“It’s a park that serves as an important treasure within the black local community and, at a point in time, it was the only park that African Americans could go to for amenities such as a swimming pool,” Russell says.  

Russell takes pride in giving back to the neighborhoods he grew up in and around.

“Being able to touch so many people from around the city and from that community, those neighborhoods, particularly children and young people, is something I’m proud of, especially knowing that I swam in that swimming pool as a kid,” he says.

In his role at Shiel Sexton, Russell has led the company in mentoring and is an authority in enacting diversity strategies. In so doing, he has helped elevate numerous diverse businesses that would have otherwise had little chance to succeed in an industry and market that have, historically, struggled to embrace diversity.

Commenting on current national move away from DEI, Russell says that “there’s always going to be a necessary business case for [it].” He emphasizes that “regardless of what we title it,” needs that DEI answers have “always been around in America.” adding that “there’s still a necessity for us to continue ... giving everyone, regardless of who they are or where they’re from, a fair shot to advance and excel.”

Russell acknowledges that the current national environment presents challenges but is determined to continue his work. “You have to respect and honor mandates,” he says, “however, the work does not stop. The work does not stop.”

Russell has overseen a positive shift in Shiel Sexton’s record on diversity, with changes in interview practices, annual review processes and recruitment and retention strategies, as well as a new mentorship program. 

Discussing the industry’s future, Russell names “workforce and labor shortages” as its biggest challenge, which have been “present and prevalent throughout the entirety of our industry.” In response, the industry has to both “grow the pool … to diversify talent” and “embrace technology as a natural answer to workforce and labor shortages,” he believes.

Russell is doing much himself to grow the pool: he founded the nonprofit Russell’s Building Camp, which helps young people gain construction experience and boost industry exposure by creating and building projects. One participant, a high school junior, texted Russell with “a few selfies” taken on jobsites he visited. Russell says one photo shows the student “actually working a controller operating a drone." The student was shocked that something like that was used in construction. "He felt as if he was just playing a video game,” Russell relays.

There's an opportunity for the industry to “rebrand behind technology” to “meet young people directly where they are” and show them they can “use skills that come naturally to [them] while still making a great living building through the trades,” the manager believes.

Russell is highly involved in the industry and actively helps represent Shiel Sexton in a range of groups, from the Indiana Construction Roundtable and National Association of Women in Construction to Youth Build, Minority Engineering Program of Indianapolis and Junior Achievement.