Business
Black Enterprise Interviews Herman J. Russell: The CEO Who Helped Reshape Atlanta’s Skyline
What sort of mistakes did you make early on and what were the lessons learned?
Russell: That is a good question. I shall never forget overlooking and miscalculating some numbers in preparing an RFP that cost me a bid. From that moment on, I made sure that I would pay attention to details. So I would pore over every contract and proposal, checking and rechecking to make sure that every detail was covered. Often I would be up to the early morning hours reviewing and ensuring that each proposal was accurate and complete. I learned that attention to detail is a CEO’s best friend.
You have a multi-generational family business. What’s your secret for grooming your children to take over?
Russell: I put my children to work in the business at an early age. They did not have glamorous or “pen-pushing” jobs. I made them get into the field and get their hands dirty. They worked on the properties and on the construction sites. No cushy office jobs for them. Then at the dinner table we would have a variety of discussions including conversations about what they learned while on the sites and why it is important to the company. This gave them the foundation they would need to become the great leaders they are today. I am proud of my children and the work they have done to move the business forward. I feel that they would not have the good work ethic and business savvy they possess if I had not exposed them to the “hands-on” basics of the business.
Copyright Black Enterprise Magazine 2014
