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Nonprofit · EIN 53-6000125

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

Tax-exempt · WASHINGTON, DC 20024

Financials

$77M$68.1M2023$70.2M$68.3M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2024990$70,167,327$68,311,159$1,856,168$52,287,380$32,110,896$20,176,484
December 31, 2023990$77,003,356$68,097,791$8,905,565$48,749,406$34,150,024$14,599,382
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$156,978
Program service revenue
$65,927,672
Investment income
$651,028
Net rental income
$26,518
Net gain from sales of assets
$16,595
Other revenue
$3,431,649

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$1,933,604
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$5,906,493
Other salaries and wages
$10,836,007
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$21,259,068
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$2,748,271
Accounting fees
$128,538
Occupancy
$2,248,588
Travel
$835,418
Depreciation
$468,231

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$48,749,406
Total assets, end of year
$52,287,380
Total liabilities, end of year
$32,110,896
Net assets, end of year
$20,176,484
Land, buildings and equipment
$3,239,621
Publicly traded securities
$820,354
Net assets without donor restrictions
$20,176,484
Gross unrelated business income
$54,922
Gross receipts
$70,569,837
Employees
81
Volunteers
15
Year formed
1934
State of legal domicile
DC

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
IAN N JEFFERIESPRESIDENT, CEO
Officer
40$2,688,223$88,773
KATHRYN D KIRMAYERSVP-LAW & GENERAL COUNSEL
Key employee
40$760,778$61,930
ADRIAN ARNAKISSVP-GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Highest-paid employee
40$675,478$61,074
PAUL R HEDRICKSVP-FIN, ADMIN & CFO
Officer
39$610,786$72,972
MICHAEL J RUSHSVP-SAFETY & OPERATIONS
Key employee
38$603,536$37,812
KRISTIN A SMITHSVP-COMMUNICATIONS
Key employee
40$513,810$82,553
RAND GHAYADSVP-POLICY & ECONOMICS
Highest-paid employee
40$411,415$66,870
WILLIAM C THOMPSONPROGRAM MANAGER
Highest-paid employee
40$385,880$81,719
JOHN MILLERASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL
Highest-paid employee
40$367,340$76,588
STEPHEN GORDONASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL
Highest-paid employee
40$362,254$25,599
EDWARD A KENDALL JRCORPORATE SECRETARY
Officer
38$295,021$60,796
KEITH CREELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
KATHRYN M FARMERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JOE HINRICHSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
TRACY ROBINSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
6 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
ALAN SHAWDIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/15/2024)
Trustee or director
1$0
MICHAEL MILLERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
JIM VENADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
WILLIAM O'LEARYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
MARK GEORGEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
DAN SMITHDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 24 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
IAN N JEFFERIESPRESIDENT, CEO
Officer
39$2,515,035$82,445
KATHRYN D KIRMAYERSVP-LAW & GENERAL COUNSEL
Key employee
39$703,703$57,985
ADRIAN ARNAKISSVP-GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Highest-paid employee
40$624,088$57,273
PAUL R HEDRICKSVP-FIN. & ADMIN. & CFO
Officer
36$545,813$68,388
JOHN T GRAYSVP-POLICY & ECONOMICS
Highest-paid employee
39$553,531$59,149
MICHAEL J RUSHSVP-SAFETY & OPERATIONS
Key employee
36$538,526$71,046
KRISTIN A SMITHSVP-COMMUNICATIONS
Key employee
39$474,799$75,254
WILLIAM C THOMPSONPROGRAM MANAGER
Highest-paid employee
40$355,701$70,346
JOHN MILLERASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL
Highest-paid employee
40$324,403$68,345
STEPHEN GORDONASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL
Highest-paid employee
40$315,513$24,462
EDWARD A KENDALL JRCORPORATE SECRETARY
Officer
39$267,001$54,807
KEITH CREELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
KATHRYN M FARMERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
LANCE FRITZDIRECTOR (THRU 8/2023)
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JOHN HELLMANNDIRECTOR (THRU 8/2023)
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JOE HINRICHSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
FERNANDO LOPEZ-GUERRADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
PATRICK OTTENSMEYERDIRECTOR (THRU 8/2023)
Trustee or director
1$0$0
TRACY ROBINSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
ALAN SHAWDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
DEWAYNE SWINDALLDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JOE PARSONSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
MICHAEL MILLERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JIM VENADIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
425 3RD ST SW STE 1000, WASHINGTON, DC 20024-3228
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
IAN JEFFERIES, 425 3RD STREET SW 1000, WASHINGTON, DC 20024
Signed the 990
PAUL HEDRICK, SVP-FIN, ADMIN & CFO
Phone
(202) 639-2100
Return prepared by
RSM US LLP

