NARSTCO Announces Three Promotions, Names Kristin Ward New General Manager

Midlothian, TX (Jan 20th, 2026) - NARSTCO, North America’s leading manufacturer of sustainable steel ties, turnouts, and “e” Clips, has named Kristin Ward General Manager. Kristin brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in customer service and operations to her expanded role at NARSTCO. During her 17-year tenure with the company, she has consistently driven customer-focused strategy, operational excellence, and organizational performance, most recently serving as Director of Customer Service. Prior to joining NARSTCO, Kristin held leadership roles at Tyler Refrigeration, a division of Carrier Corporation. In her new role, she will assume executive responsibility for NARSTCO’s customer-centric operations, embedding continuous improvement as a core business discipline aimed at driving greater efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

NARSTCO has also promoted Craig Smethie to Vice President of Operations. Craig has over 20 years of manufacturing and operations leadership experience, including six years as Director of Operations at NARSTCO. He has led multi-site manufacturing operations with responsibility for engineering, safety, quality, and end-to-end operational performance, while partnering closely with executive leadership on business planning and P&L accountability.

As Vice President, Craig will focus on identifying organizational needs to drive efficiencies, growth, performance, and long-term stability across the business, ensuring the company is well-positioned to scale, adapt, and deliver consistent results over the long term.

In addition to Kristin and Craig, Zachary Matheney has also been promoted to Customer Service Manager. Zachary Matheny joined NARSTCO in 2019 as a Quality Control Inspector and was promoted to Project Coordinator in 2020, where he was responsible for preparing customer quotations and supporting a wide range of customer service functions. In his new role as Customer Service Manager, he will oversee all aspects of customer orders from initiation through completion.

“These promotions are a testament to the hard work and dedication of each individual. We are thrilled to see NARSTCO continue to grow under Kristin’s leadership through 2026 and beyond.” RailWorks CEO, Jim Sabin said. “With such a talented team, we look forward to great things from these remarkable individuals.”

About NARSTCO - Founded in 1996, NARSTCO is the leading manufacturer of sustainable steel ties, turnouts, and “e” Clips in North America for Class I, transit, short-line, and industrial rail operations.  NARSTCO is a trusted brand within RailWorks Corporation.  For more information, visit www.narstco.com.

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