The Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), is pleased to announce today the election of Michael Russell and Thomas L. Pennella to its NACD Atlanta Chapter Board of Directors.

“We are excited to announce Michael and Thomas, both dynamic directors, to the NACD Atlanta Board. Their in-sight, expertise, and energy will help our director members continue to advance governance best practices in their boardrooms,” said Connie Engel, NACD Atlanta Board Chair. “Both directors have made impactful contributions to the organizations and boards they have served throughout their careers.”

Michael Russell has served as chief executive officer of H. J. Russell & Company in Atlanta, Georgia, since 2003. The Russell Companies, which consists of H. J. Russell & Company and Concessions International, employs more than 2,000 individuals with operations in 10 major cities including Atlanta, the location of its headquarters. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. He is also vice chairman of Concessions International, an innovator in the airport food and beverage concessions industry. He is actively involved in the strategic direction and growth initiatives of Concessions. Mr. Russell serves on the executive committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the boards of directors of the Atlanta Committee for Progress and Georgia Research Alliance. He is also a member of the Atlanta Rotary Club and 100 Black Men.

Mr. Russell received his BS degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and his MBA from Georgia State University.

“I’m honored to join the NACD Atlanta Board of Directors,” said Mr. Russell. “I look forward to engaging in the meetings and bringing my diversity of experience to add value to the organization.”

Thomas L. Pennella P.E. is currently a member of the advisory board for the Georgia Institute of Technology Ray C Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and past mentor within the Georgia Institute of Technology Venture Lab. He is co-founder of Penhalt Advisory Group, providing management and technical consulting services to Fortune 500™ companies, private equity portfolio investors, and tech start-ups. During Tom’s tenure as a Board Director of CH2M HILL Companies Ltd., a global Fortune 500® engineering, and construction company, CH2M grew to more than 20,000 employees worldwide and over US$ 5 billion in annual revenue. Tom brings proven corporate governance and executive leadership experience, and a global perspective having lived and worked in the US, UK, Australia, and the Middle East. He is NACD Directorship Certified™ and committed to continuing education on emerging issues to elevate corporate governance and the profession of directorship.
Mr. Pennella received his BS in Mechanical Engineering at Clarkson University and his MBA at Georgia State University.

Thomas commented… “NACD’s mission to continuously elevate corporate governance is imperative to long-term business success and by extension to meeting the needs of our broader society. I am passionate about applying the corporate governance best practices that NACD thought leadership provides and excited to support the Atlanta Chapter as a member of its Board…”

To learn about upcoming NACD Atlanta Chapter programs, visit us at here or follow us on LinkedIn.
About the National Association of Corporate Directors

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) empowers more than 21,000 directors to lead with confidence in the boardroom. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD helps boards strengthen investor trust and public confidence by ensuring that today’s directors are well-prepared for tomorrow’s challenges. World-class boards join NACD to elevate performance, gain foresight, and instill confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and corporate governance stakeholders, NACD has been setting the standard for board leadership for more than 40 years.

To learn more about NACD, visit http://www.NACDonline.org.