Editing Ray Russenberger

{{Infobox Biography
| subject_name   =Ray Russenberger
| image_name     =
| image_size     =
| image_caption  =
| date_of_birth  =[[1954]]
| place_of_birth =Little Rock, Arkansas
| date_of_death  =
| place_of_death =
| occupation     =
| religion       =
| spouse         =Cynthia Steltenkamp (1976?-1993)<br/>[[Valerie Russenberger]] (1994-present)
| parents        =
| children       =Rhett, Rachel, Lauren, Stephanie & SaraBeth
}}
'''Ray Dean Russenberger''' (b. [[1954]]) is an entrepreneur and developer who founded (and later sold) telecommunication companies [[Network Paging]], [[Network USA]] and [[Network Telephone]]. He has been integral to a number of Pensacola real estate developments, most notably the [[Palafox Pier]] project and [[Thiesen Building]] renovation in [[downtown Pensacola]].

In [[1996]] Russenberger founded [[Marina Management]], which operates the [[Palafox Pier]] and [[Bahia Mar Marina]]s and owns the [[Oar House]] restaurant. In [[2004]] he unsuccessfully ran for the [[Pensacola City Council]] At Large seat occupied by [[Jack Nobles]].

Ray is married to [[Valerie Russenberger]]. The couple is known for their philanthropy and patronage of the arts, having established the charitable [[Russenberger Foundation]] in [[1997]],<ref>[http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/cordet.exe?action=DETFIL&inq_doc_number=N97000003122&inq_came_from=NAMFWD&cor_web_names_seq_number=0000&names_name_ind=N&names_cor_number=&names_name_seq=&names_name_ind=&names_comp_name=RUSSENBERGER&names_filing_type= Russenberger Foundation, Inc.] at SunBiz.org</ref> and for their 128-foot Northcoast yacht, the ''[[Lady Val]]'', which they frequently make available for community fundraisers. Ray has five children from a previous 17-year marriage to Cynthia Steltenkamp.

==Early life & education==
Russenberger was born in [[1954]] in Little Rock, Arkansas. His father was a clerk for Reynolds Metal, and his mother was a cashier at Kroger. He developed a love of boating from fishing with his father on Arkansas lakes. He graduated from Benton High School and attended Ouachita Baptist University and Louisiana State University, but did not finish with a degree. He claims to have bounced between 27 different jobs before deciding to venture out on his own.

==Telecommunications career==
After a stint working for [[Wikipedia:Motorola|Motorola]], Russenberger sold his house in [[1984]] and founded [[Network Paging]] in Lafayette with five other investors. His startup capital was the $5,000 from the sale of his house and $8,000 left to him by his father. The business was extremely successful, and when it split its services in [[1989]], Russenberger relocated with his family to Pensacola and set up offices on [[Zaragoza Street]]. There he started a new venture, [[Network USA]], and continued to run Network Paging until [[1991]], when he sold it for $4 million.

Starting with only 13 employees, Network USA quickly became one of the nation's fastest-growing telecoms and was listed on ''Inc.'' magazine's "Fastest Growing Top 500 Private Companies" in 1994 (#156) and 1995 (#350). In a $77 million deal, Network USA merged with Nashville-based A+ Communications in [[1995]]. The resulting company, A+ Network, was sold to Metrocall in [[1996]] for $335 million. At the time, the company had 1,500 employees, 300 of them in Pensacola. Local investors received about $15 million in bonuses and options from the merger and sale.

In [[1998]], Russenberger founded [[Network Telephone]] to compete directly with [[BellSouth]]. The endeavor experienced rapid growth, reaching an annual revenue of $65 million with a customer base of 17,000 households in eight states. The company had over 500 employees in 2004, most of them in Pensacola, when they entered talks to merge with ITC DeltaCom and Florida Digital Network, causing many employees to resign. The plans were abandoned in December 2004,<ref>"Network telecom merger canceled." ''Pensacola News Journal'', December 29, 2004.</ref> but on [[January 11]], [[2005]], Russenberger announced nearly 70 additional layoffs needed, he said, to make the company "cash-positive."<ref>"Network Telephone cuts jobs." ''Pensacola News Journal'', January 12, 2005.</ref>

In October 2005, Talk America announced that it would purchase Network Telephone for an undisclosed amount.<ref>"[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Oct_19/ai_n15698759 Talk America to Acquire Network Telephone.]" ''Business Wire'', October 19, 2005.</ref> The acquisition was completed on [[January 4]], [[2006]].<ref>"[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ECZ/is_2006_Jan_5/ai_n15990981 Talk America announces completion of acquisition of Network Telephone.]" ''Telecomworldwire'', January 5, 2006.</ref> Talk America was itself bought by Cavalier Telephone later that year for $251 million.<ref>[http://www.cavtel.com/company/press/2006_9_22.shtml Cavalier enters into agreement to acquire Talk America]</ref>

==Real estate development==
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Russenberger purchased the historic [[Thiesen Building]] for $200,000 in [[1992]], then spent around $3.5 million renovating it for the [[Network USA]] headquarters.

In [[1995]], the [[City of Pensacola]] sought a development partner to help revitalize the area at the southern end of [[Palafox Street]]. The resulting project, [[Palafox Pier]], was heavily funded by Russenberger, who paid $1 million to lease the land<ref>"Palafox Pier part of city's urban vision." ''Pensacola News Journal'', June 24, 2000.</ref> and around $17 million to construct the 92-slip marina and four mixed-use structures totaling 90,000 square feet. The city contributed $2.4 million for the infrastructure, breakwater and parking lot, plus a $1.2 million state grant for other improvements and a pledge to demolish [[Bayfront Auditorium]] and replace it with a [[Plaza de Luna|public park]].<ref>http://www.inweekly.net/article.asp?artID=912</ref>

Palafox Pier was originally intended to house retail tenants on the ground floor,<ref>"Waterfront idea comes together." ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 10, 1999.</ref> but with the rapid growth of [[Network Telephone]] during construction, Russenberger hinted he would probably use the space for his own company. [[CRA]] director [[Jennifer Fleming]] said at the time, "we don't have anything that specifically says he needs to put retail in those buildings."<ref>"Palafox Pier complex fills quickly." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 17, 2000.</ref>


==Politics & philanthropy==
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==References==
{{refbegin}}
*Ginny Graybiel. "The Renaissance Man." ''Pensacola News Journal'', December 10, 2000.
*Taris Savell. "Russenbergers are living their dreams." ''Pensacola News Journal'', April 1, 2007.
{{refend}}
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[[Category:Entrepreneurs|Russenberger, Ray]] [[Category:Philanthropists|Russenberger, Ray]] [[Category:Real estate developers|Russenberger, Ray]] [[Category:Restaurateurs|Russenberger, Ray]] [[Category:Telecommunication executives|Russenberger, Ray]]