Mike Cory Biography

Mike Cory

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Mike Cory is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing CSX’s operations strategy and coordinating all aspects of the company’s Transportation, Mechanical and Engineering department performance. Cory joined the company in September 2023 after a 39-year career with the Canadian National Railway, where he contributed to establishing scheduled railroading as a transformative operating model for the rail industry.

Cory served as CN’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from 2016 to 2019, during which time he managed rapid volume growth and oversaw the completion of 49 capital projects. After leaving the company in 2019, he consulted with a diverse range of firms on transportation and logistics issues. In 2021, he served as president of Pacific National, Australia’s largest private railroad.

Cory joined the CN in 1981 as a laborer in the Mechanical Department and rose steadily through positions of increasing responsibility. After completing the company’s operations leadership development course, he served in a series of front-line supervisory roles before being named project manager for implementing a new operating system in Western Canada. He also served in marketing positions, working with customers to improve fleet utilization. In 2009, Cory was appointed Senior Vice President of the Western Region, where he developed and implemented many tools and processes that have become industry best practices. Also during this time, he led three national labor negotiations with the union representing engineers and conductors.

Cory has completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

CSX Management Team