Jeff Rutt
Owner and CEO | Keystone Custom Homes
Jeff Rutt is Owner and CEO of Keystone Custom Homes, which has built over 6,000 homes in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Keystone Custom Homes has been awarded Builder Magazine’s and the National Association of Homebuilders “America’s Best Home Builder Award,” and is the first three-time winner of this coveted award. Keystone also won the ‘Business of the Year’ award given by central Penn Business Journal. Jeff has been recognized for his efforts as an outstanding builder with the Hearthstone Award, a lifetime service achievement award, which included a $200,000 grant to a charity of his choice. Jeff has served as President of The Building Industry Association and has chaired many local boards and committees.
Jeff is also the Founder and Chairman of the Board of HOPE International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. HOPE is a Christ-centered micro-enterprise development organization and works in developing countries to provide small loans and biblically based business training to entrepreneurs, enabling them to start or expand small businesses. Jeff enjoys traveling to the front line with his family to serve and encourage in these areas whenever possible. HOPE’s goal is to provide permanent solutions to poverty while restoring dignity in families. HOPE now works in 15 countries, presently serves almost 1,000,000 clients and since its inception has loaned out over $590 million dollars. When HOPE’s microfinance institutions reach financial sustainability, a portion of the profits they generate are used to grow local Christ-centered children’s ministries in addition to expanding the work in Christ-centered microfinance. Jeff was recently honored with the National Epoch Lifetime Achievement award for outstanding work in missions for his service to humanity.
contributions to faith driven entrepreneur
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine faced a debilitating economic crisis, leaving many without enough food to eat or clothes to wear. Along with others in my church, I felt compelled to respond. There were people who were hungry, who needed shelter, who didn’t have the hope of Jesus Christ. As we read in Isaiah 58:7, God has a specific idea about how we should translate our faith into action:
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:7
We couldn’t turn away.