Jul 23 H. J. Russell & Company Amps Up Its Mission Critical Group, Hiring Paul T. Bryant, P.E. as Project Director
H. J. Russell & Company hires construction veteran, Paul T. Bryant, P.E., as the project director within the company’s Mission Critical vertical group that focuses on building data centers. Bryant has more than 30 years of construction and project management experience serving a variety of industries, including food and beverage, semiconductor, high tech, oil and gas, automotive, power station, commercial low rise, and mining/metals throughout the United States, Canada and Germany.
Before joining Russell, Bryant worked as the director of construction at 80 Acres Inc. in Ohio, where he founded their internal general contracting company to build their automated, high tech vertical farms (Controlled Environment Agriculture) valued at over $100 million each.
As project director, Bryant is responsible for helping a team build an 80 MW facility and that involves client satisfaction, owner contract negotiations, project execution and management of all subcontractors. He’ll also monitor and manage project managers on schedule, cost, contract changes and all financial aspects of a project. Bryant will report to Clinton Kurtz, Russell’s Industrial and Mission Critical Group vice president.
“We are very excited to have Paul join our Mission Critical Group,” says Kurtz. “His expertise in the construction industry along with his proven leadership skills, will help H. J. Russell & Company grow the Group and further our goal of being a leader in the data center market.”
Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Bryant graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in civil engineering and project management, while later receiving his Master of Business Administration from Duke University.
“I’m excited to have joined Russell, a legendary family-owned company not only because it is poised for so much growth, but because of how they invest in the growth of their people, and most importantly, where I instantly felt at home due to the friendliness and professionalism of the employees,” said Bryant. “I plan to put my energy into strategically growing Mission Critical work for Russell, by finding great people to bring into the fold while making Russell a leading choice among customers needing Mission Critical projects.”
Russell landed its first data centers in Texas and Tennessee in 2022, and has since built data centers in Georgia, with new projects in Virginia and North Carolina. The Mission Critical vertical adds to Russell’s other project concentrations such as multifamily, commercial, government, and healthcare.
