Celebrating 15 years with Brandon Russell

• by Katie A Lowe

At Associated Terminals, we believe success is achieved by fostering a supportive company culture. We are so proud of all of our team members and their contributions throughout the years. This year, we would like to give a special shoutout to Brandon Russell for his 15 year anniversary with Associated Terminals. 

Russell is currently the leader of the rail department but has worked in the maritime industry since he graduated high school. “It feels as if I’ve grown up with Associated Terminals,” Russell shares. In 2005, he began working as a deckhand for Turn Services. He worked at Turn Services for 3 years before moving to Associated in 2008 where he started out in the rail department. Moving on from rail, he had worked on rigs as an equipment operation, deckhand, and oiler for 10 years. Following a break due to Covid-19, Russell had returned to the rail department, where he continues his work today.  

With Russell’s years of experience and expertise, his advice to those starting out their career in the maritime industry is to maintain awareness of your surroundings on the job. “Awareness is so important. Caution is consistently necessary and most importantly you gotta respect the river!” he says.  

Russell was born and raised in New Orleans and shares that the most valuable thing in life is family. “My thirteen year old daughter is my everything,” says Russell. He also describes how his work at Associated Terminals has strengthened his familial values as he takes after his father, Operations Manager Forrest Russell,  who had worked as part of our team for over 25 years. “When you work so closely with the same team for 12 hours a day, the relationships you develop with one another really feels like family,” said Russell.  

Looking back on his 15 years of hard work, Russell shares how “appreciative [he] is for the opportunities he’s had at Associated for all these years.” Russell is consistently reminded of not just his own history with Associated as he pays thanks to his Father, Forrest, “for guiding me in this career. He really is my hero.” Russell also pays tribute to David Fennely, Jason Perez, Danny Wright, Howard Serigne, Ronnie Lopez, Frankie Walker and Rodney Baye for all playing a huge part in his success at Associated Terminals. “I appreciate them so much—as if it wasn’t for all their hard work we would never have the company that we have today,” he says.  

We are so grateful for Brandon Russell, Forrest Russell, their family, and all of our team members who we have formed meaningful experiences and cultivated such success with over the years. Congratulations on your 15 year Anniversary Brandon!