Introduction
The story of Claude Edward Elkins Jr. is one of slow, upward climb, character and service. He went from working in the operational rail ranks into one of the upper executive positions at a leading U.S. freight railroad. His life provides a primer in resilience, career ascent and leadership grounded in experience.
In this article, we are going to reflect on his early life, education, military career and service as well as his accomplishments and legacy.
Early Life & Background
We don’t have much in the way of details about his early years just yet, but we do know that Claude Edward Elkins Jr. was born in southwest Virginia. His upbringing in a rail-ridden region imparted to him the values of labour, discipline and persistence.
He brings the “Jr.” suffix (which makes clear he was named after his father), and with it, a suggestion of an unbroken line from one’s family heritage to its values. Those early years spent in that dense environment must have influenced his career decisions.
Military Service
Claude Edward Elkins Jr was in the United States Marines before working for the rail. The discipline and leadership training he received, as well as the strong sense of duty that service instilled in him, would prove to be vital assets when it came time for Davis to leave the world of the military behind and enter corporate America.
Entering the Railroad Industry
Claude Edward Elkins, Jr., was employed in 1988 by NorfolkSouthernCorporation as a road brakeman. Starting from that entry-level job, he served as a conductor, a locomotive engineer and a relief yardmaster — garnering experience of how the railroad operates where the rubber meets the road.
That operational experience would also become fundamental to his style of leadership: He gets the work at the ground level and can apply it to strategic decisions.
Climbing the Ladder: From Operations to Marketing
After years of operations, Claude Edward Elkins Jr. took a much more strategic turn toward the commercial side of railroading to arrive at his current position. In 2016 he was appointed Group Vice President, Chemicals Marketing and in 2018 he served as the Vice President, Industrial Products.
He had spent nearly two decades honing his expertise in intermodal marketing — the process of shipping goods by rail, truck and ship, a complicated but crucial part of modern supply chains. He distinguished himself for his ability to wed operational acumen with customer-centric business smarts.
Executive Leadership Role
Claude Edward Elkins Jr. was named Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer of Norfolk Southern in December 2021. In his position, he manages the largest business units: Intermodal, Automotive and Industrial Products, Real Estate and Industrial Development and Short Line Marketing as well as Field Sales and Customer Logistics.
Under his leadership, the company has underscored its customer-focused network of more than seven million carloads moved annually and serving a diverse base of manufacturing. The perspective he gains from the fact his career started in operations and evolved to executive allows him to connect the “shop floor” to commercial strategy.
Education & Professional Development
Claude Edward Elkins Jr earned his Bachelor of Arts in English at the UniversityofVirginia’sCollegeatWise and continued on to receive an MBA from OldDominionUniversity with a concentration in Port & Maritime Economics. This is the combination of liberal arts (English) and business/economics education dovetailing that defines his approach: strong communication/stories +commercial understanding.
Leadership Style, Values & Impact
Grounded in Experience
Having started his career in operations, Claude Edward Elkins Jr. has credibility with employees at that level and everywhere else. He has a sense of what it is to work on the ground. This provides him empathy and a reality view when he makes strategic decisions.
Customer-Focused & Forward-Looking
He assists the company in marketing and commercial leadership to address changing supply-chain requirements, intermodal patterns, and customer needs. Underpinning his leadership is acknowledging operations in light of the market.
Commitment to Community & Industry
In addition to his corporate duties, Elkins sits on several boards including being vice chairman of the GeorgiaChamberofCommerce, director at the EastLakeFoundation, an officer at both NationalAssociationofManufacturers and The TTXCompany. This suggests he values leadership for its own sake — in civic involvement and industrial stewardship.
Challenges & Industry Context
Freight railroads are exposed to economic cycles, regulation, supply-chain volatility and competition from trucks and ships. Claude Edward Elkins Jr., as Chief Commercial Officer, faces customer anxieties during shortages of goods, shifting patterns in trade and changing need for logistics.
His operations and marketing back continues to prep him for the details as well as the strategy needed to overcome these.
Legacy and What We Can Learn
A Career Path Built on Experience
The career trajectory of Claude Edward Elkins Jr. — who started his professional life as an entry-level railman and climbed the ladder to C-suite leadership — provides a lesson in the power of beginning in operations, following with experience from the ground up and moving into higher levels of management. It’s a model for career advancement based on depth, not just title.
Leadership by Example
He shows that leadership is not just about the top, but it’s about knowing the work, and supporting people and aligning commercial success with operational integrity.
Value of Education + Experience
That combination of academic and “boots on the ground” experience — coupled with his higher educational background in both English and MBA study — underscores the benefit of cross-training intellectual rigor alongside practical application. Soft skills are as important as technical skills.
Community & Heart
“I hope my work on community and industry boards demonstrates that personal success is not sufficient — everyone wins when most of us can succeed.” It comes with responsibility toward contributing. In doing so, Claude Edward Elkins Jr., underscores the “service” part of leadership.
Inspiring Future Generations
For younger athletes, the story is straightforward: value the work, learn the business from the ground up and continue to be disciplined — always with growth in view. The name may be legacy, but the accomplishments are earned.
Timeline of Key Milestones
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Late 1980s: Joined Norfolk Southern as road brakeman (1988)
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Served as conductor, locomotive engineer, yardmaster — gaining operational experience
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Entered intermodal marketing/business side (two decades)
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2016: Named Group Vice President – Chemicals Marketing
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2018: Promoted to Vice President – Industrial Products
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December 2021: Appointed Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer
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Current: Serves on boards of Georgia Chamber, East Lake Foundation, NAM, TTX Company
Final Thoughts
Claude Edward Elkins Jr. embodies a story of steady progress, grounded experience, and leadership that marries operational know-how with strategic vision. He shows that leadership is not about shortcuts — it’s about path, discipline, learning, and service.
In a world full of fast-tracked careers, his journey reminds us that foundational experience still matters. It reminds companies that understanding the business from the ground upward builds better strategy. And it reminds individuals that growth rarely happens overnight, but through years of consistent effort and purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is Claude Edward Elkins Jr.?
He is an American business executive, currently the Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer of Norfolk Southern Corporation.
Q2: What is his career background?
He began as a road brakeman for Norfolk Southern in 1988. He advanced through conductor, engineer, yardmaster roles, then moved into marketing and commercial leadership, culminating in his current executive role.
Q3: What education does he hold?
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and an MBA from Old Dominion University focusing on Port & Maritime Economics.
Q4: What does his current role involve?
As EVP & Chief Commercial Officer, he leads business divisions including intermodal, automotive, industrial products, real estate, industrial development, short line marketing, field sales, and customer logistics at Norfolk Southern.
Q5: What are some leadership qualities he is known for?
He is known for combining operational experience with business acumen, staying customer-focused, engaging with community and industry-level boards, and maintaining a grounded leadership style.
Q6: How can his career inspire others?
His path shows that starting in the trenches, building expertise, staying disciplined, and aligning operations with strategy can lead to top leadership roles. It’s a model of growth built on substance, not shortcuts.
