Dr. Behr is an executive with diversified international management experience from rail transportation, infrastructure, investment banking, economic development and the medical textile sector. Has developed skills in AI applications, such Chat GPT and Perplexity. Skilled in accounting, finance, information systems, operations and business consulting. Motivated, analytical and creative in management concepts. Adept at managing a variety of tasks and heavy schedules. Communicates well at all levels and is effective in creating a team that achieves timely results. Comfortable internationally at ministerial levels of government. Has lectured university master’s level classes, defense contractors, conferences and panel discussions in the US and Europe. (List of lectures, panels & presentations available upon request). Recruited and nominated as a political candidate for State Representative of the 57th District of the State of Illinois. Has applied AI to detailed election analysis and strategy.
As an international consultant, Dr. Behr was engaged in multiple and varied projects in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa and South Asia. The engagements spanned multiple sectors, ranging from rail to mining, agricultural and textiles. Each of the following sections summarize the major professional activities in the private equity, rail (carriers and terminals), railroad rolling stock (mechanical and supply), public sector (municipalities, economic development authorities and states), as well as private sector equipment initiatives. Dr. Behr has political experience as a candidate for the office of State Representative of the 57thDistrict in the State of Illinois in 2024 and has developed numerous political and business relationships.
Engaged to determine feasibility of establishing common carrier entity on client-owned trackage with a connection to CSX . Currently working with CSX Industrial Development and Shortline departments to determine accounting and operational relationships, as well as co-marketing opportunities in developing a reload site, steel (rebar and coils), and later track build-out to develop a “relief terminal” for loading/unloading containers with reach stackers and staged container chassis pools. Also involved with real estate tax reduction strategies on company owned property connected to rail operations.
Search for large property on Class I railroad in Wisconsin for reload sites for building materials, lumber, aggregates, crush plant site, project cargo and possible container stuffing/destuffing. Have located and physically inspected one facility on November 21, 2025 and generated proforma financials.
Engaged to analyze and untangle relationships connected with the potential acquisition of a regional railroad with water connections and substantial undeveloped traffic potential. Successfully determined the relationship(s) connections and the nature of the underlying business understandings, the awareness of which are necessary to develop persuasive arguments for a successful acquisition strategy by the client.
As a board member, have taken a leading role in developing a Class III shortline railroad with the private, for-profit enterprise and have developed proforma financials and traffic projections, along with sensitivity analysis case scenarios. Working with the board on potentially politically sensitive related issues.
Assembled a consultant team to provide advisories on fertilizer terminal, custom local formula blending and transload infrastructure development, establishing common carrier status for their internal shortline railroad and prepare the company for a RRIF Express loan application and for CRISI and other available grants, both local and from the State of Nebraska. The work scope also involved a comprehensive review of prior consultant work product and determining funding needs of the staged projects, along with reviewing cost-benefit analyses, as part of the funding application.
Examined the prospects for investment into a shortline railroad for expansion capital to interchange with two Class I railroads. Investigated terminal operations for unit grain trains, land development for warehousing and distribution facilities, general land acquisition strategies for farmland and the addition of vertically integrated complementary industries to the railroad.
Evaluated the feasibility of establishing a rail propane terminal in the Los Angeles California area for local distribution of propane of a prospective portfolio company. In addition, sites were located to enable the propane terminal to interchange with both the BNSF and Union Pacific Railroads. Also explored was converting the terminal to a Class III shortline railroad.
Conducted a detailed study of the line operating from Concord to Canterbury, NH, with an extension to Lincoln, NH, as well as a business plan to acquire trackage from Pan Am Railways from Concord to Nashua NH. The plan included developing new industrial development sites, addition of new trackage to existing or potential shipper sites, a marketing and service plan to enhance service to existing customers, including Coastal Forestry Products (Distributors), Law Logistics (wine distributors), Anheuser Busch, Quebec Cement, 3M Chemical, Blue Seal Feeds, Schnitzer Recycling, Allstate Building Materials, Summit Packaging and other large, industrial shippers.
