James Foote

Jim Foote, who served as CSX chief executive from December 2017 through September 2022, died on April 16 2024 at age 70. Foote was named chief executive in December 2017 following the death of CEO E. Hunter Harrison. Foote, who was Harrison’s chief marketing officer at Canadian National, joined CSX in October 2017 as chief operating officer during Harrison’s rapid-fire implementation of the low-cost Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model. A native of Superior, Wis., Foote was a third-generation railroader. He began his career with Soo Line in 1972 at age 18, while he was still in high school. Foote, who was married with a young family, worked full-time as a hostler and machinist helper at night while earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior during the day. He later would land a day job at Chicago and North Western’s Proviso Yard in Chicago so that he could attend John Marshall Law School at night.