Ron (Sparky) Sparks

Ron Sparks is a Senior Staff Consultant with ESi in the Dallas, Texas office.  Mr. Sparks has more than 24 years in railroad operations, safety, claims/litigation, and executive leadership. Mr. Sparks is considered an expert in his field and speaks nationally on the important Safety and Security issues facing the Railroad industry today.

Prior to joining ESi, Mr. Sparks served as Director of Safety, Training and Legal Affairs with Arkansas & Missouri Railroad (AMRR).  Mr. Sparks developed programs to reduce the risks of injury, illness, accidents, and damage to the environment and liability to the railroad company and its subsidiaries.  Mr. Sparks administered federal compliance training in accordance with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations, as well as the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) where applicable.

As an executive leader, Mr. Sparks had operational and financial responsibility along with shared ownership of multiple AMRR policies and processes, also serving as Corporate Representative on a variety of topics related to accident investigation, claim handling, and field safety. Mr. Sparks managed the litigation analysis of multiple railroad incidents, and was the company designated expert witness in State and Federal Court cases. 

Mr. Sparks has 38 years of law enforcement experience.  He is a state certified instructor at two local police academies and has taught courses in grade crossing collision investigations, firearms, and defense tactics.