Serving others has been the focus for Zach Ruddle ’14/’16 MBA since his teen years. While in high school, he worked as a host and server at a senior living community. During his college years, he worked as an ambassador and later assistant director for Olivet Nazarene University’s Alumni and University Relations division. As an adult, serving others has taken him on several different paths.
While earning his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees at Olivet Nazarene University, Zach focused on healthcare leadership and business management.
Zach’s Olivet roots run deep. His parents, Ed ’83 and Kelly (Hendley) Ruddle ’83, met while they were students at Olivet and married shortly after they graduated. His sister, Jessica (Ruddle) Ciaramitaro ’11, is also an Olivet graduate. He met his wife, Ingrid (Palmer) ’15/’23 MAE, an education major, during their undergrad years. They married in 2017 and are the parents of two daughters. Ingrid earned her Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, focusing on English as a Second Language, at Olivet. 
Importance of Education
“As a student and a soccer player, Olivet was the first college on my radar,” Zach says. “I played soccer while I completed my bachelor’s degree. After graduation, I enrolled in the MBA program and continued to work on campus as a graduate assistant. I was uncertain about what I wanted to do for my career. As I completed my MBA, everything became clearer to me. And my MBA definitely made me more marketable.”
During his years as a student, Zach was strongly influenced by Olivet’s leaders and professors. “They are examples of the leader I strive to be,” he says. “They showed me how to be a Christian leader in my career. I especially credit Dr. Lynda Allen for teaching me so much about faith and business. I still keep in touch with her. At Olivet, I learned that there are a lot of leadership intangibles beyond technology.”
New Horizons in the Healthcare Field
After Olivet, Zach began his career with Trilogy Health Services and quickly rose to the position of executive director of a senior living community. His next position was the administrator of a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. Then he saw an opportunity to continue in healthcare on a different path.
“I moved into the facilities management area,” Zach says. “Some people move into this area from the skilled trades, but they have the education gap that keeps them from promotions. I came in with my MBA, and now I’m learning the trades side of the business. I’m doing things I didn’t think I could do. I know I can accomplish difficult things because of the process of earning my MBA.”
Today, Zach is the Manager of Facilities for Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He commutes to downtown Chicago every day for his job at the medical campus. “I oversee a team of 120 in day-to-day operations at one of Rush’s three medical centers, while working on solutions that can benefit all locations,” he says. “Our team bridges the gap between the operations team and the planning, design and construction teams. We handle renovations, project improvement and new construction. Our job is to find solutions to help all locations.”
Looking to the Future
“I’m glad I continued with Olivet’s MBA program right after I graduated with my bachelor’s degree,” Zach says. “I took on a lot of responsibility early in my career, and my MBA helped immensely with that. Having my MBA is a prerequisite for what I want to do and how I want to advance in my career. There are a lot of opportunities in the healthcare facilities world. My MBA puts me in the running for the positions I want.”
Learn more about Olivet Nazarene University’s graduate degree programs at Olivet.edu/academics/graduate-programs. For more information or to enroll, email onlineadmissions@olivet.edu or call 877-465-4838.
