Miner’s Bill O’Donnell Retires; Paul Aspengren Named Exec Director of Sales
GENEVA, IL, USA – Miner Enterprises has announced a transition at the top of its global sales team. Paul Aspengren has been promoted to the position of Executive Director of Sales, in concert with the retirement of the company’s current top sales executive, William “Bill” O’Donnell, who is leaving after 31 years of service at the railcar components manufacturer.
The transition, which takes effect August 1, 2026, was announced by Miner’s president and general manager John Swezey.
“In taking the lead of Miner’s sales team, Paul Aspengren will oversee all sales, service, and marketing for Miner’s rail products globally,” Swezey said. “Paul’s engineering expertise and extensive experience in domestic and international sales management make him the ideal leader to drive the Miner brand forward.”
Aspengren brings to his new post 23-plus years of experience at Miner. During that time, he has played a crucial role in the further development of several landmark Miner product lines. These include Miner’s TecsPak®-based constant contact side bearings, its industry-dominating TF-880 draft gears and outlet gates, and most recently, the Miner FCS—a superior alternative to hydraulic-based end-of-car-cushioning systems.
"I am extremely grateful and excited to begin this new chapter at Miner,” Aspengren said. "I will continue to build relationships and collaborate with our customers at the highest levels, which is what we do at Miner. Across the globe, our customers expect excellence from Miner, and I look forward to continuing to help Miner meet and exceed all of their expectations."
As for the retiring Bill O’Donnell: “I couldn’t be more proud and excited to hand the baton to Paul,” O’Donnell said. ““After 37 years in the rail industry, including 31 years at Miner, I can confidently say that he and the Miner engineering and sales team are poised to create significant new innovations and improvements in railcar performance, safety and longevity. That’s the hallmark of the Miner brand.”
John Swezey added, “We are deeply grateful for Bill’s contributions as a professional, and for his loyalty and integrity as a colleague and friend,” Swezey said. “We wish him the very best in his well-earned retirement.”
With more than 130 years of experience in railcar equipment design and manufacturing, Miner Enterprises is one of the industry's top suppliers of draft gears, brake beams, outlet gates, constant contact side bearings, and other high-performance components. The company's products are currently used across North America and by international railroads worldwide.