Richard Russell
QC Manager at American Fire - A CHA Company- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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Water-Based Systems Layout - IV (CET)
NICET
Experience
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American Fire - A CHA Company
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United States
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Construction
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1 - 100 Employee
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QC Manager
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Apr 2015 - Present
I have more than 25 years of total experience in the fire protection industry, with more than 15 of those years being manager, as well as certified NICET Level IV in Water-Based Systems Layout. Currently I manage the International Fire Protection's Quality Control department. I have more than 25 years of total experience in the fire protection industry, with more than 15 of those years being manager, as well as certified NICET Level IV in Water-Based Systems Layout. Currently I manage the International Fire Protection's Quality Control department.
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Automatic Fire Systems, Inc.
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United States
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Construction
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1 - 100 Employee
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Senior Designer
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Oct 2014 - Apr 2015
The move here was a natural fit with another old friend from “Central” Fire Protection, Chris Jones. I was hired as a fire protection designer and carried many responsibilities from past jobs. I used SprinkCAD while designing at Automatic Fire Systems. The move here was a natural fit with another old friend from “Central” Fire Protection, Chris Jones. I was hired as a fire protection designer and carried many responsibilities from past jobs. I used SprinkCAD while designing at Automatic Fire Systems.
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Century Fire Protection
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United States
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Construction
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300 - 400 Employee
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Design Manager
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Aug 2014 - Oct 2014
Century Fire Protection was a new opportunity headed towards more ambitious goals than I’d had access to before. I hired on as design manager understanding I had room to grow and advance. However, several debacles occurred with computer and software, insurance, etc.…. A move was required to gain stability and pay the bills. Century Fire Protection was a new opportunity headed towards more ambitious goals than I’d had access to before. I hired on as design manager understanding I had room to grow and advance. However, several debacles occurred with computer and software, insurance, etc.…. A move was required to gain stability and pay the bills.
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Central Fire Protection, Inc.
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United States
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Fire Protection
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1 - 100 Employee
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Design Manager
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May 2004 - Aug 2014
Coming back to “Central” Fire Protection was a no-brainer, especially after understanding several of my old teammates had struck out on their own already to create a company called American Fire Protection and several others were about to leave to create a fire protection design company. Knowing all of this, I was coming back to make a run at becoming the design department manager in place of one of my mentors, Josh Whaley. Josh hired me as a fire protection designer, and shortly after Josh’s exodus, I became the Design Manager. This position was not just a management position, I was a working manager with my own workload of design as well as being responsible for 4 designers and handling the scheduling for all design projects from start to finish. Our design process was executed using OmniCAD and HASS but much later changed to SprinkCAD. The owners trusted me completely with managing this department from top to bottom for 10+ years. I learned a lot about people and different management styles while here. The management style that I have witnessed achieve the most is simply, “leading by example”. This method has not failed me, even in non-management positions. Show less
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Capsco Industries
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United States
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Building Materials
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1 - 100 Employee
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Designer
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Mar 2003 - May 2004
Employment at Capsco was the second largest learning curve of my career. I had no mentor any longer and I found myself questioning much of what was going on in design, and for good reason. The questions caused me to dig into the code books like I’d never done before. This time I had no one to back me up or give me the answer and I found this to be the greatest professional gift ever. I was hired here as a fire protection designer with room for advancement, perhaps into management. Capsco used SprinkCad for AutoCAD 2002 to design with and stock listing was performed with SprinkCad as well. SprinkCAD did a fantastic job of stock listing and was another learning curve of sorts. Although management was the bait, my responsibilities remain the same as they were at Central Fire Protection while I worked at Capsco. Show less
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Designer
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Aug 1999 - Feb 2003
I met my 2nd and final mentor, Josh Whaley, here. Project diversity taught me a lot here, things that pushed my knowledge and abilities to another level. During my tenure here I achieved my NICET Level II and Level III and continued to have much the same responsibilities as I did at Joiner except less Project Management responsibilities. “Central” Fire Protection used OmniCAD to design in conjunction with AutoCAD R14, 2000 & 2002. Again, Hass was used to perform hydraulic calculations and stock listing was primarily performed by the fabrication shop with the designer performing smaller stock list by hand from time to time. Show less
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JOINER FIRE SPRINKLER CO INC
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United States
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Construction
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Designer
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Oct 1997 - Aug 1999
This was the beginning of my fire protection career. I was hired and mentored by Brian Smith. A year in, and I had my Level I and at a year and a half, they sent me to a 2-week ASFA class in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas. This was the single greatest learning curve of my career. Designer at Joiner Fire Sprinkler meant you were responsible for many things, such as obviously taking care of the design but also attending project meetings, coordinating when and where possible, making sure we were keeping schedule with the general contractor for design approval and fabrication and delivery of materials, internal scheduling fabrication and materials delivery and making sure our field superintendent was knowledgeable about these schedules and was prepared to man the jobs upon delivery of materials. I was also responsible for field checks and surveys during projects as well as answering any questions as they came in from the field. Finally, I was responsible for calling in, picking up and delivering materials that were needed for revisions required during the life of the projects I was involved in. Simply put, I was the designer and the project manager for many projects during my employment here. After two years I was allowed to unofficially take control of the design department while Brian Smith made his transition over to sales. During my time at Joiner, I attended numerous job meetings and consulted with architects and A/E teams on many projects. I also worked very closely with the foremen and fitters in the field, helping put minds at ease and resolve the issues of the day. We designed with HydroCAD in conjunction with AutoCAD R13 & 14. HydroCAD’s calculation program was used on smaller projects, but Hass was our primary program for running hydraulic calculations. Stock listing was performed primarily by the fabrication company, but I hand listed many smaller projects for expediency and efficiency. Show less
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Education
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1995 - 1997
Wallace State Community College - Hanceville
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General, 3.96
Community
