McNeely has more than 30 years of experience in the financial, manufacturing and distribution industries, specializing in the railcar business. Most recently he was president and chief executive officer of FreightCar America, Inc. where he led the company’s transformation from a coal railcar manufacturer to a manufacturer of a diverse portfolio of railcars. He also held vice-president roles at Mitsui Rail Capital and GATX Corp.

“We are very excited to welcome Joe to our leadership team,” said Pat Bowe, president and CEO of The Andersons. “He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience managing through the highly cyclical rail market.”

McNeely received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, U.S., and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, U.S.

Shah began his career at The Andersons in 1978. He was instrumental in creating the company’s Rail Group in 1989, developing it into one of the top 10 largest private rail fleets in the United States.

“Rash has played a pivotal part in shaping The Andersons’ vision and history,” Bowe said. “We greatly appreciate his years of service and dedication which have helped shape us into the diversified company we are today. We wish him the best on this next phase of his life.”

This is the second major leadership change announced at The Andersons this month. Earlier, the company said Jeffrey C. Blair would take over as president of the Plant Nutrient Group on Dec. 4. Blair will succeed Bill Wolf, who is retiring.