Union Pacific Railroad announced that Dick Davidson, the former chairman and CEO who helped shape the modern railroad by expanding its footprint and advancing its technology, has died at the age of 84. Davidson, who lived in Naples, Fla., with his wife Trish, was a loving husband, father and grandfather. During his tenure at Union Pacific, Davidson oversaw the acquisitions of Chicago & North Western Railway and Southern Pacific Railroad. His contributions to American industry were widely recognized, as he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, named to the Kansas Business Hall of Fame and the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame, and honored as Kansan of the Year by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas. In addition to his positions at Union Pacific, Davidson served as chair of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, a director at Creighton University, and a member of the boards of the Kroger Company, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Capitol Visitors Center. He also served as chairman of President George W. Bush’s National Infrastructure Advisory Board.