Russ was Tapped By then Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam to Design, Build, and Implement 311 service for the city of Knoxville in October 2004. Prior to that, he was a leading executive in the Ambulance industry. Russ spent 5 years with Rural/Metro Corp., the largest provider of emergency services in the Southeastern United States. As General Manager for East Tennessee, Russ had operational and fiscal oversight for all Fire and EMS operations and was responsible for an annual budget in excess of $30 million and 1,500 employees. Prior to moving to Tennessee, Russ was part of a team that built the largest ambulance call center in the western United States in Los Angeles California.

Russ’ experience ranges from training management teams to improve productivity and employee relations, negotiating large labor contracts, emergency service system design and implementation, to risk management and employee retention programs. He has consulted government agencies and companies throughout the US and Canada, has written and produced media campaigns for television, has lobbied for legislation to protect Domestic Violence Victims, and is the host of “Knoxville Now!” on 96.3 FM. Also, Russ has worked with the Governor’s office and the Commissioner of Homeland Security on a specific public safety plan focusing on the prevention of violence in the home and is part of Governor Haslam’s Customer Focused Government Group that has been charged with reviewing state departments from the ground up to improve service. Russ recently negotiated an agreement with the Knoxville/Knox County Office on Aging and the United Ways of East Tennessee to take 211 I&R into the 311 Call Center. Russ is active in the Rotary Club of Knoxville, Chairing programs for several years. He also works with victim advocacy groups across the country. Russ is a certified government performance manager and is often asked to speak to management groups around the country on issues of customer service, government, and employee relations