Norfolk Southern Ousts CEO Alan Shaw, Citing Relationship With Chief Legal Officer

The board of directors for Norfolk Southern Corp. said Tuesday that CEO Alan Shaw and Chief Legal Officer Katherine Getao have left the company "following an investigation into an inappropriate personal relationship."

The company's board said in a news release that it had hired law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP to conduct an investigation after receiving reports of an inappropriate relationship between Shaw and Getao. The investigation substantiated the allegations, the board said, and both Shaw and Getao have left the company.

The board said it has appointed Mike Rojas, the company's vice president of operations, as interim CEO.

Norfolk Southern is one of the largest railroads in the United States, operating 19,500 miles of track in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

The company has been under fire in recent months for its handling of a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that spilled toxic chemicals into the environment.

The derailment, which occurred on Feb. 3, forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and raised concerns about the safety of the railroad industry.

Norfolk Southern has apologized for the derailment and said it is working to clean up the site and help the community recover.