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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report: August 12, 1998
WISCONSIN CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-19150 36-3541743
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(State or other jurisdiction of (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) File Number) Identification Number)
6250 North River Road, Suite 9000
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number,
including area code (847) 318-4600
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5. Other Events
See press release attached as Exhibit No. 20.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
WISCONSIN CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION
CORPORATION
Date: August 12, 1998 By: /s/ Walter C. Kelly
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Walter C. Kelly
Vice President, Finance
Date: August 12, 1998 By: /s/ Walter C. Kelly
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Walter C. Kelly
Chief Accounting Officer
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Sequentially
Numbered
Exhibit No. Description Page
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20 Press Release 4
(August 5, 1998)
Exhibit No. 20
August 5, 1998 Contact:
Thomas F. Power, Jr., Exec. V.P.-C.F.O.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Ph: (847) 318-4602 Fax: (847) 318-4628
WISCONSIN CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION
INCREASES SIZE OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thomas E. Evans of Tenneco Automotive and
John W. Rowe of Unicom Corporation
Elected Directors
ROSEMONT, IL - Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation (WCTC) [NASDAQ:
WCLX] announced that it has increased the size of its Board of Directors from
seven to nine and elected Thomas E. Evans and John W. Rowe to fill the new
seats. The election took place at the Board's regularly scheduled meeting on
July 30, 1998 and became effective immediately.
Mr. Evans is the president of Tenneco Automotive, the global manufacturer
of Monroe brand ride control and Walker brand exhaust products. Headquartered in
Lake Forest, Illinois, Tenneco Automotive operates 73 facilities in 22
countries, in North America, South America, Africa, Australia and the Asia
Pacific region. Its parent company, Tenneco [NYSE: TEN] is a $7 billion global
manufacturing company based in Greenwich, Connecticut with operations in
automotive parts (Tenneco Automotive) and packaging (Tenneco Packaging). Mr.
Evans has extensive experience in improving global operating efficiency while
intensifying both customer and geographic market focus.
Mr. Rowe is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Unicom
Corporation [NYSE: UCM]. Based in Chicago, Unicom is the parent of subsidiary
Commonwealth Edison, which is engaged in the production, purchase, transmission,
distribution and sale of electricity to wholesale and retail customers.
Commonwealth Edison provides service in northern Illinois, serving about 3.4
million customers, or 70% of the state's population. With more than $7 billion
in revenue in 1997, Unicom is also parent to Unicom Energy Services; Unicom
Resources, an unregulated energy ventures company; and Unicom Thermal
Technologies, Inc. Mr. Rowe's accomplishments have demonstrated his skill in
refocusing organizations in the face of changing marketplace conditions while
still achieving high marks for returns on equity and attention to shareholder
views.
Edward Burkhardt, chairman, president and chief executive officer of WCTC
said, "We are very pleased to have Mr. Evans and Mr. Rowe join our Board of
Directors. Both bring a depth of experience in both domestic and international
markets." Burkhardt also
<PAGE>
added, "This expansion of our Board underscores our commitment to continued
growth in both domestic and global transportation markets. WCTC will benefit
greatly from the experience of Messrs. Evans and Rowe in these areas."
Prior to joining Tenneco in 1995, Mr. Evans served six years in various
senior management positions with Case Corporation, where he was one of the
primary architects of the company's highly successful restructuring program.
Before that he was with Rockwell International's Automotive Operations for 14
years and with Federal-Mogul Corporation for two years. In both companies Mr.
Evans held various positions with responsibilities for worldwide activities.
Mr. Evans, a Pennsylvania native, earned a B.S. degree in mechanical
engineering from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. degree in mechanical
engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA degree from the advanced
management program at Michigan State University. He resides in Lake Forest,
Illinois.
Prior to joining Unicom in March 1998, Mr. Rowe was president, chief
executive officer and a director of New England Electric System (NEES) from 1989
to February 1998. The system was the second largest electric utility in New
England, serving 1.3 million customers. Before NEES, Mr. Rowe served as
president and chief executive officer of Central Maine Power Company from 1984
to 1989 and senior vice president law for Consolidated Rail Corporation
(Conrail) in Philadelphia from 1980 to 1984. From 1970 to 1980 Mr. Rowe worked
with the Chicago law firm of Isham, Lincoln & Beale where he became a partner in
1978 and served as counsel to the Trustees of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul &
Pacific Railroad Company.
Mr. Rowe, a Wisconsin native, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin
and the University of Wisconsin Law School. He is a resident of Chicago.
Shares of Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation are publicly traded
on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol WCLX. The company's
principal subsidiaries, Wisconsin Central Ltd., Fox Valley & Western Ltd.,
Algoma Central Railway Inc. and Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Company operate
approximately 2,900 route miles of railway serving Wisconsin, Illinois,
Minnesota, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Ontario, Canada. WCTC holds a 33
percent equity interest in English Welsh & Scottish Railway Holdings Limited,
which operates most of the freight railroad services in Great Britain. WCTC also
holds a 23 percent equity interest in Tranz Rail Holdings Limited, which
operates 2,400 route miles of railway nationwide in New Zealand. WCTC also holds
a 33 percent equity interest in Australian Transport Network Limited (ATN),
which operates 460 route miles of railway statewide in Tasmania, Australia.
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