Herman and his brother, Rogers, started doing construction projects while Herman was still a student in
Tuskegee, AL. In Atlanta, he first worked with his father in plastering. Then, he set his sights on something bigger by building 12 residential units on South Avenue in Atlanta. His company established a good reputation and Herman used word-of-mouth references to find partners that allowed him to include commercial projects among his portfolio of residential work. He officially founded H.J. Russell & Associates in 1953 and incorporated it in 1957. built for the Atlanta Braves baseball team. H. J. Russell & Company added fireproofing to its services and in 1968 was hired to plaster and fireproof the
Equitable Building in
downtown Atlanta. His receipt of the Equitable Building bid was the largest contract of its kind ever awarded to a black-owned firm. In 1969, he received another prestigious contract to construct
Citizens Trust Bank. Herman’s next accomplishment took place when he became a subcontractor with
Holder Construction to build
Colony Square in Atlanta, H.J. Russell & Company was the general contractor. Herman oversaw every aspect of the 20-story tower, which was completed in 1987. Russell’s company also continued to build residential properties. That division also experienced significant growth in the 1980s. The
1996 Summer Olympics allowed H. J. Russell & Associates to grow even larger. Russell received contracts, and worked with partners, to build an Olympic stadium and other facilities. The stadium was built in the Summerhill neighborhood where he grew up. The groundbreaking for the project took place in 1993. Russell is credited with making significant contributions to Atlanta’s modern skyline. His company also continued doing sub-contractor work on large, high-profile projects. Some of the most notable buildings and complexes that were completed under his leadership are, (in alphabetical order):
191 Peachtree HJ Russell & Company was the material supplier (supervisory contractor of all construction work). Completed in 1992.
Atlanta City Hall H.J. Russell & Company was a partner in building the
Atlanta City Hall Complex. The company was the Construction Manager (CM) for the $2 million project that upgraded Assembly Hall, the Commissioner’s Chamber and surrounding areas. At the time, it was the second tallest structure in Atlanta.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport H.J. Russell was one of the companies contracted to build the Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport's main terminal complex. It moved the company into elite status as a builder of transportation facilities.
Other Projects** • Atlanta Public Safety Headquarters • Atlanta Public Schools Instruction & Administration Building • Atlanta Streetcar • Auburn Avenue Research Library • The Carter Center •
Centennial Olympic Park • Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Hughes Spalding Hospital • Cosby Learning Center at
Spelman College • Delta Air Lines Worldspan and Operations Centers • Ebenezer Baptist Church Addition • Emory Sports Medicine Complex • Judge Romae T. Powell Juvenile Justice Center (Fulton County) • Georgia Dome • Georgia-Pacific Headquarters • Georgia Perimeter College Student Success Center • Georgia World Congress Center, Phase IV • Grady Memorial Hospital • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport • Lakewood Amphitheater • Langston Hughes High School (Fairburn, GA) • The Manhattan (Sandy Springs area) • Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Home Depot Backyard • Morehouse College Dining Hall • Morris Brown College Administration Building • National Center for Civil and Human Rights • Philips Arena • State Farm Arena Transformation • Target at Atlantic Station • Turner Field (now, Georgia State University’s Stadium) • Water Supply Program (Tunnel Project), City of Atlanta • Woodruff Park • Russell named his three children, Donata, Michael and Jerome to run his companies after he retired in 2003. Some of the construction projects listed were headed by Michael who became CEO of H.J. Russell & Company. == Affiliations ==