Sarina Russo: Biography, Age, Parents, Education, Net Worth
Sarina Russo (born 23 June 1951) is an entrepreneur, former legal secretary, and typing teacher. She is the founder and president of the Sarina Russo Group.
Russo is one of the richest women in Australia. She has always championed women’s empowerment, with females occupying over half of her top-level managerial positions.
| Sarina Russo | |
|---|---|
 Ms Russo is the founder of the Sarina Russo Group of education, employment services, and property companies. | |
| Quick Facts | |
| Name: | Sarina Russo |
| Born: | 23 June 1951 (age 73 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Castiglione di Sicilia, Italy |
| Parents: | Antonio (father) Maria (mother) |
| Education: | Harvard Business School |
| Occupation: | Entrepreneur |
| Company: | Sarina Russo Group |
| Net worth: | $271 million |
Early Life
Sarina Russo was born on 23 June 1951 in Castiglione di Sicilia, Italy, to Antonio and Maria. She is the youngest of four children.
Her father migrated to Brisbane when Russo was one. She, her mother, and her siblings moved to live with her father after four years.
After some years, her father purchased several apartments and a vineyard. Being the most proficient in English, Russo became her father’s translator and apprentice.
After her brother and sisters got married and moved out, she also moved out of her family home to a close apartment. Her father died in 1986.
Education
Russo couldn’t pass the Grade 10 English exam twice, failing to complete high school. She attended night school, and on her third attempt, she passed. At 21, Sarina earned a high-school diploma and started but never finished college.
Career
After Russo failed to complete high school, she worked in a clerical position at a shipping company and a typing school.
The fear of losing her apartment led to her opening a typing school. Russo had $2,600 in her bank account when she founded The Office Business Academy on 17 September 1979.
Ms Russo started the business with only ten students, aiming to help young adults improve their business skills. Her typing school grew into an employment, training, and education company – Sarina Russo Group.
Sarina ensured every one of her students who graduated got a job. She moved operations into inner-city premises in 1994.
In 1995, Sarina launched the Russo Institute of Technology Australia. She received an Australian Government tender to own and operate 31 Job Network offices Australia-wide in 1998.
Russo attended seminars, read books, and listened to tapes motivators to boost her confidence. She dropped her autobiography, ‘Meet Me at the Top! The Sarina Russo Story‘ in 2002.
Sarina bought a third Brisbane City high-rise building, Sarina Russo River Centre – 100 Eagle Street, in 2002. It later became the Sarina Russo Group’s national headquarters.
Sarina Russo Group employs over 800 people and assists over 3,000 students and 50,000 job seekers and apprentices yearly by 2006.
In 2006, Russo co-founded a joint venture with James Cook University to open several new campuses. She joined the advisory board of Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World.
In September 2019, The Sarina Russo Group celebrated 40 years in business. She received an Honorary Doctor of Commerce from James Cook University. She is on the board of directors of the Challenger Financial Services Group.
Russo has grown her small typing school into a multi-million dollar business. She now helps others succeed and owns Australia’s largest private employment and apprenticeship services provider, with a presence in over 200 global sites in China, Australia, the UK, Vietnam, and India.
Ms Russo has received several recognitions, including the Multicultural Achievers Award, the Centenary Medal for distinguished service to education, and Q400’s Top Business and Personal Services Company Award. She has been the Honorary Ambassador for the City of Brisbane since 1996.
The Australian Financial Review named Ms Russo Australia’s 50th richest woman in 2022. She was ranked 59th on the 2024 Rich Women list, with a net worth of $271m.
References
- “Meet the Founder Sarina Russo“. Sarinarusso.com.
- Julie-anne Sprague. “She failed high school English. Now she’s worth $267m“. The Australian Financial Review.
- Roger Thompson. “The Hard Way“. Harvard Business School.
- Stephen Johnson. “EXCLUSIVE: One of Australia’s richest women doubles down on her bizarre call for flood victims to EXERCISE – saying the country should be inspired by a famous astronaut“. Daily Mail.
- Emily Wind. “King’s birthday honours list 2024: from a nun who spent 26 days outside parliament to ‘Australia’s job queen’“. The Guardian.
