BNSF's David Smith Awarded 2014 Professional Environmental Excellence Award
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recently awarded the 2014 Professional Environmental Excellence Award, which is the highest honor for environmental professionals in the railroad industry, to BNSF Railway Manager of Environmental Remediation David Smith.
The award, which recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding performance in environmental awareness and responsibility during the year, was presented at the annual Railroad Environmental Conference at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
"Environmental stewardship is a key foundation of the rail industry and the Professional Environmental Excellence Award showcases those dedicated professionals who advance technologies and practices in this important area," said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “Employees like David, who are committed to greener and cleaner technologies and more efficient operating practices, will ensure our environment is preserved and protected in the years ahead.”
After 38 years in the industry, Smith has continued to exhibit a high degree of environmental awareness through exemplary work performance.
Smith started his railroad career sweeping snow from switches in a Burlington Northern Railroad rail yard during the winters in Nebraska. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science and Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During his railroad career, Smith has worn many hats and held a variety of positions; a Manager of Environmental Remediation at BNSF today, he manages environmental remediation projects at a variety of sites. After recently completing a successful project remediating portions of the Whitefish River, Smith led an effort to get a segment of BNSF land adjacent to the Whitefish River donated to the City of Whitefish, Montana for use as a park, called “Whitefish Landing”.
Smith was one of five railroad industry professionals nominated for the 2014 Professional Environmental Excellence Award.
