Setting A High Standard From Inception

It was 2016 and he had a handful of leads and an idea. With nothing more than a concept influenced by a burgeoning flood mitigation industry, Russ Ellington launched National Flood Protection, LLC to dominate the sector. “Having worked in business development in the Construction Industry, I saw time and again there were people all over the Country needing flood protection” to which Mr. Ellington added, “and more specifically, a company that specialized in the installation. That didn’t seem to exist.”

As the global climate continued to change and sea levels continued to rise, Mr. Ellington recognized the importance of protecting properties from the damages caused by flood waters. In 2016, National Flood Protection partnered with flood barrier manufacturer Flood Panel, LLC to bring their innovative flood mitigation solutions to areas all over the United States devastated by hurricanes, Nor’easters, and severe weather.

Focused on hitting the ground running, Russ Ellington wore many hats early on. “I followed up on leads, wrote proposals, conducted site visits, and even installed the systems” Mr. Ellington recalls, “which was overwhelming and not sustainable”. The business was flourishing, and he needed staff. “I was a facilities manager for a large casino in CT, as well as an operations director for a University in North Carolina. I had managed a lot of employees”. In early 2017, he set out to build his company, recruiting two install technicians. That year generated enough revenue that he could afford to hire office staff and a project manager, to then adding a field supervisor and marketing person in 2018. “As the business grew, so did my team. You can’t have one without the other” Mr. Ellington noted.

The National Flood Protection team travels the entire U.S. taking on new flood mitigation projects from local small businesses to hi-rise residential complexes. Starting with a site evaluation of a building using the latest FEMA guidelines, they design a project specific plan for protecting a property. They’re able to offer a first line of defense against flooding, rather than remediating the damage caused by extreme weather events.

“There was a tremendous need for our services, and we built a solid reputation for being the best in the industry right from the inception” said Mr. Ellington. “My staff advanced our foothold” he explains, “It’s their strengths that allowed me to maximize mine.” Having proven himself as a strong leader in earlier roles, Russ Ellington built his dream team. His commitment to support his employees while allowing them to evolve in their individual roles is Mr. Ellington’s formula for success. “They have as much ownership of this Company as I do,” he remarks. “I never have to worry that our ship will lose its course because they are fully invested”.

Fast forward to 2022, Russ Ellington is riding a wave of success with his company continuing to expand, but it hasn’t always been that easy. “It’s very motivating when you share a like mindset” he continues, “and when you have the right people around you, the inspiration is contagious.” His enthusiastic approach to leading is the singular driving force to the achievements of his people. Mr. Ellington comments “I’d never ask anyone to do a job or task I haven’t done, and I’m still willing to take it all on. At times, I need to be reminded not to.” He concludes, “To lead, I need a strong team. They remind me every day what the goal is. Growing our company and sustaining that for years to come.”