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 2101: Love Before Peace

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“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Today is a different type of post as we don’t use the word love and peace much within the workplace, but I certainly think we should.

I am still troubled by the events of this past weekend.  As I woke very early on Sunday morning I prayed for those in the pulpits across America to be ready with wisdom and courage in their spirit to be able to deliver assurances to those who would be heading to church for the first time in years because they felt a longing for meaning and understanding.  As I picked up the newspaper on Monday morning there were multiple stories of how churches across the country were filled beyond usual.  When we are searching, the human spirit returns to our Creator.

I attended a little community church in Charlestown, RI. where the Pastor spoke of the need for love, unity and peace.  He was right to do so as we needed to hear that message and it was comforting to be in the presence of others who sought the same.  But as I have continued to search my own heart on what it is that I can personally do it is within His Word that He revealed this to me even more.  The Angels sang this over the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in highest heaven,and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”  Wow, this verse struck me like a lightning bolt, as if it as the first time I had ever read it (of course I’ve read and heard this verse beyond counting of  times).  But maybe, this is the first time I have really understood what the Angels were meaning.  Notice who they proclaim will receive peace on earth.

Once again, God reveals what we are to do as followers of Jesus.  Yes, we are to pray and work for peace, but that peace on earth that we so desire will only come to fruition if we are people to whom God is pleased.  And how will this ever happen?  It only happens if we are committed and actionable in spreading the love of God to as many people as we can. So for me, what I take from this past week is that love comes before peace and that love is maybe  much more of our responsibility and that peace, it is the outcome of love.

Reference: Luke 2:14 (New Living Translation)