New Staff Spotlight: Russ Carrell

Russ Carrell has been a wonderful addition to the Northbrook Park District in his role as facility maintenance worker I assigned to the Leisure Center.

Russ grew up in Des Plaines and graduated from Maine West High School. He has worked for companies dealing with computer operations, healthcare devices and evidence-tracking systems.

He chose to become a custodian when he started planning for retirement, and worked as a school custodian for the last seven years while also working part-time for park districts.

Russ also has worked seasonally for the last 15 years at Pesche’s Flowers in Des Plaines, doing everything from security to maintenance and delivery.

For 40 years until 2018, he ran a snowplowing business with a crew of about five drivers — each with their own pickup truck — and for a time drove a mobile advertising billboard truck.

As for his job in Northbrook, he appreciates that employees of the park district show deep understanding and great care in their roles, he said. “I can see working here for a very long time,” he said, “because we provide a fun service for the entire community.”