When: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 @ 12:00pm / Noon CT
Where: Metra Board Room, Metra Headquarters - 13th Floor
547 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60661 (SW corner of Clinton & Jackson)
The presentation will be held in the Metra Board of Director’s Room, 13th Floor, 547 W. Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Presentations begin at Noon. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. Wrap-up is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Please bring your own lunch. Water and soft drinks will be provided.
FOR SECURITY AND ADMITTANCE PURPOSES PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THIS EVENT
Advance Registration Required - A government issued ID required to gain access to Metra Headquarters
Remote attendance also available (please register at the link)
Speaker Bios:
Kevin McCann became Metra’s Chief Operating Officer in July 2021. As COO, he leads all aspects of commuter railroad operations: Transportation, Mechanical, Engineering, Positive Train Control, Safety, Rules, Regulatory Compliance, Environmental Compliance, Operations Training, T&E Training and Certification.
Mr. McCann had previously served as Metra’s Chief Mechanical Officer, starting in January 2018. As Chief Mechanical Officer, Mr. McCann oversaw all activities of Metra's Mechanical Department, including field operations, shop operations, engineering and planning, asset management, reliability-centered maintenance, and state of good repair. He ensured that inspections, maintenance, repairs, and overhaul of Metra’s rolling stock was completed in a safe, efficient manner and in accordance with federal regulations, APTA guidelines and industry standards.
He was responsible for the development and integration of Mechanical Capital Projects and assisted with the development of long-range plans and projections for rolling stock composition, maintenance facilities and coach yards.
Mike Noland was appointed President of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, d/b/a the South Shore Line, by its Board of Trustees in October 2014. Noland came to the South Shore Line with over three decades in the railroad industry. Prior to joining the South Shore Line, he worked for 28 years at Metra in Chicago, Illinois. While at Metra, he moved to positions of increased responsibility and served as Chief Human Resources Officer, General Counsel, and Deputy Executive Director. Immediately prior to joining the South Shore Line, Noland worked as an executive with a private sector railroad holding company located in Chicago, Illinois with rail operations in 9 states and the United Kingdom.
In his role as President, Noland serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the railroad responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the South Shore Line, which runs on a 90-mile route from South Bend, Indiana to Millennium Station in Chicago, Illinois. The South Shore Line is an example of a true Public/Private partnership, hosting a private sector freight rail carrier serving business and industry in Northwest Indiana.
Noland leads a team of dedicated railroaders who are committed to providing safe, reliable, comfortable and convenient commuter rail service. Noland is leading the railroad through two federal Capital Investment Grant projects, the $944 million West Lake Corridor project which is expanding rail service into western Lake County, Indiana along the former Monon Railroad Line and the $650 million Double Track Northwest Indiana project, which adds 18 miles of second track, improves 5 stations, constructs 4 new bridges and enhances service on a 26-mile segment of the existing South Shore Line Corridor from Gary to Michigan City. Once completed, these projects are designed to unlock the true potential of Northwest Indiana by taking full advantage of the region’s proximity to Chicago.
Noland currently resides in Long Beach, Indiana with his wife Carrie, and holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor from University of Illinois, Chicago Law School.
Scott Schiemann was appointed Metra’s Chief Engineering Officer in March 2024. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the work of Metra’s Engineering Department. The department oversees maintenance and construction of Metra track, signal, bridges, electrical, telecommunications, stations, and facilities infrastructure.
Mr. Schiemann brings 15 years of railroad experience to Metra and most recently served as the Chief Engineer at the Belt Railway Company of Chicago.
He has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Science degree in Infrastructure Management from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He was recognized by Progressive Railroading magazine in 2019 as one of the rail industry’s rising stars.
Mr. Schiemann also served in the U.S. Air Force. He currently resides in Riverside with his wife and two children.