Developed multiple shortline acquisition targets, with evaluation and M&A steps. Full evaluation of New England Southern RR, evaluating the railroad from a private equity perspective, as per above.
Sponsored by the Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick, through Ecorys BV of Rotterdam NL. The work scope included cost and transit time comparisons for rail service to key markets, such as the US Midwest and Toronto, as well as the US Northeast region and US East Coast ports. Substantial data was collected on FDI investment target industry segments, in detail and insights gained through the numerous professional relationships established in the study to explore the feasibility of various service levels from weekly to daily service and, if the traffic would warrant, multiple daily frequencies.
Developed a plan for a shortline to create an inland terminal facility to route container traffic from the congested Port of Seattle to an industrial district in Bellevue WA, with additional local traffic development over the BNSF. This concept is now the basis of the new BNSF inland intermodal facility in Barstow California to/from the Port of LA/Long Beach), known as the “BIG Project” (Barstow Intermodal Gateway).
Dr. Behr partnered with Dr. Aaron Gellman, Director of the Northwestern University Transportation Center to advise AMA on forming an enterprise that would secure a railroad operating concession from the Argentine government for the purposes of developing a concentrate processing facility of scale in Neuquen Province and moving copper concentrate, copper sulphate, copper oxychloride and rare earth elements (REE – tantalum, niobium, rhodium and lithium) to the Ports of Valparaiso Chile and Bahia Blanca in Argentina. All modes, but initial focus was on mining and establishing independent rail service and terminal facilities to facilitate export of minerals. Secondly, port facilities would be secured to control and facilitate loading ships of minerals and containers. Thirdly, air service for high value, time-sensitive (perishable) commodities (REE and gold) was to be established. Foreign trade zones would be established.
Blackwell Industrial Authority
Dr. Behr and his team evaluated the physical condition of the ex-Santa Fe freight line between Wellington KS and Blackwell OK to determine what was required for handling unit trains, laid out capital costs for improving the railroad up to and exceeding Class I condition and extending to the BNSF interchange at Wellington KS. Worked closely with the railroad and industrial development authority to write a business plan and identify methodologies for financing railroad improvements. This was the groundwork for shifting from carload bulk commodity inputs to establishing unit grain trains, as well as evolving into containerized loading unit (e.g. intermodal) traffic orientation. It was a complete study of the physical plant of the railroad, involving use of a “hi‐rail” vehicle, in conjunction with a detailed inspection of the track and bridges of the entire line segment.
Wrote the application for the railroad’s application to the Ohio Railroad Development Corporation for their continued operation of the ex-PRR “Panhandle Line” from Newark to Columbus OH. The narrative resulted in the Ohio Central Railroad receiving the award of a lease extension of the railroad.
Evaluation and Bid Proposal to Operate The Wellsboro and Corning Railroad, Wellsboro, PA
Mr. Behr led a team to develop a proposal and application to acquire the rights to operate a former Pennsylvania/Penn Central branch line operating from Wellsboro, PA to Corning, NY from the industrial development authority of Wellsboro, PA. The line had substantial traffic merit, in that there was a wide range of traffic, plus it interchanged with two Class I railroads: CP Rail and Conrail. The line has been very successful, as they now handle traffic associated with supporting fracking operations and other well‐oriented activity in the Marcellus shale gas formations.
Evaluated the feasibility of establishing a commuter rail operation in Cleveland OH, using the WLE, in contrast to alternative routings using Conrail and CSX Transportation. The study included infrastructure required, operational considerations, equipment selection, requirements and maintenance, as well as a financial analysis of the proposed operation. There was an additional market development component which evaluated the off-hours addition of a specialized passenger rail service designed to promote a locally influential enterprise of scale located in Newark OH to serve their specialized clientele.
