Norfolk Southern revealed on Wednesday that CEO Alan Shaw has been dismissed from his position due to engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. Shaw’s termination follows a challenging two-year tenure as CEO and comes shortly after the company’s board launched an investigation into alleged ethical misconduct.
The Atlanta-based railroad disclosed that Shaw had an inappropriate consensual relationship with the Norfolk Southern’s chief legal officer, who was also fired as a result. In response to these developments, Norfolk Southern has appointed Chief Financial Officer Mark George as the new CEO of the railroad.
Shaw was at the helm of Norfolk Southern in February 2023 when a train under its operation derailed, resulting in the spillage of hazardous chemicals and a subsequent fire in East Palestine, Ohio, marking the most severe railroad incident in the past decade. Furthermore, activist investor Ancora Holdings attempted earlier this year to seize control of the railroad and remove Shaw from his leadership position.
