Gary and Ruth Veurink

Holland, MI
Supporting IJM since 2010

Gary and Ruth joined the IJM team in 2010 when Gary was hired as Chief Operating Officer, which he held for six years. He learned about IJM from Gary Haugen’s 2008 Global Leadership Summit speech, at precisely the time he was exploring what Bob Buford’s book Halftime describes as a second half of significance. IJM truly has been that for them! The spiritual formation disciplines for leaders have had a life-long impact!

Gary and Ruth live in Holland, Michigan and have been married 53 years; high school sweethearts from the plains of SD to the shores of Lake Michigan. They have three grown children married to believers and eight grandchildren, ranging in age from 26 to 13. Raised in Christan homes, they professed their faith as teenagers, and both recommitted their life to Jesus as adult guests at a Young Life camp. They attend Christ Memorial Church in Holland and are active in small groups and prayer groups, plus Gary is in the choir. Ruth loves being a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, friend, gardener, golfer and is a Registered Nurse by degree, having worked during the first 15 years of marriage. Gary held leadership roles most of his 35-year career with Dow, recognized early as a change agent with integrity in 17 different jobs, business travel to over 30 countries and resided in Michigan, Ohio and Texas. He retired as Corporate VP of Manufacturing & Engineering. His formal education includes a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from SD Mines, and a graduate of the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. He has served on many ministries, communities, and associations board of directors, and is currently on two Holland-based ministry boards. Gary loves to travel, jog, and spend time with family and friends. Together, they are expecting to be inspired by being a part of God’s work of justice protecting the millions who are vulnerable to violence.