Lastly, she thanked Sylvia for being there in his sunset years and providing the rock that he needed.. (Left)Michael B. Russell& Jerome Russell(Right). I loved him and he will be missed.. His father was a plasterer from whom he learned the trade starting at the age oftwelve. Over the years, the Holders and the Russells became close friends as well as business partners. Details about his funeral arrangements are pending. Under the leadership of the Russell siblings, the first decade of the new millennium started with a bang. Perry lost the bet believing Russell wouldnt dig in the commode for simply a penny. "H.J. Among the dignitaries who were present Saturday included: Congressman John Lewis, Congressman Hank Johnson, Congressman David Scott, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Morehouse College President John Wilson, Clark Atlanta President Carlton Brown, public relations/marketing entrepreneur Kent Matlock, retired Citizens Trust director Johnnie Clark, Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, Maynard Buzzy Jackson III and his wife Wendy, Dr. Louis Sullivan, WXIAs Brenda Wood, environmentalists Laura Turner Seydel and Rutherford Seydel, fundraiser Ann Curry, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Coca-Colas Lisa Borders, chair of Habitat for Humanity International board Renee Glover, Dr. David Satcher, Atlanta City Council persons Kwanza Hall and Andrew Dickens, Atlanta Business Leagues Leona Barr Davenport, 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Summit CEO and COO respectively Mohammad Bhuiyan and Shamima Amin, Atlanta Lifes Bill Taggart, former Clayton Chair Eldrin Bell, contract compliance leader Rodney Strong, behind the scenes power-broker Eugene Duffy, retired Coca-Cola executive Ingrid Saunders Jones, photographer Sue Ross, political observer and businessman Dan Halpern, former Russell general counsel Joia Johnson, Andrea Young Thomas and her husband Jerry Thomas, architects George and Laura Heery as well as countless others. But Russell saw him going to his car and asked him where he was going. Returning to Atlanta after college, he worked . Not satisfied with Majors answer, Russell told him: Go back inside and find something to do. Several of his grandchildren participated in the service. He also said there was no entitlement in the Russell household. [8], Herman J. Russell died on November 15, 2014, at the age of 83, in Atlanta Georgia and was buried at South-View Cemetery. Learn how your comment data is processed. I got nervous in front of all the white aldermen. Herman Jerome Russell was born to Maggie Googson and Rogers Russell in Atlanta on December 23, 1930. Ironically, the decision was to locate the Olympic stadium in the Summerhill neighborhood in Southeast Atlanta, the very same neighborhood in which H. J. Russell had grown up. I also had a stuttering problem at that time. Nine months after Atlanta business icon Herman J. Russell died in November 2014, his three children received a letter from lawyers representing Joycelyn Alston of New York. An interview with the filmmakers can be found on the H. J. Russell & Company We Build: The Podcast here or on other podcast platforms. Michael Russell spoke of how honored he felt to be carrying on the role of running his fathers company. The . Mr. Where are todays Muhammad Ali-like athletes? 1968: Is awarded HUD housing contracts in the Southeast and the Equitable Building. Herman said, Vernon, do not speak all day. He served with dedication and distinction as a former King Center board member, and he was a beloved personal friend and supporter of both my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and my mother, Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Herman said, If you give me 1 percent more of the profit, you can take my name off of it altogether.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His obsession with Prince, Spike Lee movies, Hamilton and the New York Yankees is odd. [6][7] Russell was a 1991 recipient of the Horatio Alger Award, and received the title Georgia Trustee from the Georgia Historical Society in 2013. You can not bury Hermans laughter in that casket, Young said. Herman J. Russell, who founded Atlanta-based H. J. Russell & Company in 1952 and Concessions International, LLC, in 1979, is known for helping to build the Atlanta skyline as it's seen today as well as for shaping the airport dining experience for travelers throughout the country and the U. S. Virgin Islands. The Russell empire also includes Concessions International, a hospitality company that operates the famed Paschals Restaurant in Castleberry Hill and restaurants in airports across the country, including Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International. He grew up on a farm near Victoria and graduated from Victoria High School. Herman is survived by his wife, Sylvia, daughter, Donata Russell Major, sons H. Jerome (Stephanie) and Michael (Lovette) Russell, stepsons Eric and Kevin Anderson, eight grandchildren --. Herman J Russell built one of the country's leading black owned construction, real estate and concessions empires. He was not just a local businessman, but a visionary and one of the men who built Atlanta as we know it today. 