Tacoma Rail Superintendent Paula Henry has announced that she will leave the City of Tacoma to serve as a senior executive at large for a private railroad company. Henry’s last day at Tacoma Rail will be March 31.
Henry has been Tacoma Rail’s superintendent since 2005, but has served a 23-year career with the City of Tacoma, with 10 of those years at Rail.
“This is a huge career move for me and a very personal decision,” said Henry. “In the rail industry, executive positions just don’t become available often. For me, it’s pretty much now or never.”
Henry is one of few female leaders in the rail industry.
Tacoma Power superintendent William Gaines will appoint Tacoma Rail Assistant Superintendent Alan Hardy as interim superintendent upon Henry’s departure. Hardy has worked at Tacoma Rail for nearly four years and has 34 years of experience in the rail industry as both a manager and road master.