Claude Edward Elkins Jr.: The Man Behind Norfolk Southern's Success

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. is one of the very few personalities that inspired the local businesses. He came from a peasant’s family, struggled to find his way to higher studies, later worked at Norfolk Southern, and moved from a railroad entrepreneur to a full-time marketer and philanthropist.

If you want to learn from the living personalities and their struggle to build a career from scratch, then you should investigate the life of Claude Edward Elkins Jr.

Here is everything about Claude Edward Elkins Jr.’s life, career, success, and impression on the business world.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr.:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. was born in Southwest Virginia. His parents were peasants in Virginia. Claude’s family migrated from the U.K.

He studied at the Multiple Insitutions:

University of Virginia’s College at Wise
Old Dominion University
Harvard Business School, UVA Darden, and the University of Tennessee Supply Chain Institute.

His education helped him learn marketing, management, and business studies. Claude Edward adopted the principles of hard work, discipline, and self-awareness. He studied for a Bachelor of Arts to complete graduation.

After that, Claude Edward Elkins Jr. decided to complete an MBA in learning marketing and business management. He also learned leadership skills at Harvard.

He holds multiple degrees and master’s. He completed a B.A., an M.B.A., and a management certification.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. Career:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. started his career in 1988. He joined Norfolk Southern and started his professional career as a conductor.

His leadership skills and business mindset helped him to grow. He became the Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Norfolk Southern.

He spent 30 years of his life working for Norfolk Southern. He established a million-dollar career. Caulde also made significant contributions to society.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. and Norfolk Southern:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. began his career with Norfolk Southern. He worked as a road brakeman. Within 30 years he rose to the position of Executive VP & Chief Commercial Officer.

He is still working with Norfolk Southern.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. explains that his career at Norfolk Southern helped him explore leadership skills. He put everything into Norfolk Southern to make it big in the industry.

He worked in multiple positions, such as conductor, locomotive engineer, and yardmaster. He can spend as much time as he wants at Norfolk Southern.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr.’s career also helped him earn more than a million-dollar fortune.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. Leadership:

At Norfolk Southern, Claude Edward Elkins Jr. displayed excellent leadership skills. Under his command, the Norfolk Southern expanded its business throughout the U.S.A.

Norfolk Southern Corp is worth more than $73.45 billion. It is expected that Union Pacific will spend $85 billion to acquire Norfolk Southern.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. and Marketing:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. adopted modern marketing strategies. He hired a team of professional marketers to build trust and increase the number of clients for Norfolk Southern.

Claude’s marketing strategies include print media, social media marketing, SEO, digital marketing, pull marketing, AI automations, deep analysis, and growth hacking.

Claude Edward Elkins focused more on building trust and relationships with the customers. He used competitive strategies to outsmart competitors.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. is the acting EVP and CCO at Norfolk Southern.

As Norfolk Southern expects a merger with Union Pacific, it is possible that Claude will retain his role or move to a new business.

It was Claude’s efforts that listed Norfolk Southern as a Fortune 500 company.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. Net Worth:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr.’s estimated net worth is $10 million. It could have been more, but he has spent a lot of money on charity and donations.

Claude’s net worth also comes from the multiple social and business ventures.

He also gets paid to speak at events. His inspiring story and motivational notes attract the audience.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr.’s Philanthropy Work:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. worked as a businessman and empowered communities.

He helped multiple organizations to gain traction and funds.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. funded the following institutions:

The TTX company
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce
The East Lake Foundation
The National Association

Claude Edward Elkins Jr.’s Legacy:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. displayed remarkable skills throughout his career.

He also displayed how sticking to one company can help you grow faster than switching to multiple organizations.

His loyalty to Norfolk Southern not only helped me reach the top position but also helped the business to grow faster.

What Should Marketers Learn from Claude Edward Elkins Jr.?

A marketer should learn how automation, the latest technologies, and a scientific approach change the future of a business.

Claude Edward Elkins Jr. also explains the power of strong relationships with clients and customers.

He treats both B2B and B2C with transparency. Claude’s business success also forces you to learn business, management, and marketing.

Conclusion:

Claude Edward Elkins Jr.’s life is an example of how hard work and dedication return big favors. He became the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Norfolk Southern due to his loyalty, leadership, marketing, and decision-making skills.

Learn from the life of Claude Edward Elkins Jr. to understand how important it is to stay loyal and grow at the same time. He is a dedicated mastermind behind Norfolk Southern.