1945: At 16, buys land in Summerhill for $125. Herman J. Russell, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who turned a small plastering firm into one of the nation's most successful African-American-owned real estate development and construction companies, died Saturday. She spoke of how faith was so important to her father. WhileAfrican-American leaders were waging war for Civil Rights throughout the southern U.S., Herman began his first major project, a development of 12 residential units on South Avenue in Atlanta. I want to think the Russell children for sharing your father with me, Khalil said. All rights reserved. Herman had to make a speech, Jordan said, and his speech impediment made Russell difficult to understand. When will I get my Georgia tax rebate for 2023? In 2006, Otelia Hackney Russell, his wife of 50 years, died. When Perry left 12 years after being named president, the companys revenues totaled $200 million and was the largest black-owned construction company in the country. Herman Russell had a major impact on many of us, and he lived a great life.. Maria received her Masters degree in urban studies from GeorgiaState and her Bachelors degree in journalism from Boston University. The lawyers drew up a joint-venture agreement that was about two inches thick. Herman did twice, Perry said. In 1994 Russells construction businesses were reorganized under H. J. Russell and Company. Grand-daughter Sydney Russell recited a poem: When I am Gone overcome with emotion as she read the powerful words. Today, the experience the firm had in building the Olympic stadium has contributed to the building of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium positioned halfway between the companys old and new headquarters location. I was an obnoxious, over-educated, arrogant, illegal immigrant.. Watergate, oil shortages and declining real estate markets created uncertainty in every area of the nation. "When history catches its breath, Mr. Russell's life work will place him among the most significant heroes of the Civil Rights Movement because of his unwavering contributions and commitment to the progress of this city and nation. There was just no way to go to work at a very early age.. 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 nation's most influential African American construction and property management company in southwest Atlanta, from a plastering business in the '50s - made transition, on Russell & Company also assisted in the construction of the Atlanta Police headquarters, Fulton County Jail, nearly a dozen Atlanta Public Schools buildings, Atlanta History Center, Atlanta Symphony Hall, the Carter Center, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and many other structures. He was one of the reasons that Atlanta is the great http://t.co/xCQp0HVmsL A 1990 graduate of N.C. Central University and a 2009 Harvard University Nieman Fellow, he is also the former vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists. They met 40 years later on the business field, and they developed one of the most successful joint venture relationships in Atlanta history. Russells grandchildren also spoke, remembering the lessons he taught them about hard work and how he demonstrated so much passion in everything he did that he made shredding paper even seem exciting. In addition to amazing people with his prodigious business exploits, many people were astounded by the remarkable humility and sense of humanity that belied the good natured disposition, which is too often uncharacteristic of those who have achieved Russells level of incredible success and fortune. In 2015 Joycelyn Darby Alston, a resident of New York, claimed that she, too, was among Russell's progeny, a product of a brief relationship between Russell and her mother, an Atlanta native. Prior to that, she spent 27 years with TheAtlanta Journal-Constitution,becoming its business columnist in 1991. He made an indelible mark on the city of Atlanta and the nation and he will be deeply missed.. Lee May (@LeeMay) November 15, 2014. Maria was born in Atlanta to European parents and has two youngadult children. Herman Jerome was put in charge of the companys development arm. His legacy will live on in the projects he built, the family he raised, and the people he touched throughout his life., Ernest Greer, chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and vice president and Atlanta managing shareholder at law firm Greenberg Traurig, He was one of the Giants of our time. Along with being an inimitable and distinctive business leader and icon, who created H.J. He, along with Atlanta University student leaders Julian Bond, Charlayne (Hunter) Gault, Charles Black, Lonnie King, Jr., Johnny Parham, Marian Wright and local businessman Jesse Hill, Jr., Dr. Clinton E. Warner, Gladys Powell, Hilda Wilson and others, Russell founded, in 1960, The Atlanta Inquirer, a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) the Black Press of America during the height of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-led Civil Rights Movement. Turnout was so large that the church directed traffic to two overflow parking lots to handle the crowds that kept coming even after services had begun. And then Michael remembered one his fathers favorite sayings: Bring something more to the table than your appetite.. As humble as he was, I think he would be thrilled that a movie about his life would air on Delta flights around the world, said Herman J. Russells son, Michael B. Russell, CEO, H. J. Russell & Company. Copyright 2023. Atlanta has lost a socially conscious native son. There was no one as cheap as H.J., Egbert Perry, a business protege, said to great laughter and nods from attendees at the Saturday funeral. 