Russell Holmes
| Russell E. Holmes | |
|---|---|
 Rep. Holmes in his seat | |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 6th Suffolk district | |
|
Assumed office January 5, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Willie Mae Allen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 17, 1969 Mound Bayou, Mississippi |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Sheree Holmes |
| Residence | Mattapan, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater |
Hyde Park High School Boston University Northeastern University |
| Religion | Christian, Church of Christ |
Russell Earl Holmes (politician) is an American politician who serves as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 2011. He is a Democrat representing the sixth district of Suffolk county which includes the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan and Roslindale.
Early Life, Education and Business career
Russell Earl Holmes was born on August 17, 1969 in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. His parents were never married and his father moved to Boston to attend Tufts University after his high school graduation. His mother remained in Mound Bayou and Russell spent most school years in Mississippi and summers in Mattapan. Several of Russell’s school years were spent in Boston, where he graduated from Thompson Middle School and Hyde Park High School. Russell stayed in Boston for college and graduated from Boston University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1992. He later received his MBA from Northeastern University in 2000. He currently works as a Certified Financial Planner at Ameriprise Financial[1]
From 1994 to 2002, Russell worked at Brooks PRI Automation, a $400 million manufacturer of robotics in Chelmsford. He started as an engineer and climbed the ladder into management. While working at Brooks, Russell also owned and operated a small video store in Brookline that he closed in 2004.
Community Service
Soon after Russell purchased his home in Mattapan, he got involved in public service and civic activism by starting a street cleaning initiative. As a community leader, Russell has chaired the Mattapan Library Task Force and the Mattapan Economic Development Initiative (MEDI).
Russell teaches Sunday school at the Church of Christ in Roxbury. He has also tutored elementary, high school, and college students on academic and life skills and has served as a Big Brother in Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
Elected in November 2010, Russell Holmes represents Massachusetts’ Sixth Suffolk District, which includes a portion of the communities of Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roslindale, and Jamaica Plain.
Some of his greater career highlights are he is one of few to ever be made a Vice Chairman in his Sophomore year as a legislator. He also served as Treasurer for the 187th General Court Freshman class and was formerly a member of the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Holmes was one of a handful of legislators nationally selected to participate in the Emerging Leaders program at University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He was formerly a member of the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card Commission. Currently Representative Holmes serves as the Treasurer of the Black and Latino Caucus of Massachusetts and is a member of both, the Joint Committee of Financial Services as well as the Joint Committee of on Housing.
Russell Holmes has said in the past the issues closest to his heart are the economy, infrastructure, education and safety.