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 1527: Returning To Our Roots

“If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.”

One of my corporate alumnus’ is returning to their roots.  Pepsi-Cola announced that they will be releasing a new product called Caleb’s Kola.  This is in homage to the original North Carolinian pharmacist who created Pepsi-Cola in 1897.  This new drink will come in a nostalgic glass bottle, just like the good old days.  No matter how far we progress, we still will reminisce about the past and celebrate those who created something that we enjoy today. Generations from now the same will happen for companies like Apple and Steve Jobs. It’s actually quite significant that we hold onto our past as move to the future.  It’s a way to stay connected to our core values and to ensure that as we move into the future that we stay grounded in who and what we are.  CEOs and Boards change frequently.  Histories of companies are being created with each passing day.  What history are we creating for our company and to what roots can we return?

God always brings us back to the cross for when we need to return to what matters.  We can’t go wrong if we go the place where He gave it all for us and then move forward from there. If today, you are wondering which way to go next, return first to Him and then move forward from there.

Reference:  Matthew 10:38 (New Living Translation)