Jim Ruddell holds back tears after receiving plaque that had been destroyed in the Wine Country fires from American Pacific Mortgage. (Photo by George Johnston)

Jim Ruddell worked for the San Rafael Bus transit system for 37 years. When Ruddell retired, he received a plaque honoring his nearly four decades of work. The plaque was a treasured item, and Ruddell was devastated when the Wine Country fires destroyed his Santa Rosa home and everything in it, including the plaque. However, various parties– including members of American Pacific Mortgage’s Benicia branch– all came together to give Ruddell something he thought he lost had forever.
Ruddell was born in San Rafael. He served in the Vietnam War and began working for the San Rafael Bus transit system in 1980. Ruddell worked his way up to becoming a foreman and would supervise the graveyard shift for 12 years.
“It was a great place to work,” he said. People were fantastic and that’s why I stayed there for thirty-seven years. It was not like going to work.”
Ruddell retired because of the rapid transitions from computer system to computer system. He said management was asking him to sit at a desk putting numbers into the computer rather than actually doing physical actions. He retired soon after.
Ruddell has enjoyed retirement with his wife, Pamela. Every January, they go down to Yuba, Ariz. and have a nice time down there. They plan to do so next January. However, back in October, the Ruddells lost their home of 41 years in the fires that swept through Sonoma and Napa counties.
The Ruddells were displaced, in search of a new home when they met Re/Max realtor Maxine Agombar at an open house. Agombar would become the Ruddells’ agent and help them find a new home. From there, Alan Schwartzman– the manager of American Pacific Mortgage’s Benicia branch– and staff would advise and help set up a mortgage for the Ruddells’ new home.
During his visits to American Pacific Mortgage, Jim would engage employees with stories of the times he was allowed to take an elevator to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. These stories and his backstory would endear Ruddell to American Pacific Mortgage, and they decided to help him somehow. What they did was to get in contact with Justine Bock, an executive assistant to the general manager of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, to help Ruddell receive a new plaque. Bock coordinated with Ruddell’s boss upon retirement, Steve Miller, to organize getting the plaque replaced and dropping it off at American Pacific Mortgage, where they would surprise the Ruddells with it on Dec. 14 when they stopped by the office for the signing of their new home by Schwartzman.
“It was something that I lost and never thought I would get back,” Ruddell said while holding back emotion.
Ruddell thanked everyone at American Pacific Mortgage and is making plans for the future. He wants to work on his new house and let his wife make it look homey.

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