From Project Engineer to Regional President: John Russell’s 43-Year Legacy

Decades of Thoughtful Leadership and Service

After more than 40 remarkable years with W.E. O’Neil, John Russell is stepping into retirement, closing a chapter defined by leadership, integrity, and deep community impact.

John began his career with W.E. O’Neil in 1982 as a Project Engineer and rose through the ranks to become Regional President of the Chicago, IL and Austin, TX offices. Since taking the helm in Chicago in 2008, John has been a steady force—leading with humility, strategic insight, and a collaborative spirit that inspired trust across teams, clients, and industry partners.

A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Civil Engineering and an alum of Northwestern’s Kellogg Management Institute, John brought a rare blend of technical expertise and people-centered leadership. His influence has helped shape not only W.E. O’Neil’s continued growth but also the commercial real estate and building industry in the Chicagoland area.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with John for over three decades. He has always been a consummate professional, and always maintained a positive attitude while applying a high level of integrity and professionalism to everything he does. His dedication and experience will be missed. Best wishes to John in his retirement years, I’m sure he’ll enjoy every moment.

_{Brian Ramsay
Chairman of the Board}

John’s impact reaches far beyond the jobsite. A passionate advocate for workforce development, diversity, and inclusion, he championed meaningful change on the South and West Sides of Chicago and co-founded HIRE360 to expand opportunities for underrepresented communities in the trades.

His commitment to giving back has been just as steadfast. From supporting the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program to mentoring the next generation through the Builders Foundation, John has embodied the belief that leadership is about lifting up others.

L-R: Brian Ramsay, John Finn, John Russell, Damian Eallonardo, and Kevin Foltermann at the Annual Meeting

Throughout his career, John also cultivated strong, lasting client relationships built on trust, responsiveness, and shared success. “John has been a valuable resource to McCaffery Interests. We could always count on him to help us create an estimate, solve a problem or find a way to collaborate on one of our projects. When we posed a question, his response always came with a thoughtful reply and a smile… We will remember both,” shared Ed Woodbury (President, McCaffery). “Thank you, John, for your many years of collaboration and for being an important member of our McCaffery Team!”

As John enters this next chapter, his legacy is etched in the many lives he’s touched—the colleagues he’s led, the communities he’s strengthened, and the industry he’s helped move forward.

Thank you, John, for your vision, generosity, and unwavering commitment. You’ll always be a part of W.E. O’Neil’s legacy.

From my perspective, John is W.E. O’Neil. He embodies the attitude, values, and ‘stuff’ that make O’Neil the special place it is. To be a fixture at our company for over 40 years is a testament to the value he created for not only the company, but more specifically the people he raised up, mentored and led…including me. I am proud to call John boss, mentor, confidant, and most importantly, friend.

_{Damian Eallonardo
President, Chicago}

DeSoto Chemical Processing Plant (1982)

Trivia: Did you know that John Russell’s first role at W.E. O’Neil was a timekeeper at the DeSoto Chemical Plant in Chicago Heights? His main responsibility was to count heads of electrical and pipe filter…and nearly three decades later, he became President of the Chicago region.