UP taps Richardson as interim EVP, chief legal officer

Union Pacific Railroad last week named Craig Richardson interim executive vice president and chief legal officer.

Richardson is responsible for overseeing legal affairs, including commercial transactions and litigation, regulatory matters, labor and employment. He also supervises UP's compliance and ethics program, as well as risk management initiatives, including UP's police department.

Most recently, Richardson was VP of commercial and regulatory law. He succeeds Rhonda Ferguson, who was EVP, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Ferguson, who had served UP since 2016, left the company to become EVP and general counsel at The Allstate Corp.

UP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz thanked Ferguson for her service.

"She has been a terrific partner and counselor during a significant time of transportation across our company," Fritz said in a press release. "Her leadership, wisdom and insight will be missed."

In his nearly five years at the railroad, Richardson also held the position of associate general counsel. He will be interim chief legal officer while UP conducts a search to identify Ferguson's permanent successor.