As his term in office winds down, Miami Commissioner Ken Russell lands a new job
A few months before Miami Commissioner Ken Russell leaves office, he’s landed a new job.
London-based consultancy firm Longevity Partners, which advises governments and private real estate interests on environmental sustainability issues, has hired Russell to be director for outreach in the U.S. public sector. Longevity specializes in consulting on ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues, which refers to standards used to measure the impacts of a company’s investments.
Longevity has a U.S. headquarters in Austin, Texas. Russell will spearhead the opening of a new office in Miami.
“Mr. Russell is uniquely positioned to bridge the sustainability gap in the United States between the public and private sectors,” reads a statement from the company. “At Longevity, he will implement essential advocacy and outreach campaigns that encourage meaningful investment in the sustainable and resilient future of the U.S.”
Russell, 49, is a wholesaler of water sports equipment and former yo-yo competitor and businessman. He has served on the City Commission since 2015, representing most of the city’s coastal neighborhoods in District 2. He entered politics after advocating for the cleanup of Merrie Christmas Park in Coconut Grove.
“For me, it’s coming full circle for a journey that started at a contaminated park,” Russell told the Miami Herald on Wednesday.
Florida law required Russell to resign before the end of his second four-year term when he ran for Congress. In August, he lost the Democratic primary for Florida’s 27th Congressional District to Annette Taddeo. It was his third bid for higher office after abandoning previous campaigns for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House.
Russell’s last day at City Hall will be Jan. 3.
In a statement announcing his hire Thursday, Longevity noted Russell’s emphasis on environmentally friendly legislation, including measures to protect water quality from construction runoff and to protect the city’s tree canopy.
He’s also focused on initiatives that address the impacts of sea level rise and climate change, including changes to the city’s building code and updates to seawall requirements. Russell was among the strongest supporters for the passage of the Miami Forever bond in 2017, a voter-approved plan to borrow $400 million to invest in housing, parks, street improvements and flood mitigation projects that was championed by former Mayor Tomás Regalado.
“I look forward to working with cities, counties and states across the nation,” Russell said.
Etienne Cadestin, who founded Longevity in 2015 and serves as CEO, said in a statement that the science has made it clear that the private and public sectors need to collaborate to mitigate against the impacts of climate change and adapt to the warming world.
“Florida and the southeast of the United States are and will remain severely economically impacted by climate change,” Cadestin said. “As a response, I’m delighted to launch Longevity’s latest office in Miami, to support communities in the region in the next 20 years with the delivery of their climate mitigation and resiliency goals. I’m thrilled to welcome Ken who will lead our local expansion efforts and be responsible for our public sector engagement unit to support local governments across the United States with their transition plans.”
This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 10:12 AM.
