CALGARY, AB, Nov. 24, 2021 /CNW/ - Mr. Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer, has been named 2021 CEO of the Year and Strategist of the Year by The Globe and Mail's Report on Business Magazine. A cover profile of Mr. Creel and his leadership at CP will appear in the Nov. 27, 2021 issue.
"It is my honor to accept this award on behalf of the entire CP family of railroaders," said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO. "Leading the dedicated people who make this iconic company run safely and efficiently is one of the great privileges of my life. Tremendous work has been done by many to generate a once-in-a-lifetime partnership with Kansas City Southern."
Mr. Creel became President and CEO of Canadian Pacific on Jan. 31, 2017, and is the 17th person to lead the company since its founding in 1881. He was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer in February 2013 and joined the CP Board of Directors in May 2015.
"Keith is a focused, extraordinary leader with unwavering determination," said Isabelle Courville, Chair, CP Board of Directors. "We are proud to have him leading our iconic Canadian company as we move forward with this historic opportunity to create the only single-line rail network linking the U.S., Mexico and Canada, bringing with it new transportation options that will grow the North American economy."
Before to joining CP, Mr. Creel was Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer at CN. He held various positions at CN, including Executive Vice-President Operations, Senior Vice-President Eastern Region, Senior Vice-President Western Region and Vice-President of the Prairie Division. Mr. Creel began his railroad career at Burlington Northern Railway in 1992 as an Intermodal Ramp Manager in Birmingham, Ala. He also spent part of his career at Grand Trunk Western Railroad as a Superintendent and General Manager, and at Illinois Central Railroad as a Trainmaster and Director of Corridor Operations, prior to its merger with CN in 1999. Mr. Creel holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Jacksonville State University and also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. He has a military background as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, during which time he served in the Persian Gulf War in Saudi Arabia.
The Globe and Mail's Report on Business Magazine named five winning leaders representing the best of corporate leadership, strategy, innovation, vision and responsibility. One leader was recognized as CEO of the Year.