

A relentless focus on process

What’s more, Vena’s ability to keep his messages and vision clear enables quicker and better decision-making, UP’s EVP of Operations Eric Gehringer believes.

Ultimately, though, it’s that relentless focus on the process that truly makes Vena an innovator, Gehringer said.

“I think that sometimes gets lost when you have a leader that sees the foundation of innovation as, ‘Do we understand the process that we have, the gaps that we have, the gaps or opportunities that exists with this property?’” he said. “That’s really unique. When you put the railroad at the center of all things, and make fast decisions, you can achieve things you didn’t think were possible. It’s a simple message that he shares.”

Simple, clear and effective. Vena’s message resonates with me, too. I’m looking forward to presenting Jim with the Railroad Innovator Award later this month at our annual RailTrends® conference. Congratulations, Jim. See you in New York.