Joseph R. Hinrichs

Joseph R. Hinrichs (born 1966, Columbus, Ohio)^[1] is an American business executive. Hinrichs has served as an executive at various automotive, manufacturing, and energy companies, including Ford Motor Company. In 2022, he became the president and chief executive of CSX Corporation.^[2]

Hinrichs was born in 1966 in Columbus, Ohio, United States^[1] and spent his childhood in Fostoria, Ohio.^[3] He graduated with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering magna cum laude from the University of Dayton in 1989^[4][5] and also graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1994.^[6][1]

In 1989, Hinrichs began working at General Motors as an engineer and subsequently became a plant manager. He worked at Ryan Enterprises Group in Chicago^[1] from 1998 to 2000 and then later managed Ford's Van Dyke transmission plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan.^[7]

Hinrichs previously served as President of Ford Motor Company's global automotive business, where he oversaw the Ford and Lincoln brands.^[8][9] Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, he managed Ford's operations across various continents, including in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.^[1] Hinrichs left Ford in February 2020 in what the company described as a “retirement” at age 53.^[10][11] Media reports indicated the departure was linked to a management shakeup after poor fourth-quarter results, and some sources suggested it was not entirely voluntary. Former CEO Mark Fields had reportedly tried to dismiss Hinrichs in 2017 shortly before Fields himself was removed. Hinrichs maintained professional relationships after leaving and received a $5 million retention bonus.^[12]

He became the president and CEO of CSX Corporation starting from September 26, 2022.^[13]

At CSX, he gained a reputation for bringing paid sick leave to employees and forging preliminary agreements with unions prior to negotiating.^[14]

Hinrichs has faced major infrastructure disruptions, including over $400 million in reconstruction costs in eastern Tennessee following Hurricane Helene, as well as impacts from the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse and other severe weather events.^[14][15][16]

Hinrichs has promoted cultural change through the ONE CSX initiative, which emphasizes collaboration, inclusion, and mutual respect among employees.^[15][17]

Hinrichs is advisor and board member at companies such as Goodyear,^[18] Exide Technologies,^[19] Luminar Technologies, microDrive, and First Move Capital.^[20] Additionally, he is on the boards of the US-China Business Council and Climate Leadership Council.^[21]

In 2015, the governor of Kentucky named Hinrichs as a Kentucky Colonel.^[21]

He was awarded Railway Age’s 2025 Railroader of the Year.^[14]