Operation Lifesaver names new state coordinators in Kansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin
Washington, D.C. (March 19, 2019) – Three new leaders are in place for rail safety nonprofit Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) state programs, says OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh. Kansas Operation Lifesaver’s State Coordinator is Aaron Mays,Mark Sexton serves in that role for Oklahoma’s Operation Lifesaver program, and Gary Koerner leads the Operation Lifesaver program in Wisconsin.
“Operation Lifesaver is fortunate to have these three safety experts working to make communities safer in Kansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin,” says Maleh.
Mays, a resident of Topeka, assumed the state coordinator role for Kansas Operation Lifesaver last September from Tara Mays, who had been in the position since 2017. He is president of The Mays Group, a family consulting firm specializing in association management and government relations. He is also very active in the community; he serves on the Topeka City Council and is chairman of the Shawnee County Civil Service Board. Jessica Mays, business manager for the Mays Group, is now the assistant state coordinator.
“I am excited to help further Operation Lifesaver’s vision of ending deaths and injuries due to trespassing and collisions on the tracks,” says Mays.
Sexton, a resident of the Oklahoma City suburb of Cashion, has been an Operation Lifesaver volunteer since 2016 and succeeded longtime Oklahoma State Coordinator Sherry Soliz when she retired in 2018. A 30-year veteran of the Oklahoma City Police Department, he has investigated all types of train incidents and spent 20 years as an accident reconstruction specialist in the department’s fatality collision unit. Sexton also serves as a law enforcement liaison for the Federal Railroad Administration and is an accident investigation consultant.
“Seeing the devastation these incidents cause, and talking to families of those affected, has reinforced my dedication to rail safety education and community outreach,” says Sexton.
Koerner, an Appleton resident, takes over the Wisconsin program from Susan Klinger. He has been involved with Operation Lifesaver since 2012 and is a certified OLI volunteer coach. He served on the Wisconsin Operation Lifesaver board as vice chair and chair before taking on the position of state coordinator. Koerner is lead electrician for Appvion, where he has worked for 32 years, and serves on the company’s safety committees. He has been a volunteer at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay for over 20 years, working on their train crews for Day Out with Thomas and Polar Express events.
“Safety has always been a passion of mine,” Koerner says. “Our Operation Lifesaver program in Wisconsin has grown, and I look forward to continuing its good work.”
Mays may be reached at amays@kscapitol.com and/or 785-806-8801. Sexton may be reached at okol@swbell.net and/or 405-202-0856. Koerner may be reached at grkconductor@yahoo.com and/or 920-731-6723.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and preventing trespassing on or near railroad tracks. A national network of trained volunteers gives free presentations on rail safety and a public awareness campaign, See Tracks? Think Train!” provides tips and statistics to encourage safe behavior near the tracks. OLI leads an international observance of Rail Safety Week each September. Learn more about Rail Safety Week; follow OLI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
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