About Karen and Tom Rutledge

The founders of the Karen and Tom Rutledge Institute for Childhood Education are Pittsburgh-area natives who met at their high school in McMurray, Pa. They were introduced by Karen’s brother Warren (California State College, Class of ’77) and have been together ever since.  

Tom graduated from California in 1977 with a degree in economics. His career in the cable industry has taken him and Karen (and eventually their children) to many American towns and cities, including Albany, N.Y.; Austin, Texas; and Portland, Maine.

Tom rose through the ranks of American Television and Communications (ATC), which eventually became part of Time Warner Cable. After serving as president of Time Warner Cable, he moved to Cablevsion Systems, where he was the chief operating officer. 

In 2012, Tom joined Charter Communications as its president and CEO; currently, he serves as chairman and CEO. Under Tom’s leadership, Charter has grown into the second largest American cable company, with more than 26 million customers in 41 states and more than 95,000 employees. 

Karen and Tom have two married children and six grandchildren, ranging in age from 15 to 3. 

The Rutledges have been married for more than 40 years, and even today they are happiest when the entire family is together. They both credit PennWest California for accommodating their busy schedule as they started their family while Tom worked and went to school.