LP 40 for 40 – Greg Rushin
The Plano Chamber of Commerce’s signature program, Leadership Plano, celebrates its 40th anniversary! For the past 40 years, Leadership Plano has been dedicated to educating, developing, and empowering current and future leaders for the community and motivating them to serve civic, charitable, and business organizations.
We are celebrating the impact of the past 40 years by spotlighting 40 Leadership Plano graduates who have paved the way for future generations, created meaningful change for the community, and continue to serve in leadership roles. This celebratory series, Leadership Plano 40 for 40, is Presented by UBS – The Kravitz Group.
Introducing our next spotlight, Leadership Plano Class 15 Graduate, Greg Rushin, Interim Lubbock Police Chief, and currently serving in this position until a new Police Chief is hired. Chief Rushin was very involved in the Plano community. He coached youth sports for many years, was Adopt-a-Cop for more than 20 years and was a mentor for PISD. He served on many boards, including the Child Advocacy Center Board, Child Advocacy Advisory Board, the Plano Medical Center Advisory Board, Brett Adkins Foundation Board, Leadership Plano Board, Plano Youth Leadership Board, and many others. Chief Rushin was active in Rotary for over 21 years and volunteered for neighborhood work projects, blood drives, Habitat for Humanity, and other Plano projects. He served as the Secretary of the Plano Sunrise Rotary Club. Chief Rushin was recognized as one of the 21 Collin County Leaders for the Century by Inside Collin County Business. The Police substation at McDermott and Robinson was named the “Gregory W. Rushin Police Substation” by Plano City Council just before he retired.
After retiring Chief Rushin was on the Plano City Deferred Comp Board and a Collin County Civil Service Commissioner. Chief Rushin and his wife, Cindy, are Plano residents with two grown children.
1. What first made you interested in participating in Leadership Plano?
I had just moved into a higher leadership position as Assistant Chief of the Police Department. Bruce Glasscock was Police Chief then and told me I needed to go to Leadership Plano to learn more about the community and meet other leaders. After learning about Leadership Plano, I loved the idea and felt the same way.
2. What is the most memorable part of your experience (or what is something that was happening in Plano that you remember about that year)?
The first meeting of our class was a weekend retreat out of town. We had a great bus ride where we played games to learn more about one another. We did a leadership obstacle course to figure out how to work together as a team through difficult obstacles. The high wire jump made most everybody nervous. However, by that time, as part of a team you did not want your teammates to see that you were scared, but with their encouragement you conquered your fear. Most even chose to do it a second time. I felt so good after that weekend. I had a class of new friends I could always rely on in the future, and a bigger organization with many other classes just like ours. To me the class is about the friendships you make and the team you become, and both were solidified after that weekend.
3. Why do you think LP is so impactful for our community?
Leadership Plano gathers some of the brightest and energetic people to come together to learn more about their community and each other. They are leaders and future leaders with a broad variety of backgrounds, experience, and abilities to serve and help our community in the future through service and volunteerism.
4. What is one thing you can attribute to LP that is a success in your life or career?
As a long serving Police Chief and later a Deputy City Manager I leveraged the many contacts I made from my Leadership Plano class, as well as my time on the Leadership Plano Board and Plano Youth Leadership in my job. These contacts and friendships allowed me to be a better public servant and led me to many other rewarding volunteer opportunities.
5. If your class had a class project, what was it and why was it important?
First, everyone says they had the best class. Each judges their class as the best because they could not imagine a better class. All Leadership Plano’s classes are the best, but I too will always believe my class, Class 15, was the best.
