H.J. Russell & Co. has bold aspirations to reach $1 billion in revenue by late 2029.
Calling it the Atlanta-based construction company’s “North Star,” CEO Michael B. Russell Sr. told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an interview that it is the big picture goal. If achieved, that would mark impressive growth for the Black-owned firm, which has current revenue around $300 million.
Russell expects a large share of the $700 million gain to come from the firm’s mission-critical work. In general, that business focuses on constructing facilities like data centers, healthcare facilities, and other infrastructure projects needed for the continuous operation of services.
Russell says his company’s work in that area will be constructing facilities for larger FORTUNE 100 companies to boost their capacity for housing technology and provide services to their customers. He said the facility’s needs have grown over the last three years, with artificial intelligence (AI) being a key driver of that demand.
He says H.J. Russell is actively working in that space, though he could not specifically name who because of the sensitive nature of the projects.
Some observers have projected a growing demand for mission-critical facilities, particularly data centers, fueled by higher reliance on digital infrastructure covering multiple sectors. “We believe as that market continues to grow, it will be a real accelerant for H.J. Russell in our growth.”
Simultaneously, H.J. Russell’s ambitious growth plans come as major companies have been steadily scaling back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) pledges recently. This has raised concerns about how diverse firms may be impacted by the pullback.
However, Russell is confident his firm can escape the retreat. He said H.J. Russell does projects for clients that mainly value the construction firm that can get the job done. “It’s about meeting a capacity need that these companies need to operate, not just a handout.”
Also, Russell wants his firm to reach a certain level before the end of 2026 so it can become the sole provider on mission-critical projects rather than partnering with other firms.
H.J. Russell Company has previously ranked regularly on BLACK ENTERPRISE’s BE 100s list of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses. Its resume contains many iconic projects, including Atlanta’s 191 Building, Georgia-Pacific headquarters, State Farm Arena, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Moreover, Russell shared other areas he expects to help fuel overall future revenue growth. His firm’s core businesses now are construction and program management. Russell sees growth in construction coming from the firm’s offices outside of Atlanta, in Dallas and Boston. He projects that affordable housing projects in metro Atlanta will continue to be key revenue contributors.
Another market that Russell is optimistic about and wants to keep leveraging is aviation. In December 2024, H.J. Russell stated that it made aviation infrastructure history by being North America’s first firm to do modular builds from both the construction and program management sides.
Curtis Wilson, vice president of transportation and infrastructure at H.J. Russell & Co., emailed BLACK ENTERPRISE to inform us that the company is the 40% JV partner on the program management team for the $1.4 billion Concourse D widening projects at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s largest and busiest airport.
It is part of the overall multi-billion-dollar ATLNEXT capital improvement program. Widening Concourse D, the airport’s oldest concourse, includes adding more gates, reducing the impact of gate closures, and improving revenue generation during construction. H.J. Russell initially started working on the project in 2023, and it is expected to be completed in 2029.
Widening Concourse D, the airport’s oldest concourse, includes adding more gates, reducing the impact of gate closures, and improving revenue generation during construction. H.J. Russell started working on the project in 2023 and is expected to complete it in 2029.
To date, 10 modular sections have been moved and established during two phases. Curtis says more sections will be constructed and moved to complete the concourse’s south side next year.
Trevor Lee, senior project manager at H. J. Russell, explained that an airport-based modular build related to a concourse widening or expansion project. He said it consists of having a section of the expansion built that includes the structural steel frame, poured concrete slab on metal decks, building skin components typically consisting of metal panels and curtainwall, all constructed more efficiently on a secondary site not far away from the complex location where the actual building expansion is occurring.
With the concourse’s widening, he said airport passengers will enjoy expanded passenger hold rooms at gates, larger restrooms, and increased concession spaces, among other amenities.
Curtis explained, “One of the biggest reasons to consider modular construction isn’t just speed; it’s about minimizing the impact on airport operations. By using modular construction, we’ve been able to cut total gate downtime by 46 months.” Curtis added, “That’s a huge deal because less downtime means airlines avoid approximately $400 million in lost revenue and passengers have a smoother travel experience”
The project at Hartfield-Jackson followed H.J. Russell’s completion of a modular construction project at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in 2022. H.J. Russell was the 10% JV partner on the $155 million project. The work included providing six new modular gates spanning 80,000 square feet to accommodate American Airlines’ domestic flights with narrow-body aircraft and regional jets.
Overall, Wilson reflected on how modular construction could play a major role in H.J. Russell’s future growth, both nationally and globally.
“From a business perspective, this isn’t just another project type. It’s a strategic growth area that opens doors to new markets and long-term partnerships with major airport authorities and airlines. Over the next several years, we expect this part of our business to generate significant revenue and help Russell expand into more large-scale aviation infrastructure projects nationwide.”
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