Dr. Behr was recruited into an investment group to help provide guidance for a new passenger rail venture involving local weekend excursions operating from Freight House Square in Tacoma WA to Fredrikson WA. The operation used a large, renovated steam locomotive (ex-Reading 2100), operating with an ex-Amtrak F40-PH locomotive. He procured ex-CNW, ex-Metra bilevel gallery coaches and lent his marketing expertise to assemble all-inclusive day excursion packages that included a large tent lunch event with BBQ ribs, salmon and chicken. Dr. Behr contributed to refining the operating plan and advised on working with the Class I railroads involved with the move of the steam locomotive, diesel and passenger coaches. The operation was very popular and won event of the year awards from the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and the City of Tacoma.
Dr. Behr and qualified Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) inspector and experienced track contractor Jeff Joly conducted a detailed assessment of the physical plant of the Chicago Port Railroad and the Mokena Railroad, owned by Ozinga Transportation, Inc. The purpose of the study was to determine the condition of the railroad for an anticipated upswing in transload traffic, determine feasibility of reconnection to the C&NW portion of the Port of Chicago yard and to help establish an appraised value related to a credit facility Ozinga was negotiating. The work products included recommendations for track improvements and renovation.
Dr. Behr was invited to participate in a venture established to privatize Amtrak’s Chicago – Milwaukee “Hiawatha” corridor service. Together with resources from Ernst & Young, Dr. Behr developed a cost simulation model that raised revenue by 30% and lowered costs by 15 – 20%. The work involved working out revised scheduling to meet observed and anticipated market demands, efficient equipment and labor utilization, reduced maintenance costs and revamping equipment to increase appeal to passengers. Investors included Marcus Holdings, which owned numerous hotel and entertainment venues in the Milwaukee area, along with prominent family funds. The venture involved numerous meetings with Amtrak and signing a 10-year NDA for proprietary host railroad data.
Shareholder, Multiple Roles
Helped start a large Minneapolis terminal railroad and served as Director of Industrial Development and Director-MIS, but also executed marketing, industrial development and government relations functions.
Achievements:
· Designed and wrote a revenue accounting program in dBase III+ to track cars online, per diem reclaim, demurrage, interchanges (with BN, CNW, Soo Line and WC), set and release times, commodity tracking, switch lists, car tracing and EDI
· Converted manual accounting to SBT computer-based accounting system.
· Wrote and installed customized database programs for (partial list)
- General Electric locomotive plant, Erie PA
- Weyerhaeuser Paper, Tomahawk WI
- Boise Cascade, International Falls MN
- Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad, Escanaba MI
· Performed marketing functions
· Performed industrial development functions
· Performed government relations functions
· Worked the ground with crews in switching, humping cars, re-railing locomotives, working switch lists; in short, conventional train and engine (T&E) tasks. (Part of the purpose was to have operational experience, to be able to program more precisely)
· Strike training by BN for contingency operations
Assisted the City of Cudahy in developing and planning a demonstration commuter rail shuttle, intended to serve Milwaukee “SummerFest” from Downtown Cudahy and Milwaukee Union Station. Also in context of creating a “transit-oriented development” (TOD), preparing for future rail transit linking Milwaukee’s central business district, General Mitchell Airport and the “Downtown Cudahy Redevelopment Project”preparing for the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (to Chicago), commuter rail extension project, described below.
Achievements
· Developed capital and operating costs
· Operations plan
· Rolling stock selection
· Marketing plan
S. C. Johnson & Company, Racine WI
Developed the technical portion of the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail extension study to connect with Metra commuter rail service from Kenosha to Chicago.
Achievements:
· Developed capital and operating costs
· Operations plan
· Rolling stock selection
· Marketing plan
Study to restore service on a dormant CNW rail line that would be an integral part of a new commercial/industrial park to be built on land jointly held and owned by both municipalities.
Achievements:
· Physical inspection of the line and evaluation
· Financial evaluation of the line to establish baseline for proforma financials of shortline
· Development of track agreement templates for prospective shippers in industrial park
Retained by the City of Freeport, Illinois to work with the Canadian National / Illinois Central Railroad in establishing a seasonal excursion train to augment a regional economic development and commercial initiative, known as “The Rawleigh Complex”. The project purpose was to expand an economic development program, which encompassed developing freight traffic, through targeting rail users as candidate firms to populate a commercial/industrial park.
