Lawrence "Larry" Russell has more than 40 years of technical expertise in the marine transportation industry focusing on worker safety and fire protection. He began his career in the maritime industry upon graduating from Maine Maritime Academy in 1984. After a sailing career spanning 12 years on oil tankers, including those operated by Texaco Marine Service and Keystone Shipping Company, he became the marine technical advisor for Shell Oil Company's Deer Park Refinery Complex, and then later the Director of Safety for Marine Transport Lines.

Since 2003, he has been the Principal Specialist for the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Marine Field Service. His responsibilities at NFPA include the administration of the NFPA Certificated Marine Chemist Program as well as serving as Staff Liaison for twelve Codes and Standards related to fire protection of marine vessels, marine terminals and marinas and boatyards.

Larry is the program manager and lead instructor of NFPA's maritime confined space safety training course that is presented to shipyard employees and commercial vessel operators. He also taught confined space safety training at the American Bureau of Shipping’s Learning Academies around the world, and for the U.S. Coast Guard at their training centers in Yorktown, VA and Petaluma, CA. He was NFPA’s representative on the Department of Homeland Security, Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee and is presently a member of the National Safety Council’s Marine Section and OSHA’s Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Health and Safety.