Patriot Rail Appoints Josie Curtis: HR Strategy Boosts Growth

Patriot Rail appoints Josie Curtis as VP of People Strategy, leveraging her experience to manage workforce growth and ensure operational excellence.

January 23, 2026 7:39 pm

🛑 Key Takeaways:

Patriot Rail has appointed Josie Curtis as Vice President of People Strategy to manage its workforce during a growth phase.
Curtis previously managed HR operations for over 1,400 employees across 23 states at R. J. Corman Railroad Group.
The hire signals a strategic focus on talent acquisition, compliance, and employee relations to support the operator’s expansion.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Patriot Rail Co. has hired Josie Curtis as its new Vice President of People Strategy, bringing in an executive with nearly two decades of industry experience to oversee human resources as the short-line and regional railroad operator expands. Curtis joins from R. J. Corman Railroad Group, where she held senior HR leadership positions.

Category	Specification / Detail
Company	Patriot Rail Co.
New Appointee	Josie Curtis
Position	Vice President of People Strategy
Previous Employer	R. J. Corman Railroad Group
Prior Role Scale	Oversaw HR for 1,400+ employees across 23 states
Core Mandate	Lead talent acquisition, development, employee relations, compliance, and performance management

Operational & Technical Details

In her new role, Curtis’s responsibilities are comprehensive. She will lead Patriot Rail’s entire people strategy. This includes direct oversight of talent acquisition and development programs. Her mandate also covers employee relations, regulatory compliance, and compensation structures. Additionally, she will manage benefits administration and company-wide performance management systems. Her prior experience involved managing these functions for over a dozen subsidiaries in a highly regulated, safety-sensitive environment.

Market Impact Analysis

This appointment indicates Patriot Rail is proactively building the corporate infrastructure needed to support sustained growth. By hiring an HR leader with experience managing a large, geographically dispersed workforce in the rail sector, the company aims to mitigate risks associated with expansion. This includes ensuring a stable, engaged workforce, maintaining a strong safety culture, and navigating complex state and federal labor regulations. The move strengthens the company’s operational backbone, positioning it to scale effectively without compromising on compliance or employee standards.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What is the strategic significance of this hire?

The appointment of an experienced HR executive is intended to support Patriot Rail’s growth by strengthening its workforce management, talent acquisition, and corporate culture, ensuring operational stability during expansion.

What was Josie Curtis’s previous management scale?

In a prior role at R. J. Corman Railroad Group, Curtis oversaw HR operations for more than 1,400 employees distributed across 23 states and over a dozen subsidiary companies.