The Red River Valley & Western (RRVW) has appointed Andrew J. Thompson to the newly created post of senior vice president and general manager of the 517-mile regional railroad, effective March 1.

Based at Wahpeton, ND and reporting to William F. Drusch, President, Thompson will oversee RRVW's day-to-day activities including Transportation, Marketing, Engineering and Administration.

Thompson joins RRVW with 27 years of railroad experience, most recently as vice president Packaged Commodities for BNSF Railway.

He began his railroad career in 1968 as a switchman and yardmaster for Burlington Northern at Seattle, WA.

In 1974, he transferred to St. Paul, MN as a management trainee, subsequently advancing to assistant trainmaster at Lincoln, NE, trainmaster at Helena, MT, and assistant superintendent, superintendent and president of the Lake Superior Terminal at Superior, WI.

He became division superintendent at Springfield, MO in 1982 and was assistant general manager at Springfield from 1983 until 1987, when he was promoted to assistant vice president Transportation at Overland Park, KS.

Thompson became division general manager at Fort Worth, TX in 1988.

Transferring to the Marketing Department in 1992 as vice president Aluminum, Non-Ferrous Metals & Ores, he was named general manager Merchandise Operations in 1994 and vice president Packaged Commodities in 1995.

Prior to joining the RRVW, Mr. Thompson raised and trained horses competing in jumping cross-country and stadium courses, and dressage in the United States and Canada.

Thompson has a BA in Business from the University of Washington, Seattle.

The Red River Valley & Western started in July 1987 over track acquired from BNSF in central and southeastern North Dakota and western Minnesota and was recently selected by Railway Age magazine as "2005 Regional Railroad of the Year."