Trustee Spotlight
Susan Rutherford has enjoyed a career in human resources working in diverse industries and companies, including American Medical Response, The Broe Companies, Inc., and Hilton Hotels. Rutherford was a senior leader for over ten years with DaVita, a global healthcare company. During her tenure, she was instrumental in helping to build and develop multiple HR teams in the US. As vice president of Global People Services, she developed HR functions in 11 countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. She continues her HR career as an independent consultant.
Desiring to serve the Lord and others with the gifts she has been given, Rutherford has served on various boards and in church music ministry. She served for six years on the Board of Trustees for Tennyson Center for Children and has served on the Board of Advisors for the Intermountain Division of The Salvation Army since 2013. She has deep family roots in Colorado and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Historic Denver, Inc. Rutherford has been an active supporter of the Centennial Institute for many years. She has hosted several international University students through International Students, Inc. and mentored teen girls through Friends for Youth.
While Rutherford graduated from Willamette University with a B.A. in political science, music has always been an important part of Susan’s life as well. She shared this love of music with her late husband, acclaimed jazz saxophonist and composer Fred Hess. In her spare time, Rutherford is also an avid gardener and active member of the Denver Rose Society. She enjoys hiking in the beauty of the Colorado mountains.