Mission

AAR PROMOTES A SAFE AND EFFICIENT NORTH AMERICAN RAIL SYSTEM WITH PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES IN AREAS SUCH AS STANDARDS, OPERATIONS, SAFETY, SECURITY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC POLICY.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Program accomplishments

  • STRATEGIC RESEARCH INITIATIVES (SRI):THE SRI PROGRAM FOCUSES ON RESEARCH THAT WILL MAKE RAIL TRANSPORTATION SAFER, MORE EFFICIENT, AND MORE RELIABLE. THE CURRENT SRI PROGRAM INCLUDES PROJECTS ADDRESSING SIGNALS, TRAIN CONTROL, AUTOMATED OPERATIONS, TRACK, BRIDGES, AND RAIL CAR COMPONENTS SUCH AS WHEELS, BRAKES, AND COUPLERS.
  • INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN:A PROGRAM OF MEDIA OUTREACH, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, ADVERTISING, AND CONTENT DEVELOPMENT THAT FOCUSES ON (1) HOW THE FREIGHT RAIL INDUSTRY CONSISTENTLY AND EFFICIENTLY DELIVERS ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS TO AMERICANS, (2) HOW RAILROADS USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND PROVIDE PUBLIC BENEFITS INCLUDING A SAFE, FUEL EFFICIENT WAY TO MOVE GOODS AND CONNECT US TO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, AND (3) PRESERVING BALANCED REGULATION OF THE FREIGHT RAIL INDUSTRY.
  • PRESERVING BALANCED REGULATION:A PROGRAM TO PROMOTE THE BALANCED REGULATORY STRUCTURE REQUIRED TO ALLOW RAILROADS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE A REASONABLE RATE OF RETURN AND TO CONTINUE THEIR SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN THE NORTH AMERICAN RAIL NETWORK. SUCH REINVESTMENT IS CRITICAL IF RAILROADS ARE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CAPACITY CHALLENGES THAT INCREASED RAIL DEMAND FOR TRANSPORTATION BRINGS.

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
53-6000125
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(6): Business league or chamber of commerce
Donations deductible
No
Exempt since
1992
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$52,287,380
Income (IRS master file)
$70,569,837

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2024$70,167,327$68,311,159$52,287,380XML
990December 2023$77,003,356$68,097,791$48,749,406XML
990December 2022$59,775,689$59,833,146$28,089,328IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS
990December 2018–––IRS
990December 2017–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 53-6000125).

Questions about ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

What is the EIN of ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS?
The employer identification number (EIN) of ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS is 53-6000125.
Is ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(6) since 1992.
Are donations to ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS tax-deductible?
No. The IRS master file says contributions to it are not deductible.
Which annual return does ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
Who is the principal officer of ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names IAN JEFFERIES.
Who are the officers and directors of ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 21 people; 11 received compensation from the organization, the highest $2,688,223 (IAN N JEFFERIES, PRESIDENT, CEO).
How much revenue does ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $70,167,327, expenses of $68,311,159 and total assets of $52,287,380 at year end.

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