Karl Swinford
About Karl Swinford
Karl Swinford is the Rail Freight Leader at ExxonMobil, with extensive experience in logistics and rail transportation management.
Title and Current Position
Karl Swinford holds the position of Rail Freight Leader at ExxonMobil. Based in Houston, Texas, he has been with the company since 2024. In this role, he oversees the strategic leadership of global rail freight operations, focusing on spend and strategy. His responsibilities include collaborating across value chains to drive cost management and ensure quality standards in rail freight operations.
Previous Experience at WIN Waste Innovations
Before joining ExxonMobil, Karl Swinford served as Vice President Logistics at WIN Waste Innovations. Located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he held this role from 2020 to 2023. During his tenure, he managed logistics operations and was instrumental in driving the company’s logistics strategy forward.
Experience at Schlumberger
Karl Swinford also worked at Schlumberger, a prominent oilfield services company, as North American Rail Transportation Manager. From 2016 to 2020, based in the Houston, Texas area, he was responsible for managing rail transportation across North America. His role involved the coordination of rail logistics and ensuring efficient transportation solutions.
Roles at BNSF Railway
Karl Swinford's career at BNSF Railway spanned multiple leadership roles. From 2012 to 2016, he served as Manager of Corridor Operations and Manager of Rail Equipment and Planning in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. Before these roles, from 2008 to 2012, he was Manager of Terminal Operations - (Train Master) in the Richland/Kennewick/Pasco, Washington Area.
Educational Background
Karl Swinford completed his Executive MBA at Duke University – The Fuqua School of Business from 2022 to 2024. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Business Administration and Management, General, from Southwest Baptist University, where he studied from 2003 to 2007. His education has provided a solid foundation for his extensive experience in managing both union and non-union workgroups, focusing on performance, safety, and cost metrics.