Then came a wake up call which led him to ask, "Is this all there is?" In a dream the pastor, presiding at Shippee's funeral said, "Russell was a great insurance agent." Realizing this wasn't the legacy he wanted to leave - and that if he didn't leave the business it would kill him, Russell began a journey to transform his life and create an obituary that reflected the way he wanted to be remembered. He dared to sell the 100 year-old family business and refocus on discovering his true purpose in life. — Today Shippee is a writer, speaker, mentor, business advisor, life coach, philanthropist, and volunteer. He focuses on giving back to his community having served as a lead fund raiser and board member for Rhode Island Hospital, South County Hospital and the Providence Ronald McDonald House. — Russell is a graduate of Bryant University, attained the CPCU and CIC designations in insurance, and attended the Harvard Owner/President Management Program. He and his wife Cathy live in Wickford, Rhode Island. They have three adult children and one grandson.
