About Me

My name is Russell Console. I am a returning student after spending many years working and raising a family. When the economy took a dive, the company I worked for offered me a transfer to Bakersfield or a severance check. Needless to say, I did not want to move my family, and actually, having commuted to the area for work, it was never a consideration. I am a Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America and have a personal property appraising business that specializes in diamonds and jewelry. Also, I have another business called “The Solution Machine,” that produces digital solutions for business, including web development, audio and video production and corporate branding.

At 47 years old, a college degree has one important purpose for me. The diploma is an example to my children of the importance of higher education. With a son in high school and a daughter in middle school, the example of diligent study and working towards a worthy goal is priceless.

I had a high school teacher, who practically begged me to enroll in college and finish. I opted out to become a Jeweler/Gemologist. I left the jewelry industry after fifteen years and sold John Deere farm equipment. I can remember kneeling down in a furrow, looking at the plants we had just planted with a trans-planter and thinking, “What am I doing here? I don’t know anything about agriculture.” I guess it didn’t matter because a learned about many different crops and practices. A few years later, I left the ag industry to sell construction and mining equipment and rode the wave of the housing boom. We all made a tremendous amount of money. Then, it stopped.

The great thing about adversity (and unemployment), is it slows you down long enough to look at the big picture and to re-align your life. Finishing college with a Business/Marketing degree is now the priority that it should have been thirty years ago. But, you can’t live your life in the rear view mirror. So, for now I’ll just enjoy the ride.