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. I learned that Herman was never going to let any obstacle or impediment stop him, and Herman would never let an opportunity pass to make the world a better place, Jordan said. ATLANTA - As the founder and former CEO of HJ Russell and Company, Herman J. Russell built one of the United States' leading black owned construction, real estate and concessions empires, before his death in 2014. 'The firm he built continues to shape what this city will look like for decades to come'. Russell retired from H.J. 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. I want to tell you how lucky I was that Herman was in my life, Holder said. Photo credit: Courtesy Herman J. Russell family. "His life inspires us to continue to strive to help others and be the best we can be.. Khalil said he took the job even going back to ask for $250 more a month so he could make his car payments because he knew he would learn and eventually earn much more than he was giving up under Russells tutelage. Herman J. Russell, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who turned a small plastering firm into one of the most successful African-American-owned real estate development and construction. Today, the Atlanta-based H. J. Russell and Company is a nationally recognized leader in the construction and real estate development industry, as well as the single largest Minority Business Enterprise real estate firm in the United States. Here are several highlights of the remembrances that were shared. The world is immeasurably better because of Herman J. Russell, said Atlanta City Council President Ceasar C. Mitchell Andrew Young (@AmbAndrewYoung) November 15, 2014, Today, we lost one of the founding fathers of modern Atl in Mr. H.J. Few men have done more to make Atlanta a place where people of all races and backgrounds can bring and build their dreams.". Westside Gazette Newspaper He was a gentleman., Sam Massell, a former Atlanta mayor who is now president of the Buckhead Coalition, Herman Russells success is indelible proof that Georgia is indeed a place where all are welcome and where all can succeed. He was working for a residential developer at the time. Nationally prominent Atlanta business leader Herman J. Russell, 83, died Saturday morning after a brief illness. We waded through all of that. [], These panelists took their time to share their own real life experiences and opinions about the issues faced in todays society. He was one of thirteen children born to Michael and Florence (Brungardt) Gerhardt. The nearly hour-long film premieres on ATL PBA on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. and re-airs at 9 p.m. on Feb. 23. Your email address will not be published. 7th Terrace, His grandfather caught up with him, gave him a stern look and Russell Jr. knew he was in trouble. Lastly, did one pass on peacefully and with grace. Herman J. Russell (l) at a book party with Mayor Kasim Reed. 1982: Constructs Georgia-Pacific Headquarters. Hala Moddelmog (@HalaModdelmog) November 16, 2014, Thoughts & prayers go out to the Russell family. We put your body to rest, Young said. The two men who built Deltas headquarters grew up two miles and two worlds apart in segregated Atlanta and came together through business opportunities to do great things to uplift our city and country.. He helped get them elected., His speech impediment was an asset, Egbert Perry, a protege of Russells and now CEO of development firm The Integral Group, once told the AJC. When we embarked on this family project, we never dreamed his life would be made available to be seen on television, let alone by millions of Delta customers., In the 1980s, Delta had the foresight to put a Black-owned company and a white-owned company together, H. J. Russell & Company and Holder Construction, to build the companys headquarters, said his son H. Jerome Russell, Jr., Chairman of the Board, the Russell Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (RCIE). During this time, the company reported annual sales estimated at $150 million, with project offices in several cities from Miami, Florida, to New York City. [1][2][3][4][5] He founded H. J. Russell & Company, the largest minority-owned real estate and construction business in the United States. 1988: Constructs McGill Place Condominiums. Age 101, of Bloomington. Sources: H.J. The letter said. However, his beginnings were humble. We met Mr. Russell when we interviewed him for our documentary on former City of Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, said John Duke. Survived by son, Russell (Patricia); grandchildren, Brent (Bethany), Adam (Jessica . In every phase of Atlanta development from Hartsfield (airport) to the present, he was a major and dominant influence, Young said. Ill offer you $30,000, and if youre half as good as you think you are, youll be making a lot more money, Russell told Khalil. 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. The church was filled with a Whos Who of Atlanta and so many people who had felt personally moved or touched by Russell and his family by blood or by business or by human bonds. 1979: Forms Concessions International LLC, a food service. Herman Russell had a major impact on many of us and he lived a great life.