RACU Campus Development and Construction Team

We are indebted to the following individuals and companies, all of whom are donating their counsel and expertise or providing them at a substantial discount:

General Contractor and Project Management:
Chairman Harry J. Giesbrecht, President Ossama A. AbouZeid, and the principals of Central Canadian Structures Ltd. (CCS) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, bring nearly 35 years of international engineering and construction experience to RACU. A veteran of the Russian business scene and joint ventures, Mr. Giesbrecht and Mr. AbouZeid have been actively involved in several multi-million dollar construction and renovation projects in the former Soviet Union over the past 16 years. Central Canadian Structures has built hotels in St. Petersburg, and several office buildings and apartments in Moscow. In Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, CCS has constructed 25 houses, and is currently building an office and shopping center complex.

Mr. Giesbrecht, who is fluent in Russian, Ukrainian German, Flemish and English, has been called on to advise both the Russian and Canadian governments concerning projects and issues of interest to both countries. He serves on the Board of Directors of The Menno Simons College, a Mennonite affiliate college of The University of Winnipeg, and also on Standing Committees for Structural Design and Farm Buildings for the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire codes.

Among CCS former clients are the Canadian Government, 3M Canada, Greyhound Canada, the Hudson Bay Mining Company, McDonald's, the Bank of Montreal, Manitoba Bible College, the Manitoba Hospital Commission, Mennonite Central Committee, the City of Calgary, the Government of Denmark, the Canadian International Development Agency (in Egypt) and Atomic Energy of Canada (in Romania).

Architectural Consultant:
Tom Ventulett III is a principal of Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates (TVS) of Atlanta. His company is one of the largest architectural firms in the nation. They have contributed significantly to the skyline of Chicago, including the renovation of the McCormick Place and the adjacent 850-room Hyatt Regency. Several major US and international cities boast convention centers designed by TVS. The company portfolio also includes sports arenas, performance halls, corporate headquarters, financial institutions, educational facilities, retail facilities, entertainment venues, hotels and resorts.

Real Estate Advisor:
William A. (Billy) Mitchell is Chairman and CEO of Carter & Associates of Atlanta, one of the largest real estate developers in Southeastern U.S. The company employs 550, and has an annual transaction volume of $1 billion. More than 30 million total square feet have been developed and more than 20 million managed by Carter & Associates. This CEO brings over 33 years of development and investment experience to his leadership role in RACU's acquisition and development of a new University site in Moscow. Billy personally directs the "RACU working group" of Atlanta-based experts identified on this page, meeting with them as necessary both in the U.S. and in Moscow. Carter & Associates will also train RACU's Russian property managers.

Construction Design Advisor:
Chris Humphreys of Atlanta brings over 40 years of construction experience and corporate leadership to his work as a general contractor and a consultant in the field to major developers and construction companies in the Southeast. Among his projects have been the CNN Center and Rockefeller University in New York City. Chris has worked on projects in Warsaw, Poland and in South America. He has a passion for the inner city, and has helped over 20 ministries in Atlanta in the area of his expertise.

Financial Advisors:
Dennis Kuester, President of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, a $25 billion bank holding company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. New York Stock Exchange symbol: MI. Milton Kuyers, Chairman and CEO of G M K Companies, a group of five manufacturing companies, with headquarters also in Milwaukee. Mr. Kuester and Mr. Kuyers, along with Howard Dahl, President of Amity Technology, Fargo, ND., comprise the Facilities Task Force of the RACU Board of Trustees.

Digital and Print Marketing Materials:
Bob Allen, president and cofounder of NewSouth Inc., a 30 year old Atlanta based firm specializing in developing and executing marketing communication strategies for commercial real estate. NewSouth has created marketing strategies and materials for over 2,500 clients, including college campuses, urban mixed-use developments, resorts, hotels, shopping malls and museums. Most NewSouth clients have been in the Southeastern United States with occasional projects in other parts of the country, in Europe, and the Middle East.

Capital Campaign Counsel:
Ralph Veerman, President of Veerman & Associates, Orlando and Atlanta. Veerman and Associates assists ministries in management and major gift development and helps wealthy Christians to be more generous, effective and strategic givers. Sample former and current clients include Bethlehem Bible College (the West Bank), Prison Fellowship International, The Maclellan Foundation, World Vision, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, ERA Europe, CNL Financial Group, and Ronald Blue & Company.

RACU Legal Counsel:
Founded in 1853, Coudert Brothers of New York City is a multinational law firm dedicated to providing legal advice on international business transactions and dispute resolution in the major business centers around the world. The world's first international law firm also became the first Western law firm to establish a practice in Russia in 1988. Coudert Brothers has advised on over 1,000 transactions in Russia for major U.S., Canadian, European and Asian companies.