First Black woman appointed to head New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commission
13th June 2022 · 0 Comments
By Ryan Whirty
Contributing Writer
A second-generation railroader has been named to head up a railroad that’s part of the country’s fourth-largest rail gateway.
Tomeka Watson Bryant was tapped by the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commission (NOPB) as the organization’s general manager last month. The appointment of Watson Bryant, who has served with the NOPB for five years in a variety of roles, was effective as of June 1.
With her new position, Watson Bryant becomes the first African-American woman to lead a short-rail line in the nation.
The NOPB is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA).
Brandy D. Christian, the CEO of NOPB and president and CEO of the Port NOLA, said in a statement that Watson Bryant’s leadership abilities and commitment to the rail industry make her an ideal choice for the important position.
“We applaud Tomeka for this well-deserved and historic appointment to lead the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad,” Christian said. “She is a leader who has earned this role for her productivity, innovative business development ideas, and commitment to safe operations.”
In her new role, Watson Bryant follows M.D. “Mike” Stolzman, who was promoted to chief operating officer of the Port NOLA as part of a port-wide reorganization that strengthens the synergies between the Port NOLA and NOPB and assists shippers by providing seamless, multi-modal solutions to shipping challenges and developments.
Watson Bryant told The Louisiana Weekly that she is thrilled to receive her appointment and to continue her work with NOPB and Port NOLA.
“I am honored that Mike and Brandy thought I would be a good general manager,” she said. “I’m really excited to lead the company forward to find new customers and better align the NOPB with the Port Authority.”
NOPB is a Class III railroad on the nation’s fourth largest rail gateway, and it connects with six Class I railroads and serves Port NOLA and local industry, making the organization a vital facet of New Orleans’ historical and current status as one of the United States’ most important shipping and commerce centers.
Railroading runs in the family for Watson Bryant. Her father worked for CSX for 41 years on the signals and communications, and retired as assistant division engineer for the firm’s Atlanta division.
Watson Bryant comes to her new position with a wealth of experience in the railroad industry herself in both the operations and commercial sectors. Over her five-year stint with NOPB, she has overseen business development and customer service as sales and marketing manager and guided a successful safety program.
Watson Bryant’s resume also includes Class I railroad experience; her career began as a trainmaster for both CSX and NOPB.
Because of her status as the first Black woman in the country to lead a short-line railroad, Watson Bryant hopes to be a role model to girls and young women who aspire to careers in an industry that many people view as traditionally dominated by males.
“I want to let little girls see a different side to the railroad industry,” she said. “I hope to be an inspiration for future generations of girls. I have a little girl myself, and I’m honored to be a role model for little girls.”
This article originally published in the June 13, 2022 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
