|
|
|
Locals,
Greg Peterson
John Marshall
Engineer lives every child's
dream
Riding the Rails
John Marshall is enjoying his ride as the top (civil) engineer of the
LS&I Railroad, but is preparing for change as the iron ore and steel
industry navigates downsizing caused by foreign imports.
Like a big kid standing over the best sand-box and wading
pool in town, Marshall brims with pride after three decades playing
the mining game with giant trucks, long trains and mighty ore boats.
All Aboard the Dream Train
Many kids dream of riding the rails, but Marshall is living that dream.
He's among the lucky who played with model railroads in childhood and
turned that fun into a profession.
For nearly nine years, Marshall has been the president of
the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS&I) that's a wholly
owned subsidiary of primary customer Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
He spent the previous 18 years in various CCI management
jobs at the Republic, Tilden and Empire iron ore mines. The jobs included
general superintendent at the Empire and Tilden mines.
Despite tariffs on imported steel recently enacted by President
Bush, CCI President John Brinzo expects more pain for the steelworkers
on the Marquette Iron Range. Cheap steel imports are being blamed for
the economic slow down in the American steel industry.
The LS&I Railroad uses highly-trained crews and ore
cars to haul iron ore pellets from the mines to the Presque Isle Harbor
ore dock. LS&I has 50 miles of track, 16 locomotives, and about
1,200 ore cars, that can each hold nearly 70 tons of ore.
Pellet Pain and the Train
The main ingredient in steel, iron ore pellets produced in Marquette
County end up in cars and skyscrapers. But the future of the Marquette
Iron Range will depend on CCI's ability to cut costs. The Empire Mine
recently reopened after a five month shutdown, but production has been
cut in half.
When asked if he'll retire as head of the railroad when
he reaches 65 in 2010, Marshall answered honestly: "I don't know."
CCI could dig many more years of iron ore from mineral deposits
deep inside Marquette County's slice of Earth. But, it will likely mean
combining the Tilden and Empire mines, and the LS&I Railroad.
"A lot of it is going to depend on what happens in the iron and
steel industry," Marshall said. "And what happens with Cleveland-Cliffs
and the mines."
"I'm optimistic," Marshall said. "This is
the first time I've seen some optimism that the tariffs are going to
help the steel industry get reorganized and give us some breathing room."
CCI President John Brinzo has said more industry wide lay-offs
are possible, and the consolidation of the mines and related operations
is being considered.
"As the steel industry goes ahead and reconstitutes
itself there's going to be more pain, there's going to be some more
reductions," Marshall said, quoting and agreeing with Brinzo. "How
that will all play out now, it's hard to tell."
Economic Derailment Hurts
You won't find many people who love their job as much as Marshall, however,
recent lay-offs at LS&I and the mines have removed some of the luster.
"I'd have to say the past year and a half has not been
as fun, as it was a number of years ago, when things in the mining and
steel industry were running an awful lot better," Marshall said.
"It's not easy to lay people off, all of whom you know."
"But by the same token, you have to keep your company
competitive to protect the remaining jobs," Marshall said.
Last fall, LS&I laid off about 20 employees bringing
total employment to about 140.
By Rail—Ore Boats
The Presque Isle ore dock will remain an economic main stay and a tourist
attraction for decades to come, Marshall hopes.
CCI plans to ship out 6.5 million tons of iron ore from
the ore dock during 2002, with about 600 thousand tons coming from the
Empire Mine and the rest from the Tilden Mine.
About 1.5 million tons of iron ore pellets are annually
shipped "all rail" to buyers, Marshall said..
The Empire is expected to produce about 3.2 million tons
(half production) during 2002; and the Tilden is expected to produce
7.2 million tons of pellets this year. Both mines also have stock piles
of ore.
Marshall believes the ore dock will remain open as long
as the iron ore mines remain in business.
"The best way for everybody is boat," Marshall
said. "An all rail move can be more expensive than a rail-boat
move."
Just Train Talk
A self-described "people person," Marshall doesn't run the
railroad from behind his busy desk. He invites visitors and employees
to sit at a conference table in his office.
"I guess I think of myself as being a consensus manager,"
Marshall said. "I try to take a lot of input from the people who
work for me because I think they know their jobs."
"I have four very good department heads who run various
parts of the operation," Marshall said. "They are so good
they allow me the extra time to do some of the community things that
I do."
Marshall's door is open because "I enjoy working with
people."
"Most of my career I have been more of a people engineer
than I've been a true engineer," Marshall said.
Marshall says he relies on the "opinions and input"
of the railroading experts at LS&I because he transferred from a
mining background.
Getting on the Right Track
When Gary Bantle retired as head of the LS&I Railroad in the summer
of 1993, Marshall took to heart the phrase: "All Aboard."
The offer to run a railroad came during a conversation with his then
boss Bob Berglund, general manager of the Tilden Mine:
"I said ‘Sure I've always been interested in railroading.'
