John P. Rathbone P '02, '05
John P. Rathbone received his B.A. from Virginia Tech. After his graduation from Virginia Tech, he took accounting classes at William & Mary.
Rathbone joined Norfolk Southern's predecessor, Norfolk & Western Railway Co., in 1981. He held multiple auditing roles for the company before being named vice president and controller in 1992. He became senior vice president in 2003 and executive vice president of administration in 2004.
In 2012, the company named Rathbone as its executive vice president of finance and chief financial officer. He retired in 2013 after 32 years with Norfolk Southern and continued as an independent consultant for the company until 2015.
Prior to his work with Norfolk Southern, he worked as a senior auditor for KPMG, formerly Peat Marwick Mitchell.
The father of Jay Rathbone '02, M.Acc. '03, and David Rathbone '05, M.B.A. '11, he chaired the Parent and Family Council and is an emeritus trustee of the William & Mary Foundation. Mr. Rathbone is also a former member of the W&M Foundation Board, a member of the James Blair Society and a supporter of the Master of Accounting and M.B.A. programs.
Mr. Rathbone has held leadership positions on numerous not-for-profit organizations including rector of the Eastern Virginia Medical School (2010-2012) and past chair of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (2020-2022), a national organization dedicated to creating safe places for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors by transforming unused rail lines to trails. Mr. Rathbone also served on numerous boards including The Belt Railway of Chicago, the United Way of South Hampton Roads, The Virginia Stage Company, and Bethany Hall Home for Alcoholic Women.
Email: [[jprathbone]]
2024-2025 Committee Assignments
Executive Committee
Committee on Financial Affairs
Richard Bland College Committee, Chair
Appointed
July 1, 2021 by Governor Ralph Northam
