Derek Bell
Herzog Railroad Services, Inc. – Vice President of Operations
In January 2023, Derek joined Herzog and is now the Vice President of Business Operations. In this role, he oversees railcar facilities, warehouses, procurement, quality, and safety.
Derek Bell began his career in construction, working with GM, Ford, and Chrysler. He spent eight years at the Kansas City Assembly Plant (Ford Motor Company), focusing on operations and overseeing construction at the largest assembly plant in North America.
In 2008, Derek transitioned to the utility industry, joining Kansas City Power and Light, which later became Evergy. With executive oversight in the utility sector, Derek managed generation, distribution, and transmission systems. His responsibilities included supervising 28 power plants and 65 service centers across the transmission and distribution divisions.
Derek holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State and a master’s degree in Industrial Management from the University of Central Missouri. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America (Heart of America) and the National Institute of Construction Excellence (NICE). Additionally, Derek is certified as an Associate Safety Professional (ASP) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
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