Achievements:
· Developed target industrial candidates
· Developed capital and operating costs
· Operations plan
· Rolling stock selection
· Marketing plan
Participated in numerous trade missions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to Southeastern and Central Europe to evaluate opportunities for privatization of government-owned railways and other enterprises in SE Europe and related services in Serbia. While there, he identified numerous areas in which the railroads, ports and shippers would benefit through restructuring. Dr. Behr’s business approach was to first develop an enhanced traffic base, through industrial and economic development initiatives and simultaneously identify areas to improve the infrastructure of the railway system and ports (to ensure that they would be able to handle the additional traffic) and facilitate finance for this.
Dr. Behr was the lead consultant and prime contractor to the City of Crystal Lake, Illinois in a complex project to establish a new yard. Initially, one of the primary purposes was to consolidate the Union Pacific Railroad’s maintenance‐of‐way facilities, located in downtown Crystal Lake into one 76‐acre (30.75 hectare) tract of assembled parcels, which would allow the City to reclaim valuable central business district land for redevelopment purposes. As an added benefit, the project would save the Union Pacific Railroad considerable operating, capital and tax expense, as well as increase work crew productivity. The project scope expanded to eliminate grade crossings and would facilitate Metra Commuter Rail in moving morning rush hour originating and evening terminating commuter train staging and storage from the current downtown yard trackage to a more desirable outlying yard location. In this way, the City of Crystal Lake, the Union Pacific Railroad and Metra would all benefit from the advantages of the above strategy.
Initiated by above US-sponsored trade missions, Dr. Behr established contacts in Serbia for redevelopment of infrastructure opportunities for the following projects:
►Commercial redevelopment of the main railroad station site
►Renovation of the tramway system in Belgrade
► In connection with the tramway system upgrade, sourced PCC technology equipment from Belgium
►Establishment of a passenger rail link between Belgrade Airport and Center City Belgrade
►Establishment or expansion of river ports
►Establishment of a separate logistics and railroad operating entity, within the existing structure of the Serbian Railroads to serve between the needs of industries and various ports in the Balkans.
To Be Added Shortly
Involved in developing and establishing multiple transportation initiatives that established rail freight operations and a multimodal terminal in Germany, with connections to/from Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark.
Achievements:
· Nordliner GmbH, Hannover Germany
Helped start an open-access rail carrier in Germany. As one of the founders, established the first traffic for the railway undertaking (“RU”), consisting of ongoing traffic volume of cement construction panels from the Czech Republic to Denmark.
- Developed and refined comprehensive costing model depicting railway operational scenarios with user selected parameters, programming in Excel.
- Numerous initiatives to establish traffic between Poland in Germany, working closely with another railway undertaking (“RU”), (Rail Polska Z.o.o)., in Oświęcim, Poland. Commodities were building material, windows, timber, grain and beverages.
- Developed, with Rail Baltic Express in Tallinn, Estonia, joint operational scenarios and through rates for shippers.
· Intermodal.SH, Neumünster,Germany
As a strategic “bolt-on” to Nordliner GmbH, participated in establishing of a multimodal rail-to-truck terminal in Germany, transporting cement, bulk material (stone and gravel) for ongoing reconstruction programs of the Autobahn in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Vice President, Transportation & Infrastructure
During tenure with this middle-market investment banking firm, developed and established a practice targeting small and middle-market firms involved in the transportation, logistics, manufacturing and railroad supply sectors. Also developed infrastructure finance methodologies to the practice, capitalizing on a cultivated investor base, during the financial crisis of 2007-2009, when transactions (“deal flow”) were at their nadir. Association with the firm began by identifying and targeting independent propane gas firms for acquisition in Spain, Poland, Serbia, Czech Republic and Belgium.
Achievements:
Participated in numerous transactions and initiatives over a broad range of sectors and deal sizes, including developing public sector infrastructure mechanisms. List provided upon request
PhD, Applied Economics, University of Antwerp, Belgium, 2023
BA, Geography & Environmental Studies – Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, 1983
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