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 1070: The Power of Touch

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“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.”

This past week I was sick everyday, but I had to push through as best I could.  I made most of my meetings (some I just had to cancel) but I certainly wasn’t at my best.  In the concern for others, I refused to shake hands or hug (I am a hugger).  On more than one occasion I left meetings and other sessions (including a speaking engagement where a whole bunch of people hung around to talk to me later) feeling like something wasn’t right and that I had not completed what I was supposed to do.  It was the loss of touch.  It was not being able to conclude or thank someone without some form of physical connection.  It’s a strange thing in this world where we have to be so politically correct, but still where touch is so powerful as a sign or respect, caring and gratitude.  Companies have many ways to “touch” their consumers and employees.  Maybe not always physically, but in other ways that cement the bond and reinforce emotions.  Are we using every opportunity we have to create that “touch” in our businesses and in our professional interactions?

Jesus said aloud, “Who touched me?”, when the woman reached through the crowd to get just a touch of his robe. Nowhere do we have a better example of the “power of touch” than there.  One person yearning and the other person (God) receiving and willing to pour Himself out from just the outreached hand and touch of the desiring.  This is our God; One who is waiting for us to reach to touch Him.  We have many ways to do so and and we have many ways to be one who touches others on His behalf,and even more importantly be there for those who reach out to receive a touch. Jesus provides His life and God’s Word as the guidebook for how we are to touch others.  Are we doing all that we can to be sure that we are reflecting His touch?

Reference:  Luke 8:45 (New Living Translation)