Construction Executive, Favorite Vacation Spot: New Zealand, Europe. Russell & Co. 2003: Grady Hospital Cancer Center of Excellence project. cry. Atlanta-Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman, John Eaves stated, It is with great regret and immense sadness that Ive learned of the passing of an Atlanta icon: Herman J. Russell. And dont leave until 6.. We put your body to rest, Young said. I cant express how much we will miss him.. Here is a 60-second trailer of the film. Having the privilege of knowing him since childhood, as I grew, I was able to watch Mr. Russell grow and build this beautiful city with his hands, his words, and his deeds. He was mistaken. Maria received her Masters degree in urban studies from GeorgiaState and her Bachelors degree in journalism from Boston University. Once, when he was working for the elder Russell, he had finished his work and was in the parking lot getting ready to leave. In every phase of Atlanta development from Hartsfield to the present, he was a major and dominant influence. Later while in college, he and friends build a duplex there. When are the 2023 college graduation ceremonies in Georgia? 1978: Wins Black Enterprise Magazine Annual Achievement Award. Back in those days, I faced some tough segregation, Russell said in an interview in March. Russell was only 12 years old when he founded his shoeshine business. His tremendous works can be found amongst the Atlanta skyline, the businesses he created, but most of all and the beautiful family that he raised. Business and civil rights icon Herman J. Russell Sr. was celebrated Saturday not with tears of pain, but through laughter and demonstrations of love for a man whose funeral was closed with the song My Way.. We should pray to have even a fraction of the impact he had on the lives of others! You ask if someone has made a difference. H.J. He was a great citizen, a great business man and a brother. Part business generator, innovation lab, and museum, RICE invests in Black entrepreneurs, strengthens businesses, and creates community. His company helped erect much of the city's skyline such as Coca-Cola's headquarters, 191 Peachtree Tower, Atlanta City Hall, and the Georgia-Pacific building, among others. 1969: Is awarded the contract for the Citizens Trust Bank Building. Founded in 1952, H. J. Russell & Company is one of the largest minority-owned construction services and real estate development firms in the United States. 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He inspired many with words of wisdom, and assisted financially local and national political leaders, and office seekers. 1988: Constructs McGill Place Condominiums. Martin Luther King, Jr. Russell has served also as a board member for civic organizations like the Allen Temple; Butler Street YMCA; Central Atlanta Progress; Tuskegee University; the NAACP Atlanta chapter; Citizens Trust Bank; Midtown Improvement District and the Georgia State University Advisory Board. Preceded in death by husband, Edmund. I salute you sir for a long life-well done: http://t.co/wEOUdzQj65 Four months after he joined H.J. He left his indelible mark on our citys skyline as one of the developers who constructed some of our regions iconic structures. What do the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Georgia Dome, Turner Field, Phillips Arena, the downtown Atlanta skyline, the administration of the iconic Mayor Maynard Jackson and the Civil Rights Movement all have in common? That entrepreneurial spirit was passed on through his legacy to his children and grandchildren. Hala Moddelmog (@HalaModdelmog) November 16, 2014, Thoughts & prayers go out to the Russell family. Russell Plastering Company with his father. He built movements.. ATLANTA, GA (NNPA) Herman J. Russell, the native Atlantan born in 1931 from humble beginnings in the Summerhill community who ultimately grew to become founder of the nations most influential African American construction and property management company in southwest Atlanta, from a plastering business in the 50s made transition, on Saturday, Nov. 15, following a brief illness. He used the n-word and asked, Why cant you shine shoes on your front porch? Thats when I was reborn.. Building Atlanta: The Story of Herman J. Russell Documentary to be featured by Delta Air Lines Starting in Black History Month He befriended contemporaries like M.L. Russell, the youngest of eight children, was born during the heart of the Depression in the Atlanta community of Summerhill. Because jobs were scarce, at the age of 8, he decided to become his own boss and create his own jobs (neighborhood handyman, newspaper deliverer) and continued in that entrepreneurial mindset his entire life. With this responsibility, Herman gave me two conflicting pieces of advice, Jordan said. A few years later, government programs designed to spur residential construction, particularly in the South, provided the opportunities that made H. J. Russell & Company one of the largest builders of HUD affordable housing. Atlanta's Founding Father' Herman J. Russell Dies #titan But we open up our hearts to your spirit.. The companys Construction, Program Management, Property Management and Real Estate Development divisions, along with Concessions International, LLC, Russell Center for Innovation& Entrepreneurship,Russell Family Enterprises, LLC and H. J. Russell Foundation, are all built on a legacy of the companys founder andare being elevated to the next level by the visions of the new generation. He remembered that when he was 5 years old, his father couldnt find work. The fact that his fathers entrepreneurial DNA was passed on to his son was clearly evident at an age when most school-aged boys were beginning to chase girls and distract themselves with other frivolities. Herman Russell was a remarkable gentleman and I greatly appreciate the work he did in District 10. Herman was not just a great man, but, sorry Evander (Holyfield), he was the real deal, Perry said. Herman J. Russell (1930- ) What started as a $125.00 purchase of a small parcel of land at 15 grew and blossomed over the years into a multi million-dollar company, and with this, Herman Jerome Russell came to epitomize black entrepreneurship by becoming one of the first black millionaires. As we worked on Mr. Russells own story we quickly saw that he built more than buildings; he built relationships. Russell also told him that he wanted Vernon Jordan to speak at his service. A native of Atlanta, Herman J. Russell was an accomplished tradesman by the age of 12 having learned the plastering business from his father, Rogers Russell. H.J. The previous decades introduction of the requirement of including minority-owned subcontractors with companies seeking city contracts resulted in a new decade of continued growth and the recognition of the visionary leadership of Herman J. Russell in Atlanta and beyond. 1982: Constructs Georgia-Pacific Headquarters. Geraldine J. Stolle Obituary | Star Tribune But I didnt want to make assumptions about putting our name first. Russell. It was in the 1980s and Khalil, who was in the real estate business in north metro Atlanta, was making between $60,000 to $75,000 a year, a sizable income at the time. Joseph Lowery said he saw Russell during former President Bill Clintons recent visit to Atlanta before the Nov. 4 election, and that Russell said he was not feeling well. My father taught me how to love, Jerome said. In 2006, Russell was one of the first Atlantans to contribute $1 million for the successful acquisition of Martin Luther Kings papers, now owned by Morehouse College and a part of the recently opened National Center for Civil and Human Rights. However, I believe the most important part of Mr. Russells legacy is what we dont see in that he built himself up from the bottom to ultimately serve as a role model for so many Atlantans of all races. And he leaves people searching for the right words to summarize the indelible impact the legendary businessman, philanthropist and civic leader made on the maturation of the city of Atlanta as a power player on the national and international landscape. When will I get my Georgia tax rebate for 2023? Russell was an extraordinary visionary, a dynamic leader and a philanthropist who uplifted and mentored so many. Several of his grandchildren participated in the service. 1980: Becomes president of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and is awarded the contract for the Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport's main terminal complex. His role model was his father who owned his own plastering business. Your email address will not be published. Herman J. Russell, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who turned a small plastering firm into one of the nations most successful African-American-owned real estate development and construction companies, died Saturday. She spoke of how faith was so important to her father. He recalled working for Russell for a couple of years, and at 4:30 p.m. one afternoon, after finishing his work, he packed up and headed to car to go home. Reactions to the death of Herman J. Russell - ajc You will remember his hugs, his wisdom. He was one of thirteen children born to Michael and Florence (Brungardt) Gerhardt. Soon after, he formed the plastering company that over several decades became a successful development and construction conglomerate.
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