OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has named D. Lynn Kelley vice president – Continuous Improvement effective July 1.
She succeeds Richard R. McClish, who is retiring, and will report to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Young.
“Lynn brings process improvement expertise that should create new ways for Union Pacific to deliver safety, service and efficiency to our operations, which will translate into providing even greater value to our customers,” Young said. “Her breadth of experience gained working in diversified business groups will bring new perspectives to the railroad.”
Kelley will be responsible for Union Pacific’s continuous improvement, industrial engineering and quality processes. She joins the railroad from Textron Inc., where she served as vice president – Operational Excellence, overseeing the company’s engineering, operations, procurement, quality and continuous improvement councils. Kelley previously was vice president – Quality and Textron Six Sigma, was a member of Textron’s executive leadership team and a corporate officer. She earned a Ph.D. from Wayne State University, an M.B.A. fromMichigan State University‘s Executive MBA Program, and a B.B.A., Business Management from the University of Detroit-Mercy. Kelley published books in the fields of statistics and operational excellence.
McClish joined Union Pacific in 2004 from R.R. Donnelly & Sons, where he served as chief process officer and interim chief information officer. His career also included senior management positions at General Electric Plastics.
“Dick developed a platform and process that spurred continuous improvement across our entire rail network,” Young said. “His focus on process improvement and lean management were critical contributions to Union Pacific’s success. We wish him well in his retirement.”
