Prior to founding NIIT, Mr. Russo was the Vice President of Industry Advancement and Government Programs at SEMI, the industry association representing the global end-to-end electronics industry including designers, chemical and material producers, tool makers and semiconductor chip makers. In that role Mike was responsible for strategy development, programs and government partnerships intended to sustain and grow the semiconductor industry and address the priority issues faced by SEMI’s membership. Other roles at SEMI included Vice President of Global Industry Advocacy as well as Vice President of Talent Advocacy.

Mr. Russo spent nearly a decade leading the corporate Government Affairs office in the U.S. for Global Foundries, the nation’s largest contract semiconductor chip maker, overseeing government relations, regulatory affairs and strategic initiatives including developing the talent pipeline, increasing supply chain innovation and improving supply chain security.

Mr. Russo has also served as a private sector advisor to the U.S. government in the areas of manufacturing and industrial base policy and lead the private sector advisory group for the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation Institute (now Manufacturing USA) under the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP). Mike is a committee member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Innovation Policy Forum and the Executive Committee Chairman and founding member of MForesight, the nation’s private sector advisory group on manufacturing.

Mr. Russo has also served as a senior staffer in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. With more than 3 decades experience in manufacturing, Mike has extensive experience in workforce and organizational development, supply chain innovation and security, and infrastructure development, and as the President of the Entregar Consulting Group, provided related solutions to clients and guidance for public-private partnerships.

Prior to his work in Congress, Mr. Russo was an Executive Officer for the nation’s oldest industrial union, was responsible for all operations in the Northeastern United States. An expert in organizational development and effectiveness, Mr. Russo has led initiatives in total workplace redesign and the development of innovative workplace safety cultures, helping to make U.S. manufacturers and businesses globally competitive.