Russell (Rusty) is a director in the Lynchburg office of Brown Edwards. He has more than 25 years of experience in public accounting and works in a variety of areas. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from William & Mary. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP).
We interviewed Rusty to get to know him, outside of his profession, and we were surprised to learn that he's had a lifelong obsession with Virginia historical artifacts, and actively presents programs at shows and local historical societies. He says "it takes the edge off professional pressures. Some of my past discoveries are now in public collections: Appomattox and Monocacy National Parks, even the Library of Congress. I am honored to have recently accepted an invitation to become a fellow of the American Society of Arms Collectors, which is an organization limited to 250 active members nationwide, interested in the study and interpretation of historical armament."
I grew up in Altavista, Virginia, and then went to William and Mary, graduating in 1982.
In my free time, I like to do historical research (mostly solitary, but joke that it's with my ghosts) and enjoy home life with my wife Beth and visiting my two grandchildren.
I am sorry to say that there are no rich or exotic travel plans, but I may travel west to Santa Fe in the late Spring (for an ASAC meeting). I would love to visit Scotland and England in the near future.
I'm reading now "Fate of the Day" by Rick Atkinson, second book in his (American) Revolution Trilogy. I generally like well-written Virginia and American history, with certain exceptions epic studies written before 1960. I don't read much fiction -- truth is stranger and more entertaining -- but if I read a work of fiction, it would be an older work: Ben-Hur, The Count of Monte Cristo were two recents.
Peaches, nothing better than chilled peaches in warm weather.
Books, the Weekend Wall Street Journal and peaches (until all used up :-( )
I came out of college and joined my Dad in his hometown single practice. It was mainly because he had a lot of work and needed help. The work may be stressful and consuming, but I learned so much by enjoying the technical construction of economic structures, and building trust and relationships with good people (peers and clients). Collectively, one large client group is still with me in their third generation and our second; this relationship started in 1962, and BE is making it work today.