Author Archives: Rusty Rueff

About Rusty Rueff

Rusty Rueff, author of purposed worKING. Rusty Rueff is the former Chairman Emeritus of The GRAMMY Foundation in Los Angeles. He most recently completed the successful 16 month leadership role as Coordinating National Co-Chair for Technology for Obama (T4O) for the reelection of President Obama and ten-years of Board service and President of the Board of Trustees of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Corporately, most recently Rueff was the Chief Executive Officer at SNOCAP, Inc. until the acquisition of the company by imeem, Inc. in April 2008. Before joining SNOCAP in 2005, he was Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Electronic Arts (EA) from 1998 until 2005. He was also with the PepsiCo companies for more than ten years, with the Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies for two years, and in commercial radio as an on-air personality for six years. Rusty holds an M.S. in counseling and a B.A. in radio and television from Purdue University. In 2003 he was named a distinguished Purdue alumnus, and he and his wife, Patti, are the named benefactors of Purdue’s Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts. He is a corporate director of Glassdoor.com and runcoach. He is the co-founder and Executive Committee Member of T4A.org, serves on the Founding Circle of The Centrist Project and a founding Board Member of The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition. He is also the co-author of the book Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business. Rusty and his wife, Patti, reside in Hillsborough, CA and Charlestown, R.I.

day 2234: Underdogs

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 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”

A few months ago, this short obituary in the New York Times caught my eye:

“HARRIS -Joe, best known as the creator of The Underdog cartoon and the Trix rabbit, died on Sunday, March 26th, at the age of 89. He is survived by his daughters: Sophie, Merrie and Joelle, who will miss him dearly.”

I was struck by the few lines because The Underdog, when I was growing up, represented one who persevered against all odds and succeeded by doing the right thing, even at his own peril and sacrifice.  We love the “underdog” and we cheer for their success.  Yet, at the same time, we do all we can to portray our companies and selves as the winner, not the one with the greatest humility and desire to serve others first.  Malcolm Gladwell, the author, has chronicled the underdogs of time in his writings, including the account of David and Goliath. David the boy, who knew not fear and was willing to take on the giant for his people.  Maybe we should be asking ourselves, is our culture more of the giant or an underdog company?  Giants don’t just die, they get slayed.  Underdogs, well, thank you Joe Harris, they get remembered.

If we are working to be a part of God’s purpose, He isn’t looking for the prideful and powerful giant to represent His kingdom.  He is looking for the humility, courage and service orientation of the underdog who expects nothing more than what it is that they give others.  Which are we trying to be today in our work and lives?

Reference:  1 Samuel 17:32 (New Living Translation)