Leadership

Tom Ruggels, MBA

Tom Ruggels retired at the end of 2021 following a distinguished 30-year career with the Washington State Investment Board (WSIB) in Olympia, WA. Throughout his tenure, Tom held multiple key roles, including Investment Accounting Controller and an Investment Officer within both public and private equity programs. For the last 21 years of his career, he served as Senior Investment Officer and head of the WSIB’s private equity program, overseeing a portfolio exceeding $40 billion in market value.

Tom began his career as an auditor with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Kansas City, where he specialized in regulated industries such as banking and utilities. Following his time at Arthur Andersen, he transitioned to the financial sector, serving as an agricultural loan officer and bond portfolio manager for a community bank in Kansas for a decade. In 1989, Tom pursued an MBA at the University of Washington, which led to his subsequent career at the WSIB starting in 1991.

Tom earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Kansas and his MBA from the University of Washington. Prior to joining Geneva’s Board of Directors, he contributed his expertise as a member of Geneva’s Finance Committee for over three years.