Marsha Rusnack
2009 Woman of the Year
Marsha Rusnack’s passion for education – and particularly arts education – fuels her involvement in numerous St. Louis and national initiatives.
“The arts have so much to do with education, and education is the key to everything,” Marsha said.
She has always been a fervent supporter of the arts. When she and her husband, Bill, moved to St. Louis in 1998, the Saint Louis Art Museum and Missouri Botanical Garden were her two first volunteer endeavors in this community. But her involvement didn’t end there. Over the past 10 years, she has been involved with 27 community organizations and causes – the majority of which have something to do with the arts, education or both.
Marsha and Bill, both 64, moved to St. Louis when Bill took over Clark Oil as its chief executive officer. He has spent his career in the oil business, and prior to their move to St. Louis, they had lived in California for more than 25 years.
She said that when they moved here, their children were already grown and had moved away, so she had plenty of time – and inclination – to get out in the community and try to make a difference. “I’m not the person who sits at home and knits,” Marsha said.
She only makes the commitments she wants, and she knows her limits. “I only do what I can, and if I accept responsibility for something, I do it because I can give 100 percent.”
Although Bill has now retired from the oil business, the Rusnacks have no plans or desire to leave St. Louis. Marsha said St. Louis is a “very easy” place to live, and they have made some very good friends here.
She is also a big supporter of the city of St. Louis, and the strides the community is making in improving the downtown and other parts of the city. She said the downtown area has “come a long way since I’ve been here,” which she finds exciting.
Marsha and Bill met in college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where Marsha obtained a bachelor of science degree in foods and nutrition. For about six years after college, she worked in hospital dietetics. They have two children – Douglas, a radiologist who lives in Sydney, Australia, and Susan, a urologic surgeon in New York City. Doug and his wife, Rachel, have a young son, William.
A few of Marsha’s many community involvements are: Member of the Patron Committee for Variety’s Dinner With the Stars from 2005 to the present; former president of the Friends Board at the Saint Louis Art Museum, and trustee this year; former president of the Members Board and annual volunteer at the Missouri Botanical Garden; former chairman of the Albert Einstein Society and former gala committee member at the Saint Louis Science Center; member of the Saint Louis Zoo Friends Board; member of the board, nominating committee and award selection committee for the Arts and Education Council; board member and former gala co-chair for Dance St. Louis; co-chair of the 2009 campaign at Character Plus; and member of the 2008 capital campaign steering committee for the Assistance League of St. Louis.