RSM alum Brad Willems named CEO of Loram

Brad Willems, formerly a public accountant at RSM US, has been appointed president and CEO of Loram, a rail maintenance supplier and services company based in Hamel, MN.

Willems, who ascended to CEO of the Hamel, MN-headquartered firm on January 1, succeeds Phil Homan, who led Loram since 2008.

Homan oversaw the company during a period of significant growth. Loram, which was founded in 1954, today has more than 1,800 employees across the US, Brazil, UK, Finland, and Australia. The firm specializes in equipment and services for railroad maintenance – primarily rail grinding.

Homan will serve as executive director of Loram through to his retirement in May 2023 to ensure a smooth transition. Afterwards, he will continue to serve as vice chair and director of Coril Holdings, Loram’s parent company.

Homan has been at Loram since 1993, joining as controller and then serving as general manager of Europe, VP of marketing, and executive VP before becoming CEO. He is also an alumnus of RSM US, where he spent six years and was an audit manager.

“The relationships Phil has developed across the globe, with employees, industry leaders, government bodies and agencies, and the community, have been a significant part of Phil’s success, putting Loram on the global map,” said Deanna Zumwalt, chairwoman of Loram.

Willems has been at Loram since 2012, and previously served as president and COO, CFO, and director of North American sales. Before joining the company, he worked in public accounting at RSM US and held finance, supply chain, and business development roles at grocery retailer Supervalu.

“These roles and experiences have made him uniquely qualified to take on this challenge and chart the course for the future of Loram,” Homan said. “From my perspective, the best days of Loram are in front of us, and I cannot wait to be a part of that success, albeit in a very different role.”