Oct 11 Russell’s Industrial and Mission Critical Work Becomes a Solid Vertical, Impacting Profit and People
A year after making an executive hire to focus on industrial and mission critical construction projects, with a concentration on data centers, H. J. Russell & Company (Russell) promoted Clinton Kurtz from division manager to Vice President. Emphasis on the market adds to Russell’s other construction verticals such as multifamily, commercial, government, and healthcare. In the first full year of having a dedicated focus on this vertical, Russell has $600M in data center sales with $100M revenue in 2023.
In his new role, Clinton is responsible for the group’s overall growth strategy—this includes responding to requests for proposals, building best in class data centers and managing projects during every step—from bid to completion.
“Clinton is a dynamic leader who continues to elevate the Russell footprint in the mission critical market,” says Michael Swick, Vice President of Construction, Russell. “Under Clinton’s strategic leadership, he’s helped us become a premier data center builder, and in his new role, will move us closer to our vision of becoming one of the best-in-class data center builders in the country.”
Russell landed its first data center in Tennessee in 2022 that was 72 Megawatts and 340,000 square feet and created hundreds of local jobs and served 10 new Russell employees. In 2022, Russell was awarded another data center in Texas that was 80 Megawatts and 290,000 square feet and created hundreds of local jobs and served another nine new Russell employees. In 2023, Russell was awarded its third data center in Virginia that was 80 Megawatts and 300,000 SF. The team is bidding on more opportunities in the Southeast, positioning Russell to be a mission critical expert.
“I’m proud to be a part of the team that is increasing Russell’s presence in the mission critical market. I am equally proud that our work is creating new jobs in local markets during and after the building process, and for the growth opportunities it provides our own employees,” said Clinton. “While in this new role, my title and responsibilities may be elevated, but my focus and vision remain the same, and that is to create unprecedented growth for Russell by growing this vertical.”
Before joining Russell, Clinton worked as an executive at Kajima Building & Design Group, Inc., where he managed all warehouse projects in the state of Georgia. Prior to that, he was a senior project manager at JE Dunn Construction, where he was responsible for managing large construction teams for design-build industrial projects and grew the company’s industrial group from the ground up alongside the vice president of the group.
Clinton has nearly 20 years of construction experience serving a variety of industries, including data centers, warehouses, automotive, healthcare and commercial throughout the southeastern United States.
Originally from Baton Rouge, La., Clinton graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in building and construction engineering.
