Meet Russell

The youngest of four boys, I was one of those “accidents” that happen 10 years after a couple decides to stop having children. My parents had lived through the Great Depression and World War II and instilled a strong belief in the values of integrity, hard work, faith and family.

As a young man, I enrolled in Graphic Arts at a vocational school. My logic for selecting that course was simple—the majority of my fellow classmates were beautiful girls. It proved to be a great decision. Not only did I go on to have a successful career in a dynamic industry, I also married the prettiest girl in class.

Over the years, I was blessed with a number of wonderful mentors. These people shared their knowledge, wisdom, and insights and gave me opportunities to grow both professionally and personally.

For over 20 years, I managed one of the largest in-house printing facilities in America. The one thing that gave me the most satisfaction during my career was being able to help others develop their leadership and interpersonal skills as they rose through the ranks.

I began writing at an early age, primarily songs and poems. In my early 50s, I was introduced to a writing critique group and soon learned I had a knack for writing humor. This seemed to come naturally to me, as I had spent my youth feeding my brain a constant diet of cartoon and comedy shows like Rocky & Bullwinkle, Green Acres, and Gilligan’s Island. My heroes were people like Jonathan Winters, Patrick McManus, and Dave Barry (who by the way has referred to me as his idol).

Today, my wife and I reside on a small slice of heaven in Northwest Arkansas that my great-grandfather homesteaded in the 1890s.