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 1300: Economic Inequality

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This Purposed worKING is a little different in structure and format than others.

In the coming days we each are going to be faced with a message on economic inequality. All signs are that this will be the prevailing theme in our nation’s capital for 2014 and much will be placed under its umbrella.  We will each be challenged to personally respond and whether publicly or privately, have a point of view. Many will have already made up their mind and will only react negatively to anyone or anything that challenges their point of view.  Others will be thinking deeply about this for the first time and for all, we will be filtering the news and message through our own current lens and filter of belief and experience.  And, this challenge will show up in our workplaces as the policies of employers get considered as part of the economic actions that can happen. Some of us may even be in the position of making the decisions on policies that affect those in our workplaces.

As believers, there is only one road we can travel, and that is the road of our higher authority.  The world we live in is complicated and filled with irony and paradox. Yet, if we stay grounded in His Word and Spirit we can stay above the fray. God promises us a time and a world that is beautiful and peaceful. I hope this set of scriptures from Isaiah will speak to you as it has to me as I consider the promise that is always there for us when we trust and lean on our Father.

“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.

The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. 

Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
    and singing and joy!

The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
    as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.

There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God. 
  
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
    and encourage those who have weak knees. 

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
    and unplug the ears of the deaf.
The lame will leap like a deer,
    and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. 
The parched ground will become a pool,and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.
  
 And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
    It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
    It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
    fools will never walk there.
Lions will not lurk along its course,
    nor any other ferocious beasts.
There will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will walk on it. 
 Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.
    They will enter Jerusalem singing,
    crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
    and they will be filled with joy and gladness.”
Reference: Isaiah 35: 1-10 (New Living Translation)