ESi Welcomes Eric Hegi

Dallas, TX – ESi is pleased to announce that Eric Hegi has joined the company as a Sr. Managing Consultant in our Rail practice. Based in our Dallas, Texas office, Mr. Hegi is a rail industry veteran with a track record of accomplishments in executive leadership roles and a decades deep understanding of railroad operations, safety, and claims and litigation management. His technical expertise spans virtually every area of rail operations and safety, from loss prevention planning and risk analysis to incident response and accident/claims investigation.

“We’re thrilled to have Eric as part of the team,” said Phil Daum, Principal and Director of ESi’s Rail practice. “Rail is a high-profile industry that requires strategic safety and risk management planning. Eric knows first-hand how operations, mechanical components, and track infrastructure work together as an integrated system. He uses this knowledge to provide forward-thinking strategies that are tailored to meet the unique operational and safety needs of the client. Just as importantly, Eric is action-oriented when it comes to risk management, with the proven ability to assemble and lead cross-functional teams in implementing practical changes to improve processes, policies, and systems.”

Before joining ESi, Mr. Hegi served 13 years as a Vice President, General Director, and Director and of Claims with BNSF Railway Company, the largest Class I Railroad globally. While there, Mr. Hegi had operational and financial responsibility for a department of 120+ staff, led numerous claims investigations, and managed the economic analysis and litigation of hundreds of major casualty incidents. He is also the founder of SEVEN20 Solutions, Inc., a company which provided risk management consulting services to commercial insurance companies.

Widely regarded as an expert in his field, Mr. Hegi has twice chaired the American Association of Railroad’s General Claims Committee, which provides policy, research, and standards guidance for the nation’s Class I railroads. He has also worked extensively with various government and regulatory agencies, and has testified as an expert before both federal and state courts.

“Over the course of my career, I’ve led thousands of casualty investigations and evaluations, including incidents involving serious employee and 3^rd party injuries, loss of limbs and fatalities, and hazardous materials release and evacuations. Some of these incidents involved large multi-million dollar recoveries from at-fault parties,” said Mr. Hegi. “Across all of these investigations, one thing was clear — the importance of laying the right groundwork and building the right team. The people at ESi are second to none in their dedication, determination, and talent. They have a mission-focused, collaborative approach, and I’m both honored and excited to be part of such a capable and committed team."