Tom Rutherford
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Albuquerque, NM USA
"Sometimes life is overwhelming. Doing the next right thing is a good byword."
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Tom's work combines: Politics, Travel, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Economics, General
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Doctorate
Law
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
His father was a politician so he grew up helping him out on campaigns.
2.
One day, while he was reading a bill out loud, someone suggested that he should become a radio broadcaster.
3.
When he was 15, he became a disc jockey; he was working for the local NBC station.
4.
For their fiftieth anniversary of broadcasting, they decided to have a hot air balloon race.
5.
He organized 13 balloons to come to Albuquerque to race; afterwards, he stayed interested in hot air ballooning.
6.
His interest in politics continued; in 1972, he won his campaign for state senate and became the youngest state senator in New Mexico's history.
7.
Throughout all of this time, he was struggling with alcoholism; he hit rock bottom, then sobered up around age 46.
8.
His only regret in life had been that he didn't spend enough time with his family; now gets to lobby with his son, an opportunity he calls "a gift."
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I'm an alcoholic. So during all that time since I was 15 or 16 I was drinking more and more.... It wasn't until I was 46 that I sobered up and quit drinking.... This isn't just about me, I'm really hurting other people.