- Michael Russell, son of Herman Russell and CEO of H.J. The company has annual sales of more than $150 million and employs 700. He was elated and proud of the fact that he was able to share his legacy with others and, most importantly, his grandchildren. It caused a lot of people to underestimate him. This was also the year that Herman founded H. J. Russell Plastering Company in Atlanta, whichwould later become H. J. Russell & Company. He made his transition in a peaceful way, said his son, Michael, who serves as CEO of his fathers firm. 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. He used the n-word and asked, Why cant you shine shoes on your front porch? Thats when I was reborn.. Michael Russell Sr., from left, Donata Ross, and Jerome Russell Source: Black PR Wire More than six years after his death at 83, Russell's three children, Michael Russell Sr., 56; Jerome. He left a lasting legacy that will be remembered for years to come.said Atlanta City Councilmember C.T. Perry then asked for a job description. We should pray to have even a fraction of the impact he had on the lives of others! He replaced dilapidated low-income housing with mixed-income communities near the Atlanta University Center. From being the first African-American member of what was then called the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce to being an inaugural member of the board of directors of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Social Change, Inc. (The King Center). Russell & Co., Hoovers Company Profiles, Whos Who Among African Americans (14th ED), Staff Research. And he was just a sophomore in high school a mere infant in the business world when he exemplified the level of business acumen that would turn him into a superstar in adulthood. Russell & Company. About a decade ago, Russell turned over the operations of the H.J. "As the founder of one of America's most successful construction and real estate businesses, Mr. Russell shattered countless barriers and created greater opportunities for all, but especially for African-Americans," Mayor Kasim Reed said in a statement. On your next Delta Air Lines flight, if equipped with seatback in-flight entertainment, youll have the opportunity to view Building Atlanta: The Story of Herman J. Russell, a documentary film about the inspiring life and legacy of Atlanta businessman and founder of one of the countrys largest Black-owned commercial real estate development and construction firms, H. J. Russell & Company. 1989: Constructs Grady High School addition. 1930: Born in Atlanta on Dec. 23, 1930. As the nations business environment shifted, so did the company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Updated Nov 17, 2014, 3:50pm EST. 1995: Constructs Wachovia Headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C. 1999: Donates $4 million to Tuskegee University, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University and Morehouse College. Today, our city lost one of the best men it has ever produced. But Holder did give Russell an interview holding a business conference with a black person for the first time in his life and believed that Russell wanted a chance to prove himself. 2023 CREATIVE LOAFING, LLC. Russell Plastering Company with his father. John B. Smith, Sr., second vice chairman of NNPA and publisher and CEO of The Atlanta Inquirer, said, It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I comment on the death of my friend, business associate and brother of the common good, Herman J. Russell. Russell & Co., family and friends such as baseball legend Hank Aaron, and political and civic heavyweights, including U.S. Rep. John Lewis and Martin Luther King III. I will always remember with fondness the times that I spent in his family home playing with his children. When she stayed with him about a month ago for a few days, he still made an extra effort to pray by his bedside every night. When are the 2023 college graduation ceremonies in Georgia? Because of these dizzying exploits and success, the tributes continue to pour in for Russell, who will be laid to rest this week. Rep. Hank Johnson (@RepHankJohnson) November 15, 2014, Herman Russell understood the role of businesspeople in the journey toward social justice. He also played a leading role in the modern Civil Rights Movement working very closely with Rev. Since 1952, H. J. Russell & Companys commitment to strengthening Americas foundation through entrepreneurship, empowerment and excellence has propelled the company to legendary success. Russell, chairman/CEO of H. J. Russell & Co., was born on December 23, 1930, in Atlanta, one of seven children of Maggie and Rogers Russell. However, the nation has lost a genuine and sincere chaplain of the common, First N.C. State Supreme Court Justice honored, Is this the time to stand up and fight back? Russell never really stopped working, staying involved as chairman of his companies and in Castleberry Hill where his businesses were based. One of the most emotional moments of the celebration was when Jerome Russell spoke of how his father taught them about unconditional love whether it was how he felt about his siblings, his late wife Otelia, his current widow Sylvia, his children , grandchildren and friends. Vernon Jordan, one of Russells closest friends who served on his companys board, remembered when he first met Herman in October of 1948 at Howard High School in Atlanta. By the time of his retirement in 1997, Russell had . But he was sharp as a tack.. 545 N.W. Russell left his mark on our citys skyline as one of the builders and developers who constructed some of our regions iconic structures," Fulton County Chairman John Eaves said in a statement. Giving the benediction was another longtime friend and associate Andrew Young a civil rights leader and former Atlanta mayor. Herman Russell helped to make real the legacy of a city too busy to hate.. Herman Russell was the only businessman Ive known who could tell you to go to hell in such a way that you looked forward to the trip, Jordan said. He has seen me cry. Before attending David T. Howard High School, Russell worked for his father who was a plasterer. He befriended contemporaries like M.L. He bought his first parcel of land for $125 at age sixteen, later building a duplex on the property. He bought his first parcel of land for $125 at age sixteen, later building a duplex on the property. 