S. Rutt Bridges, candidate for President-Elect, began his career in geophysics in 1970 as an undergraduate research assistant at Georgia Tech’s Engineering Experiment Station, conducting gravity surveys and writing software. He received his BS (physics) and MS (geophysical sciences) while working on potential field methods and earthquake seismology. During the summers, Rutt worked for Chevron hustling jugs in the swamps of Louisiana. In 1975, he joined Chevron in Houston, initially as a processing geophysicist and later as party chief, processing supervisor, and area geophysicist. In 1980, he founded Advance Geophysical Corporation and led the development of the MicroMAX and ProMAX seismic processing systems. Advance merged with Landmark Graphics in 1994. Rutt is currently the latter’s chief technology officer and a member of the board of directors.

Rutt joined SEG in 1975. He served as chairman of the Computer Applications Committee for three years and organized the 1989 symposium “The future of desktop computers in geophysics.” In addition, he served as technical program chairman for the 1989 Midwest Meeting and has published a number of papers on computer applications in geophysics. In 1991, Rutt was presented with the Enterprise Award for the development of MicroMAX. In 1992.93, he served as SEG’s First Vice-President. He has been chairman of the Membership Committee and president of the Denver Geophysical Society. Rutt was SEG’s Spring 1994 Distinguished Lecturer.