Bill Smith
- Founded CUNA Railway Innovation in 1998
- Career began as a railway conductor
Railroaders, since 1998.
CUNA Railway Innovation Inc. is a railway contractor based in North Bay, Ontario.
Since 1998 the company has provided maintenance, construction, project management and rail infrastructure work for public and private railway operators.
Built by a conductor.
CUNA was established in 1998 by Bill Smith, a railroader who began his career as a conductor. He built the company on safety, integrity and customer service.
Bill sold the company in 2021 and remains a senior member of the organization.
Today CUNA is led by President & CEO Kreig Pattyn. His railway career began at age 18. He advanced into management at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway and served as Director of Track Engineering before joining CUNA.
CUNA’s senior leadership team represents more than 150 years of combined railway expertise.
Founder and President.
Kreig Pattyn
- Railway career from age 18
- Management at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway, including as one of the youngest Class 1 railway managers in company history (CUNA Who We Are)
- Director of Track Engineering before joining CUNA
Safety, integrity, customer service.
Safety
Work is planned and done under railway operating rules. Qualifications and contractor-safety programs are a condition of being on the property.
Integrity
Estimates are meant to reflect the job as it will actually be done. Challenges are identified before work starts.
Customer service
Customers stay because the phone is answered, the work is explained clearly, and the railway is treated as an operating system, not a construction site that happens to have rails.
Confirmed milestones.
Founded
Bill Smith establishes CUNA Railway Innovation.
Ownership change
Bill Smith sells the company and continues as a senior member.
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
CUNA received $67,607 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to purchase specialized equipment and train staff.
Current leadership
Kreig Pattyn is President & CEO.
A bench of railroaders.
Crew lead
Crew leads will be named on this page when CUNA supplies a name, title, short bio and permission to publish a portrait.
Equipment operator
Operators will be named on this page when CUNA supplies a name, title, short bio and permission to publish a portrait.
Additional leadership and crew leads will be added when CUNA supplies names, titles, short bios and permission to publish portraits.
Tell us about your track.
Request a quote, ask for an inspection, or call if the railway is already stopped.