Page 3 - Trustee Russell Stokes

screwdriver while they repaired a “
another favorite, captivating Stokes
with gears and pulleys that created
chain reactions to perform simple
tasks in overly complicated ways
He also enjoyed accompany-
ing his grandfather on calls for
his washer-and-dryer business,
holding a flashlight or turning a
machine.
“From very early on, I was
always trying to figure out how
things work. I’d look at things and
break down what happened, think-
ing about it backwards and for-
wards,” Stokes says now. “I’d want
to know how and why something
happened.”
He was bright and determined,
but also grounded; his family made
sure of that.
“I grew up around parents and
grandparents and extended family
members who kept me incredibly
humble,” he says. “I was raised
in an environment where people
invested in me and pushed me to
trying things.”
before my time comes.
I believe I’m here for a reason; I think about
it all the time. I’m always trying to figure out
how to make sure I make the most of my time
Trustee Russell Stokes
Meanwhile, his family was expe- finance, operations, and services
riencing health problems. Stokes within GE Transportation, GE
himself stopped breathing when he Aviation, and GE Lighting.
was four years old and had to have From there, Stokes took on the
a tracheotomy. His father had no position of President and Chief Ex-
hearing, and a grandmother expe- ecutive Officer of GE Energy Con-
rienced both diabetes and breast nections. He assumed his current
cancer. An aunt lost her vision, and role in 2019 and joined the MSM
an uncle was diagnosed with the Board of Trustees that same year.
skin condition known as vitiligo. “I believe I’m here for a reason; I
“I was around these people who think about it all the time,” Stokes
had different challenges but kept says. “I’m always trying to figure
moving forward,” Stokes says. out how to make sure I make the
After graduating from Cleveland most of my time before my time
State University with a degree in comes. Like Eric Dickerson, I’m
Finance, Stokes started his career always trying to push as hard as
in sales for a PC manufacturer. He I can to be the best I can be. So it
then went on to join GE, holding makes sense that I’m so invested in
numerous leadership positions in MSM.”