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Russell Leadership

	Jim Russell President/CEO After graduating from Iowa State University in 1983, Jim started Russell Construction with two employees, $10,000 and a business card. A true entrepreneur, Jim has led the growth of the company to 170 of the best and brightest industry professionals and over $135 million in annual sales. His personal philosophy as CEO is to focus heavily on three areas: Vision, mission, strategy and organization structure Business development and client relations Talent – attracting, retaining, rewarding and motivating the best and brightest A strong advocate of giving back to the community, Jim currently serves on numerous community and professional boards, such as: Junior Achievement of the Quad Cities, Rock Island Arsenal Development Group, Scott County Family YMCA, Quad Cities Contributors Council, Vera French Foundation and The Vernon Company. Jim was recognized for his extraordinary involvement and was inducted into the Junior Achievement Quad Cities Business Hall of Fame in 2003. He was also presented with the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2004.

	Jim Simmons Executive Vice President Devoted to building the people that build the buildings, Jim is actively involved in the development of all projects and helps grow the people that make the company successful. Having spent 25 years in the industry, most recently at The Weitz Company, he provides company-wide executive leadership in work acquisition and operations. A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, Jim relocated to Iowa after obtaining his bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Cincinnati. The combination of environment, industry experience and community involvement combined with leadership roles throughout his career account for significant contributions to the Russell team. Jim serves on numerous community and professional boards, including: ACE Mentoring of Iowa, Master Builders of Iowa, Greater Des Moines Committee, Civic Center, Rotary Club of Des Moines, Greater Des Moines Metropolitan YMCA, Young Presidents Organization, World Presidents Organization and St. Francis of Assisi.

	Kathy Mirocha Chief Financial Officer As Chief Financial Officer for Russell Construction with 20 years of financial management experience, Kathy is the executive in charge of corporate finances and is a key member of our Real Estate Development and Community Solutions teams. She has been with the company for 20 of its 25 year history. A born leader, Kathy’s responsibilities extend beyond the financial realm, as she is an active contributor to corporate strategic planning, client and subcontractor relations and work acquisition processes. Volunteering and community involvement remain a key passion for Kathy. In her spare time Kathy is actively involved in: Construction Financial Managers Association, DavenportOne, Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Associated General Contractors of America, Junior Achievement of the Quad Cities and the United Way of the Quad Cities.

	Tom Fennelly Senior Vice President Striving to be the best in serving others with integrity, honesty and total commitment is what motivates Tom Fennelly. As a Senior Vice President with 25 years of experience in the construction industry, Tom has executive oversight for both healthcare and higher education teams. He is a company leader for client relation activities and is an integral part of the corporate strategic planning process. With a passion for our environment, Tom also leads Russell’s sustainability efforts toward more energy efficient design and construction. He dedicates his time and energy to various community and professional organizations, including: United States Green Building Council, Center on Sustainable Communities, Master Builders of Iowa, National Association of Builders, DavenportOne, Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity.

	Steve Daxon Senior Vice President Exceeding customer’s expectations 100% of the time is what drives Steve Daxon. His ability and focus on the development of relationships has resulted in the growth of our regional and international portfolio. His commitment to providing the right solutions for Russell’s clients has resulted in several repeat clients like John Deere, FedEx, Olympic Steel and the Department of Defense. A graduate of Iowa State University, Steve provides executive oversight for projects and guides several corporate strategic initiatives. Under his leadership, Steve’s teams ensure that all project activities comply with company requirements and client expectations. In his spare time, Steve is actively involved in the Associated General Contractors of the Quad Cities, Iowa State Construction Engineering Advisory Council and Master Builders of Iowa.

	Jerry Nieman Senior Vice President Construction has always been a passion for Jerry Nieman. Dedicated to Russell’s corporate vision and mission, Jerry has been with the company for 23 years and has been an intricate player in the development of Russell’s healthcare division. With 35 years of construction experience, Jerry is responsible for overseeing the timely completion of all healthcare related projects. He ensures that every project is completed on time, within in budget and to contract. In his spare time Jerry is actively involved with the Davenport One, Construction Management Association of America, Associated General Contractors of America, Iowa Hospital Association, Certified Constructor American Society of Healthcare Engineers, Iowa Medical Group Management Association, American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering.

	Jim Hansen Vice President Jim’s motivation lies in the challenge of exceeding each client’s expectations to develop a trusting and long lasting relationship. Capitalizing on 30 years of construction experience, his executive project management portfolio ranges from power plants and air bases to retail facilities and offices. As an executive leader of the company, he develops the right management team and oversees both quality of service and quality of communication. To him, the expressions on the faces of his clients at project completion are one of the highest compliments he could receive. A graduate of St. Ambrose University, Jim is actively involved in numerous community and professional organizations such as: Des Moines Leadership Network, Urbandale Chamber of Commerce, Greater Des Moines Chamber, and American Society of Professional Estimators.

	Mike Doucette Director of Safety Safe. It’s how he does business. As Director of Safety with 11 years of construction safety experience, Mike is responsible for the overall administration and implementation of the Construction Safety and Health Program for the company. As a graduate of Illinois State University with a degree in Occupational Safety, Mike spends a large majority of time traveling to various job sites and ensuring all safety procedures are in place and followed. He administers the Company Safety Program to ensure compliance with all OSHA, MSHA, DOT, NEC, US ARMY COE, state, local, client and Russell safety standards. As a Certified Safety Professional, Mike is also involved in other organizations dedicated to and focused on safety, such as: Quad City American Society of Safety Engineers and the Master Builders Safety Task Force. He is also a qualified crane and rigging inspector, as well as a licensed Lead Supervisor. His commitment to safety is what makes our projects a safety success.

	Lisa Charnitz Director of People Our mission to retain the “best and brightest” employees would not be possible without the talents of Lisa Charnitz. As Director of People with 20 years of business experience concentrated in human resources, Lisa Charnitz is responsible for the overall recruitment, selection and development of excellent people to join the Russell team. As a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, Lisa also holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Business Administration from the University of Iowa. When not in active pursuit of new members for the Russell team, she can be found volunteering her time and resources to such organizations as: Society for Human Resource Management, The Women’s Connection, United Way of the Quad Cities, and Quad City Health Initiative.