Ryan Ratledge
With more than 28 years in the rail industry, and with most of those years in leadership roles, Ryan has been afforded the privilege to lead high performing teams through challenging times. Those teams have continuously improved safety performance, earnings, and customer satisfaction. Notably, he led the team responsible for the single most prominent rail turnaround in recent history. Between 2014 and 2020 the team took the infamous and bankrupt Montreal Maine & Atlantic and transformed it to industry renowned Central Maine & Quebec Railway. This transformation culminated in June 2020 when Canadian Pacific Railway was granted approval to acquire and control CMQR.
Ryan began his career in 1994 with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway predecessor, Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe, as a Switchman and through a series of promotions served as Terminal Superintendent before joining the team at RailAmerica in 2007. While at RailAmerica, he led the turnaround of Indiana & Ohio Railway before being promoted to Regional Vice President for the Midwest Region in early 2011. Following the acquisition of RailAmerica by Genesee & Wyoming, Ryan served in a Senior Vice President role until leaving in 2014 and joining CMQR as Chief Operating Officer. Promoted to President & CEO in early 2017, Ryan and his team dedicated themselves to fostering a culture focused on continuous improvement of safety and developing new business while partnering with connecting carriers to optimize routes and service for their customers.
CMQR began operations in June of 2014 and was awarded the 2016 Regional Railroad of the Year by Railway Age Magazine, 2016 ASLRRA Jake with Distinction Award Winner for working injury free in the U.S., and the 2015 Railway Association of Canada Safety Award.
Ryan served as President & CEO of CMQR until June 2020 when Canadian Pacific was granted control of the line. He then created LERN, LLC and advised a broad spectrum of clients who operate, invest or place insurance within the freight rail industry. During 2021, Ryan had the unique privilege to serve on the Board of Iowa Interstate Railroad.
Following the acquisition by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, Ratledge joined Gulf & Atlantic Railways, LLC in April 2022 as President and CEO.