And here I am," Marshall said. "It's been fun. Who wouldn't
like operating railroad trains, although I don't operate them myself."
"I have a lot of capable people that do operate them
and maintain them and maintain the dock and track."
Like a rail-jumping, well-dressed hobo soaking up the prairie
on a warm summer night, Marshall likes the independence of running a
railroad.
"There's something to be said for having your boss 650 miles away
instead of 24 feet down the hall," said Marshall, who now reports
to CCI Executive Vice President-Commercial Bill Calfee in Cleveland
rather than a boss at one of the mines.
"Bill Calfee is my boss, but also a friend and gives
me a lot of freedom to make decisions," Marshall said.
Marshall spent a lot of time getting to know the railroad
when he first took the job, and still gets out to inspect the operation
once or twice a week.
Marshall says his mining background made him a natural to
run the railroad, but he depends on longtime railroaders to give him
advice to keep everything on track.
While attending Michigan Tech University, Marshall originally planned
to get into the private construction business in Vietnam, which was
upgrading its infrastructure during the war.
However, getting married and the U.S. mining boom caused
Marshall to take his first job in 1968 at the Kennecott Copper mines
in Salt Lake City, Utah.
"You can use your engineering (degree) in a lot of
areas," Marshall said.
Roots Deep as an Ore Deposit
Born in Houghton in 1945, Marshall married his high school sweetheart.
Donna Marshall is an assistant professor in the Northern Michigan University
nursing department.
The couple has one daughter, Jennifer, of St. Louis; and
two grandchildren, Spencer, 4, and Meghan, nine months.
Marshall graduated in 1963 from then Graveraet High School
in Marquette, and in 1968 from Michigan Tech University with a degree
in civil engineering, and in 1982 from the Harvard Business School Program
for management development.
Ahoy to a Hometown Boy
When Marshall isn't volunteering at a host of business organizations,
he'd rather be on the water
"I live on Lake Superior and so I do a little boating,"
Marshall said with a grin and a gleam. "In the summer time I go
canoeing. I have got a 19-foot jet boat. So we do some boating.
"I've got some friends with boats," Capt' Marshall
said. "One of them (Tom Krieg) has got a sail boat. One of them
(Dean Krieg) has a fairly significant motor yacht that I get to crew
on. I like to do a little sailing with both."
Marshall has been aboard several ore boats, including visits
for the annual ceremony honoring the first ore boat of each new shipping
season.
Ironically, Marshall still hasn't taken a ride on an ore
boat, but will likely find the time this summer.
"I have had offers to ride on an ore boat," Marshall
said. "But I haven't been able to take them up on it. I intend
to do that, maybe this summer. It would be fun to take a trip on an
ore boat."
Marshall also finds time to jog, walk in the woods, and do a little
fishing.
"I do some running to keep my pot belly off,"
Marshall joked.
"I usually Lake Trout fish two or three times a summer
with somebody who has a fishing boat," Marshall said.
Marshall says he used to hunt, and may take it up again
when he retires.
Marquette–a Safe Harbor
Many Yoopers say they love it here because of the low crime, great schools,
and its nearly pollution-free outdoors. Those quality of life issues
are among the reasons Marshall likes living and working in Marquette.
"I enjoy Marquette," Marshall said. "I just
think Marquette is a great place to live. The Upper Peninsula is a great
place to live."
"I graduated from high school here," Marshall
said. "I have a lot of friends still here and I have made a lot
of friends here."
Keeping on a Business Track
Marshall is proud of his efforts to help the U.P. keep and attract new
businesses.
He's co-chair of Operation Action U.P., co-vice chair of the Lake Superior
Community Partnership (formerly the chamber of commerce).
Other community service positions include co-chair of leadership
giving with Marquette County United Way; Marquette Noon Kiwanis Club
member, Marquette Ambassadors member, several positions and past president
of the MTU Alumni Association, and NMU Golden Wildcat Club member.
He's also a past board member of the Hiawathaland Council of the Boy
Scouts of America.
"The Lake Superior Community Partnership, to me, is
important," Marshall said. "It's not going to get any more
customers for the LS&I Railroad but I think it's good for the area
to look at economic development beyond the mines."
The redevelopment of K.I. Sawyer since closing seven years
ago is a good example of what Marquette County, state and federal officials
and business leaders can do.
Sawyer is "way ahead of a lot of other people"
who have taken over former air force bases, Marshall said.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
Whether Marshall retires soon or in 8 years, it's going to be in Marquette.
His "retirement home" on Lake Superior is "a camp and
home rolled into one."
Gulf Shores, Louisiana, is the home of "a couple of
condominiums" owned by Marshall and his brother-in-law. For ten
years the condos have been rented to tourists but will be a good place
to visit upon retirement, Marshall said.
"We'll probably spend some time there and some time
traveling," Marshall said.
—Greg Peterson
|