1989: Constructs Delta Flight Operations Center. That entrepreneurial spirit was passed on through his legacy to his children and grandchildren. He remembered that when he was 5 years old, his father couldnt find work. Egbert Perry viewed Russell as his second father. Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his mother and other members of a church organization, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his grandfather, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his mother and niece in Atlanta, Georgia, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his mother in front of their Martin Street home, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his uncle, Photo - Herman Russell presents an Army photograph of his brother Lawrence Russell, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his sister, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his brother and friends in Buffalo, New York, 1950s, Photo - Herman Russell with his father, mother and sister at their home, 1947, Photo - Herman Russell and unidentified group at David T. Howard, 1946, Photo - Herman Russell with unidentified woman, 1946, Photo - Herman Russell at the Dogwood construction site, Atlanta, Georgia, 1980, Photo - Herman Russell in his office, 1974, Photo - Herman Russell with Jimmy Carter, Vernon Jordan and Jesse Hill in the Oval Office, Washington, D.C., 1977-1981, Photo - Herman Russell, Vernon Jordan, Jesse Hill and unidentified man, Oval Office, Washington, D.C., 1977-1981, Photo - Herman Russell, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young and Ralph Abernathy, Photo - Herman Russell with NSI board members, 1989, Photo - Herman Russell, President Bill Clinton and Ann Jackson, Photo - Herman Russell and Mayor Willie Herenton, 1990-1992, Photo - Herman Russell, Otelia Russell and Donata Russell, 1986, Photo - Herman Russell holding his son Herman Russell Jr., 1959, Photo - Herman Russell with Herman Russell Jr. and Donata Russell, Photo - Herman Russell in ROTC uniform, 1952, Photo - Herman Russell presents a photograph of his parents, Maggie and Roger Russell, Photo - Herman Russell with grandchildren, Herman Russell talks about his mother's background, Herman Russell talks about his father's background, Herman Russell recalls his earliest childhood memories, Herman Russell reflects on his childhood home, Herman Russell remembers sights and smells of Summerhill, Atlanta, Georgia, Herman Russell touches upon the importance of church during his childhood, Herman Russell briefly speaks about elementary school, Herman Russell talks about his speech impediment, Herman Russell describes his successes as a child, Herman Russell speaks about his entrepreneurial talents while growing up, Herman Russel tells about the influence his father had on him, Herman Russell recalls getting his first bank loan, Herman Russell reminisces about his high school era athletic exploits, Herman Russell speaks about one of his heroes, Jackie Robinson, Herman Russell talks about buying and building on his first piece of land, Herman Russell's decides to attend Tuskegee Institute, Herman Russell's experience at Tuskegee Institute, Herman Russell talks about managing his duplex while away at college, Herman Russell describes Tuskegee's highlights and his current involvement with them, Herman Russell outlines his business's growth through the late 1970s, Herman Russell tells of his business relationship with Herman Talmadge, Herman Russell describes his professinal relationship with whites during the 1960s, Herman Russell talks about his insurance company, Herman Russell describes his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, Herman Russell talks about Civil Rights leaders in Atlanta, Georgia, Herman Russell talks about Martin Luther King Jr. and Vernon Jordan, Herman Russell tells of his involvement in the television industry, Herman Russell briefly tells the current status of his business, Herman Russell explains his experience as a cable franchisee, Herman Russell talks about his wholesale operation comared to the airport business, Herman Russell speaks about his role in politics, Herman Russell discusses the presence of African Americans in politics, Herman Russell tells of his involvement with the Citizens Trust Bank, Herman Russell talks about his current and future business plans, Herman Russell explains the importance of black business ownership, Herman Russell expresses his feelings on the status of the black community, Herman Russell states his opinion on how to better the black community, Herman Russell gives his opinions on family and raising children, Herman Russell talks of the younger generations becoming involved in business, Photo - Herman Russell in front of H.J.