Herbert A. Font-Russell was an American politician from
Rutland City, Vermont. A member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
, he was elected to the
Vermont House of Representatives
The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives ar ...
in 2010, representing the
Rutland-5-3 district. He took office on January 5, 2011.
In his first term Russell successfully sponsored legislation to tighten copper theft penalties. Successive terms worked on Rutland issues: Saving the Amtrak Ethan Allen working to secure grants while serving on House Transportation Committee to build Western Rail Corridor, New Dorr & Ripley bridges, NEW senior housing in renovated historic Watkins School, sponsored John Deere historic birthplace sign and sponsoring numerous other historic state markers signifying Rutland & Vermont Rail history around the state. He sponsored a resolution for intercity bus service for Rutland, with VTrans bringing back 'Vermont Transit Lines' routes through the Rutland Transit Center. Herb Russell was most proud to sponsor, in his final act before retiring from the Vermont Legislature, the 'Vermont Marriage Equality' state historic marker located between Vermont Statehouse and Supreme Court dedicated on Tuesday October 17, 2017 celebrating Vermont's role as 'first' in the nation!
A former
flight attendant
A flight attendant, also known as steward/stewardess or air host/air hostess, is a member of the aircrew aboard commercial flights, many business jets and some government aircraft. Collectively called cabin crew, flight attendants are prima ...
, Russell spent almost 30 years with
American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
until retiring in 2004. He joined American in 1976, after spending a year with
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was a regional airline that operated out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1952 to 1979 with routes primarily located in the eastern U.S. It was the forerunner of USAir that was subsequently renamed US Airways, which itself me ...
and two years with
Northwest Orient Airlines
Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines- ...
. He had previously attended two colleges, the
State University of New York
The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...
and the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
. Since retiring from American Airlines in 2004, he has worked for the CRDA Casino Reinvestment Development Authority in Atlantic City, followed by South Jersey Transportation Authority, then after moving to Vermont at the historic Equinox Hotel in Manchester, Vermont and as a 'Passenger Conductor' on the Green Mountain Railroad. In Retirement Russell works as a Parking Enforcement Officer in Rehoboth Beach,
Delaware. He was appointed by Delaware Governor John Carney in May 2017 to serve on the Board of Architects in Dover.
In 2008 Russell was a leader in the successful effort to keep Amtrak's
Ethan Allen Express
The ''Ethan Allen Express'' is a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak in the United States between New York City and Burlington, Vermont, via Albany, New York. One daily round trip is operated on a north-south route with a 7 hour 35 min ...
train in Rutland, founding Friends of Rutland Rail. He has served on the board of the Vermont Rail Action Network
and Sustainable Rutland, both since 2009.
He ran for state representative in 2010, one of three candidates seeking one seat in the Rutland-5-3 district. The incumbent state representative, Democrat
Steven Howard was vacating the seat to run for Lieutenant Governor. In the Democratic primary election held on August 24, Russell defeated Daniel P. White by 165 votes to 60. In the general election held on November 2, Russell was elected, defeating Republican nominee Carl J. Haas by 454 votes to 437. He took office on January 5, 2011. Russell announced he would not seek a third term, retiring in 2016. Russell returned to his beloved Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to retire among LGBTQ friends, where he remains active in CAMP Rehoboth as well as Epworth UMC.
While living in
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
in the 1990s, he ran twice for the
West Virginia Senate
The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature.
There are seventeen senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. Although the Democratic Party held a supermajority in the ...
, winning the 1992 primary, but did not appear on the general election ballot after a protracted case in the West Virginia Supreme Court. He lost a subsequent 1996 primary race.
He moved to Vermont in 2007.
Russell is openly gay; he married long-time partner Roberto Font-Russell in 2009 but divorced in 2011 changing his name from Font-Russell back to Russell.
He is one of six openly gay members of the
Vermont Legislature
The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...
, alongside representatives
Bill Lippert
William J. Lippert, Jr., commonly known as Bill Lippert, is a legislator and gay rights activist from the U.S. state of Vermont who has served since 1994 in the Vermont House of Representatives as state representative of the Town of Hinesburg. H ...
(D–
Hinesburg),
Matt Trieber (D–
Bellows Falls
Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,747 at the 2020 census. Bellows Falls is home to the Green Mountain Railroad, a heritage railroad; the ...
) and
Joanna E. Cole (D–Burlington), as well as senators
Brian Campion (D–
Bennington
Bennington is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester. As of the 2020 US Census, the population was 15,333. Bennington is the most populous to ...
) and
Becca Balint (D–
Windham).
Early life
Russell was born in
Seneca Falls, New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 8,942 at the 2020 census.
The Town of Seneca Falls contains the former village also called Seneca Falls. The town is east of Geneva, New York, in the north ...
.
References
External links
Campaign website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Herb
1953 births
Living people
21st-century American legislators
People from Rutland (city), Vermont
People from Seneca Falls, New York
American gay politicians
Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
LGBT state legislators in Vermont
State University of New York alumni
University of Kentucky alumni