BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Ed Rust Jr. ’72 visited the Young Main Lounge at Illinois Wesleyan
on Sept. 23 to deliver the inaugural address of the Kinder Brothers Distinguished
Business Speaker Series. Rust is a member of the IWU Board of Trustees and was CEO
of State Farm Insurance for 30 years.
Rust was greeted by a nearly packed room of about 300 students, faculty, staff and other IWU community members who had come to hear his lecture titled “Liberal Arts: Value from a Business Perspective.”
Rust began the address by acknowledging the namesakes of the speaker series.
“Jack and Garry Kinder… exemplified the impact of a Wesleyan liberal arts education through their distinguished professional careers,” Rust said. “Their experiences and achievements highlight how exposure to a broad liberal arts curriculum can expand the scope of one’s thinking and ignite a passion for helping others reach their true potential.”
The late alumni brothers were luminaries in the field of insurance, starting their own international consulting firm, Kinder Brothers International, and writing bestselling books advising insurance agents.
As for what a grounding in the liberal arts grants to those in business fields, Rust said, “Business is, in its essence, a human enterprise. Success hinges not merely on the brilliance of ideas, but on the ability to effectively communicate them.
"Through exposure to literature, rhetoric and the arts, students learn to write and speak with precision, empathy and persuasion… In a global marketplace, where teams span cultures and continents, the ability to bridge differences through communication is powerful.”
Rust also emphasized themes of humility and curiosity, as the liberal arts fosters a desire and willingness to learn from others’ experiences as well as from one’s own failures. When asked by a student, “What is the most important question to ask?” Rust responded with “What’s your opinion? One of the most important skills you can have as a leader is drawing out the insight that your colleagues have.”
During the event, Bloomington mayor Dan Brady celebrated the 175th anniversary of IWU’s founding by delivering an official proclamation marking Sept. 23 as Illinois Wesleyan University Day.
The event was followed by private lunches attended by Rust, representatives of Kinder Brothers International and select students and other IWU constituents.