RailPros, Inc.’s Management Team includes many former railroad employees who have a unique understanding of the way railroads operate. All members of our Management team have vast experience guiding various projects from concept and engineering to construction and operation. Each has considerable experience in managing, designing, and construction projects under active railroad traffic, ensuring minimal disruption of rail service. We are proud to have top railroad talent who contribute extensive experience and add to RailPros’ industry expertise. Our Management Team consists of the following professionals:
Eric Hankinson, PE – President & Co-Founder. Mr. Hankinson has over 21 years of railroad, structural, and civil engineering experience in the design, construction and project management of a wide range of transportation projects including track construction, bridges, grade crossings, grade separations, drainage projects, stations, and other railroad facilities. He has dealt extensively with project stakeholders, resource agencies and host railroads in the planning, design, and construction of various rail projects. He has performed engineering services for several clients including: the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), North County Transit District (NCTD), Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), Caltrans, Amtrak, Swift Transportation, California Commerce Center, the County of Orange, and the cities of San Diego, Del Mar, Oceanside, Santa Ana, and San Gabriel. Mr. Hankinson is managing all of RailPros’ grade crossing improvements-related projects, which involve safety upgrades at 44 crossings in 10 Southern California cities. Mr. Hankinson has been with RailPros, Inc. since it was founded in 2000 and has helped guide and expand the company.
Johnny Johnson, PE – Executive Vice President & Co-Founder. Mr. Johnson has over 30 years of project experience in freight, port, and passenger railroad planning, engineering, construction and maintenance. He has held senior level management positions with freight and passenger railroads and railroad consulting firms. Mr. Johnson has managed numerous planning and design projects, including track design, track upgrades, capacity improvements, and planning studies. Clients include: Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), North County Transit District (NCTD) Amtrak, Caltrans, and the Port of Long Beach. He has numerous contacts throughout the private and public railroad organizations in the US and is an active participant in railroad engineering associations. He understands railroad operations, track construction and maintenance, intermodal terminal issues, and he is an experience track designer. Mr. Johnson’s comprehensive engineering knowledge and Project Management experience make him an integral part of the RailPros team.
Tom Crowell – Vice President. Mr. Crowell has over 27 years of railroad, structural, and civil engineering experience in the design, construction and project management of a wide range of transportation projects including track construction, bridges, grade crossings, grade separations, drainage projects, stations, and other railroad facilities. He has dealt extensively with project stakeholders, resource agencies and host railroads in the planning, design, and construction of various rail projects. Mr. Crowell has been with our company since November 2008 and we are happy to have his expertise on our team.
Chris Mockus – Associate Vice President, Construction Management. Mr. Mockus has over 21 years of construction management and engineering experience. His vast construction management experience includes both managing and processing contract change orders, preparing monthly reports, coordination construction activities, and supervising daily operations on-site. Chris Mockus has comprehensive construction engineering experience with both roadway and structural projects, including bridges, retaining and sound walls, large diameter drainage and sewer systems, asphalt and concrete pavement and subgrade and aggregate base material. He is an expert in rail and transit construction management. Mr. Mockus joined our team in 2011 and has helped tremendously in the expansion of our Construction Management operations.
Mike Izbicki – Associate Vice President, Rail and Transit Systems. Mr. Izbicki has more than 35 years of experience in the passenger and freight, rail, and public transit industries. He specializes in planning, engineering, operations, and live cutovers and construction management services for rail and transit projects. Mr. Izbicki has extensive experience in signal and train control systems and offers expertise in integrated communications systems. Mr. Izbicki has been with our company since 2012 and is expanding our operations to the Systems side of the industry.
Buzz Berger – Northern California Regional Manager. Mr. Berger has over 17 years’ experience in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of rail infrastructure. He understands a wide range of rail engineering challenges, including grade crossings, track, signal, structures, freight and passenger facilities, and third-party projects such as utility installations. He is an expert in project budgets and costs, having a unique understanding of the fundamental economic and competitive considerations that shape the rail industry and its traffic and investment patterns. As a project manager and engineer, Mr. Berger has drawn upon his practical experience to solve complex engineering problems and has led large projects through the conceptualization, scoping, design, and construction phases. Mr. Berger joined our firm in 2012 and has expanded our presence into the Northwestern United States.
Jeff Funk – San Diego Regional Manager. Mr. Funk has over 30 years’ experience in the transit industry, including 16 years with Caltrans. He is an expert in Program Management of transportation projects at various levels of government, including project delivery and funding policies and procedures. With his extensive experience delivering capital projects for state and local transportation agencies, he understands the intricacies of working with state and local transportation agencies. Mr. Funk has been with us since 2012 and has been an integral part of our expanding San Diego operations.
Graham Christie, PE – Senior Project Manager. Mr. Christie has over 17 years of experience in the implementation of railroad improvements. He is keenly aware of the construction staging required to minimize disruption to rail operations, as well as the guidelines set by AREMA. He has acted as extension-of-staff for Metrolink in the capacity of Manager of Construction, project manager for various projects, and participated in Metrolink’s Bridge Inspection Program. He has vast railroad construction and safety knowledge. Mr. Christie has been with RailPros since February 2007 and has aided in the expansion of our construction related activities.
Karen M. Hankinson, PE, TE – Senior Traffic and Civil Engineer. Ms. Hankinson has over 17 years of experience working as both registered Civil Engineer and a registered Traffic Engineer. She has project experience in traffic analysis, traffic control design, and signal design, as well as extensive experience dealing with clients and project stakeholders. She understands the unique issues that occur between railroads and regular traffic, and has developed an expertise of resolving these traffic issues. Ms. Hankinson has recently been a key staff member on the Orange County Quiet Zone Project, the San Diego Quiet Zone Project, and the Empire Boulevard Grade Separation project, overseeing all traffic related design. As both a Traffic and Civil Engineer, she contributes a unique expertise to our design projects. She has been with RailPros since 2006 and has headed all Traffic Engineering efforts.
