In 2001, Lois Ziesenis worked in sales and advertising at a local newspaper in Pittsburg, Kansas. One day, she was placing an ad for an accounts payable position at Watco. It caught her eye and soon after, she was interviewing for a job that would become a 25-year career in the rail industry.

“I’m from Pittsburg. I knew of (Watco founders) Dick and Kaye Lynne Webb and I knew (their children) Rick and Susie from high school,” Ziesenis said. “Watco was a lot smaller then. There were probably just more than 20 people in the main office. I thought it would be a good place to work.”

In small towns and small businesses, word travels fast. She doesn’t know how Kaye Lynne found out about her interview but learned she gave a strong recommendation.

“She heard I’d applied and I found out later that Kaye Lynne said, ‘You better hire her, she’s from good stock,’” Ziesenis laughed.

Her job has evolved over the years. Originally, the accounts payable position supported Watco short lines, but added accounts receivable and collections to her duties. Then, as Watco expanded in the mechanical and repair space, Dick asked her to lead revenue accounting for that segment. Through mergers, acquisitions, adding terminals, and her focus shifting back to railroads, Ziesenis retired at the end of September as senior collections administrator after being part of Watco’s transformation over the past 25 years.

“The growth has been an amazing experience,” she said. “When I started, it was a handful of railroads and a few shops. Now, we are 5,000 team members in three countries with hundreds of locations. I feel privileged to have been part of that.”

Ziesenis looks back on her time fondly. She says she was raised to have a strong work ethic and be reliable. That foundation drove her to build strong relationships with the customers and team members she supported. Her key to success was taking the time to learn exactly what our teams in the field are doing on a daily basis and getting to know customers and their businesses.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be a sponge. Absorb all the knowledge you can,” she said. “Our goal is a beneficial outcome for our customers and the teams that are providing the service. Revenue accounting helps facilitate that. You have to understand both sides. I’ve tried to pass that along to the team member’s I’ve trained.”

In her retirement, Ziesenis plans to spend more time outdoors. She and her husband enjoy off-roading in the wild parts of Utah, Colorado, Montana, and more. They also look forward to spending more time with their children and granddaughter.