Class of 1965
Major General Rodney D. Ruddock was elected to a four-year term as Indiana County Commissioner in January 2004.
General Ruddock is a lifelong resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania. He recently completed thirty-five years in public education and thirty-seven years in military service. He served as a school administrator for the Indiana Area School District for twenty-five years. General Ruddock graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Safety Education. He holds a master's degree in Counseling Education from Indiana University and a Secondary Administrative Certificate from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a recipient of the IUP Distinguished Alumni Award. He was appointed to the Advisory Committee of the John P. Murtha Homeland Security Institute at IUP.
Major General Ruddock retired from military service in November 2002. General Ruddock began his military career in 1965 when he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Branch from the ROTC program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He served on active duty tour with the Army Security Agency during the Vietnam War. General Ruddock's last assignment with the United States Army was as commanding general of the 99th Regional Support Command in Oakdale, Pennsylvania. The 99th Regional Support Command had an estimated strength of over 22,000 soldiers spanning the five states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
General Ruddock is also a graduate of the prestigious Army War College. Prior to that, General Ruddock completed the Command and General Staff College, Engineer Officer Advance Course, and Quartermaster Officer Basic Course.
During his military career, General Ruddock has been awarded the following: the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Gold Hourglass Device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal with four Service Stars.
His professional military associations include: the Senior Army Reserve Commanders Association, the Association of the United States Army, Society of Military Engineers, Military Order of World Wars, and life membership in the Army War College Alumni Association, Reserve Officer Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, and American Legion.
His professional associations include: County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, Southwest Pennsylvania Commission, Southwest Pennsylvania Growth Alliance, Tri-County Workforce Investment Board, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, and honor societies of Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Phi Epsilon. General Ruddock is also an advisory board member to the Salvation Army.
General Ruddock has also been actively involved in athletics throughout his career. He was a three-sport athlete in high school and a four-year letter winner in baseball at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In April 2002, General Ruddock was elected into the Indiana County Sports Hall of Fame. General Ruddock has coached baseball at the high school level and has officiated football, basketball, and baseball at both the interscholastic and collegiate levels. In the past fifteen years, General Ruddock has served on Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Presidential Advisory Committee on Athletic Policy. He served as committee chair for ten years. General Ruddock also serves as a member of the Baseball Committee for the W.P.I.A.L.
General Ruddock resides in Indiana, Pennsylvania, with his wife Ellen. They have two sons, Dana and Darin, and two granddaughters, Andrea and Reagan.