|
|
2007 Great American Think-Off Finalist Biographies
GO TO 2007 ESSAYS
Which Should you Trust More-Your Head or Your Heart?
Paul Allick has spent his life thinking: some have said, “thinking too much”. But, really, how can anyone ever think too much? In each step of life Paul has questioned the assumptions that surrounded him. He has a big heart which is tempered and fed by an active and sometimes cynical mind. As a priest, Paul has worked with human systems to think through their identity and future. To some folks chagrin and to others delight Paul is known for asking too many questions.
Paul grew up in Montana and on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he received his B.A. in Political Science. He went on to receive his Masters of Divinity degree from Seabury-Western Seminary in Evanston, Illinois and was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1996. He has served in a wide array of ministries in the Diocese of Minnesota, including campus, Native-American, African-American, and suburban communities. He is currently Interim Rector at St. Edward the Confessor Episcopal Church in Wayzata, Minnesota. |
 Robert Anderson lives in Shalimar, Florida, and works as a paralegal in the nearby city of Destin. He is passionate about his vocation. He started his career in the legal field as a Legal Clerk in the United States Army and, 25 years later, still looks forward to going to work every morning. He says, “As a paralegal, I get to use my analytical brain, my creative brain, and my compassionate heart to do good things for good people.” Robert is also very involved with the Florida Association of Legal Support Specialists, Inc., and has recently finished serving as its President for fiscal year 2006-2007. Robert’s other passions include traveling, woodworking, playing and writing music, reading, and writing everything from poetry to plays. As a first time contestant, he feels deeply honored to have been chosen as a finalist. |
 Joe Kaiser is thrilled to be a finalist in the Great American Think-Off. A first time entrant, he had heard about the Think-Off for years and when this year’s question was announced, called his friend Paul and suggested the both try and tackle it. In addition to being a fun writing exercise it’d be a good excuse for some lively conversations over beers. The conversations were indeed lively and after a couple of revisions, Joe sent in his essay.
Joe’s excitement at being chosen a finalist was only magnified when he found out Paul is a finalist as well! Joe wishes Paul and each of the other contestants good luck and is eagerly looking forward to the debate.
The 38 year old Kaiser lives in Minneapolis with his wife Merry and two awesome cats. When not debating philosophy and politics with Paul, he is an active musician, playing numerous engagements as the cellist of the Good Fortune String Trio as well as freelance work which takes him from recording studios to nightclubs to the many concert venues in the Twin Cities. Other interests include chess, photography, biking, travel and Aikido. He also makes time to be the Director of Student Services for MacPhail Center for Music, where his passions for music, learning and teaching are nurtured every day. |
 Paul H. Ruterbusch is 53 years old, is married to Rhonda and has two daughters, Emily and Tammy, a step-daughter Brittany, and granddaughter Heather.
He attended college for 9 years switching majors several times until earning a B.S. degree with a major in physics and minors in math, art, and data processing. He also received a master’s degree in electrical engineering, specializing in holography and optical image processing.
During that time Paul also took a year off from his studies in 1976, bought a van, decked it out with shag carpeting, sun roof, bubble windows, an ice box, and stereo. He then headed out from his home near Munger, Michigan and traveled for nine weeks through thirty two states and put on fifteen thousand miles heading west to Bremerton, Washington then south to San Diego before heading back home to sign up for fall classes. After taking one day to sign up for classes, he headed back on the road to New Orleans, then on to Key West, Florida and them home again. All this was done with only fourteen hundred dollars - seven hundred was for gas at an average of fifty cents a gallon.
Since that time Paul has spent the past twenty plus years using his degree and engineering skills performing research and advanced development in various fields from commercial large screen projection ninety thousand dollar televisions, to projects in sonar, radar, and automotive sensors.
His present interests include woodworking, drawing, and designing using the computer as a key component in his art. He has also spent the past twelve plus years researching, studying, and gathering information, in an attempt to try and answer some of the more complex questions as to why people argue, fight, lie, cheat, steal, and in general, why do people do the things that they do - when what appears to be clearly the wrong choices in life. This preparation and this years Think-off question has uniquely prepared him for this years challenge. |
|
|
