Russell L. Isaacs*

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Russell Isaacs was the fifth child of a Welsh coal miner. When he was seven, his mother died, and Isaacs and his siblings were sent to live with relatives for a time. Later, his family reunited, and while his father worked long hours, the children took care of themselves and each other. At the age of 12, Isaacs began a hauling business.

In 1952, Isaacs joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Korea. He used the GI bill to enroll at West Virginia University, finishing a four-year accounting course in less than three years. Upon graduation, he joined a Charleston accounting firm.

Among the clients for whom he did tax work was Heck's, Inc., a fledgling chain of three discount department stores. In 1962, Heck's offered him a job as controller and treasurer. He joined the chain and the following year was named to the company's board of directors. In 1969, he was responsible for Heck's becoming the first Charleston-based firm to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Isaacs became president of Heck's in 1973 and held that position until 1979. During his six-year tenure, company profits more than doubled. In 1979, he left and joined a brokerage house as an executive vice president. In 1982, he formed his own investment banking firm.

Isaacs has served on several boards and executive committees for companies involved in manufacturing, distribution, construction, and banking. An avid supporter of his native West Virginia, Isaacs has worked for the past 20 years to improve the state's business climate, especially in infrastructure and education. He co-founded the West Virginia Basic Skills and Computer Education program, and he was the first chairman of the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, a panel enacted in 1994 to distribute state grants and loans for water, sewer, and infrastructure development.

Isaacs served as chairman of the West Virginia Housing Development Fund, which has issued more than $4.3 billion in bonds and has financed more than 119,000 housing units since its establishment in 1969, and he has been a close advisor and confidant to several West Virginia governors. He was president of the West Virginia Board of Regents and remains active in education as a member of the West Virginia University Board of Governors. He has also served as a financial adviser to the prestigious College Board.

Reflecting on his success, Isaacs says, "Basically, things don't change. You work hard, keep your nose clean, honor your teachers, obey your parents, and give something back." To him, success is being content with yourself. "I don't mean being complacent," he explains. "I mean feeling good about yourself and what you do."