General Services Staff Profile: David Russell

David Russell recently cleared away 2 tons of scrap tables and furniture from the District Warehouse.

Here’s a real green hero, doing the everyday work called for in making a sustainable planet.

In the previous two years, District Office Head Custodian David Russell has been first in line to create and implement new protocols for comprehensive recycling at the District Office. David was present at the very first meeting in September 2006 where faculty, staff, administrators and students convened to begin drawing the new protocol finally published in September 2008.

Throughout the process, David has been the first to
try a proposed procedure, and he has been flexible in working around obstacles such as inadequate equipment and being sometimes short-staffed due to vacations or illness. At work meetings to improve draft recycling protocols, David brought a can-do and must-do attitude that helped create solutions and to forge common ground among the various stake-holders.

Mr. Russell has been the Head Custodian at the District Administrative Offices since 2003. Tall and easy-going, he has managed a small crew of 4 custodians to maintain the District Administrative Center at 333 E. 8th Street, across the boulevard from the Laney College baseball fields. The DAC houses the Community Conference Room (Board of Trustees meeting room) and all the administrative office spaces for Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Educational Services, General Counsel, Labor Relations, Facilities Planning and Operations, Purchasing, and the Office of the Chancellor.

Prior to working at Peralta, Mr. Russell maintained housing property on Treasure Island for developer John Stewart Company. He has also worked at Mercy Terrace in San Francisco, now a care home for seniors.

Outside of work, Mr. Russell enjoys BBQs with his family, gardening, fishing (and grilling the catch), hiking, and enjoying “… and all that beauty the Creator has made.”