McDonough on a small family farm in the area he now represents - district 109. This district

includes the heart of Henry County and portions of both Rockdale and Newton Counties.

Rutledge brings a very diverse set of business and life experiences to the “People’s House” at the

Georgia State Capitol. After school, he worked on the family farm before going to work in the union

environment of Eastern Airlines in 1985. In 1987, prior to Eastern’s closing, he joined BAX Global, a

global air freight and logistics company. Within 10 years, Rutledge advanced his way through

customer service, sales, and regional manager to be named Director of Exhibit Transportation for

North America. A corporate reorganization in October of 1998, eliminated his position steering him

to business entrepreneurship.

By January of 1999, Rutledge opened his first business, Expo-Link Cargo. He still operates the firm

today, which specializes in freight transportation and logistics solutions for the trade show

industry. After the events of Sept. 11, which resulted in tremendous restraints being placed on

freight transportation by the Federal Government, the future of his newly formed business was

unknown. Recognizing this unstable business climate Rutledge opened his second business, Rover,

Inc., on January 1, 2002. A joint venture with longtime friends, Rover, Inc. became a local waste and

recycling hauler serving the citizens of Henry County. The company started with only 125 friends

and neighbors as customers. In nine years, Rutledge's leadership grew the client base to over 8,000

customers, expanded into the City of Lovejoy and created local job opportunities. Rover, Inc. was

sold in June of 2011 to Waste Industries.

Rutledge is the husband of 26 years to Kathy Craig Rutledge and father of two daughters, Caroline,

22 and Morgan, 20. The family also consists of a rescue hound dog named Rylie. Rutledge is strong

in his Christian faith and is a longtime, active member of McDonough Presbyterian Church, where

he has served as a deacon and an elder. An avid sports and outdoorsman, Rutledge enjoys golfing,

hunting, fishing and Saturdays in Athens.