JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hunter Harrison, CEO of transportation titan CSX, has died at the age of 73, the company announced Saturday.
According to CSX, Harrison’s passing was unexpected and resulted from complications related to a recent illness. He was placed on medical leave from the company on Thursday. At the announcement of his leave, shares of CSX (the country’s third-largest railroad corporation) dropped significantly.
Harrison, who has been an employee of CSX since he was 18 (in various roles), took over as CEO in March, 2017.
In regard to the impact on the local community, CSX is one of the largest employers in Richmond County, which operates a rail yard north of Hamlet. Harrison’s roughly 10-month tenure as the leader of the shipping giant was marked with vast changes to the company, bringing both praise and criticism. It is yet to be seen what affects Harrison’s death will have on the Hamlet location, as well as the entire CSX community.
Jim Foote, formerly CSX’s chief operating officer, will take the reigns as acting CEO, according to a statement released by Edward J. Kelly III, the company’s chairman of the board of directors.
CSX has provided rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck services for over 190 years, and has played a pivitol role in the nation’s economic expansion and industrial development. Within CSX’s network are 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ports.
The Richmond Observer will continue to report on updates in Harrison’s death and how it may affect local jobs, industry and economy.
