You hear him on the local radio stations and you see his smiling face on City of Moose Jaw transit buses, but do you know who he is? 

Of course, Aaron Ruston owns and operates Purposed Financial here in Moose Jaw and he is our financial expert - our go-to pundit when our money, your money, is in the news.  But, there's so much more to Aaron Ruston - from his love of family and friends to music and cars and his passion for our community. 

Ruston grew up on the family farm near Eston, Saskatchewan.   

"My dad and mom were farmers there and my dad worked on the CN as a foreman.  So, yeah, I grew up in the farm setting out on the open front tractor and the open front combine with dust in my teeth...so I grew up among the dirt and the gophers.  I enjoyed it," said Ruston. 

Ruston was a competitive athlete as a young man in high school, giving football, wrestling, basketball and volleyball his share of time but it was bodybuilding that captured his imagination and took him to Saskatoon to get bigger and better. 

"I took that aggression and the tenacity I learned from other sports and put it into bodybuilding...I was fortunate to have some genetics behind me and good people to work with as well...I worked out with Mr. Canada and Mr. Universe which was a great experience." 

In fact, Ruston would become Mr. Teen Saskatchewan and Mr. Saskatchewan during his bodybuilding career in the 1980s. 

Aaron Ruston's professional journey has almost always been focused on finances.  In fact, it was shortly after graduating from high school in 1980 when the inspiration arrived but it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience that motivated him. 

"My mom and dad sold our farm back in Eston and at that time they got some financial advice from someone that completely rocked their financial world.  When it should have been a very joyous time, selling the farm after many, many years and they were getting some freedom from it, they got some financial advice that really rock things and I vowed, at that age, that I was going to do whatever I could to make sure that that didn't happen to other families.  So, that is really what got me into this industry." 

Ruston's career took him from Saskatoon to Vancouver and then to Kelowna where life was good.   

"We lived in Kelowna and had a financial office there and we went through some business things where we were bought out...and about that time, Briercrest College and Seminary had one of their people out in that area.  The guy came into my office...and said, 'Hey, you know, one of our donors out here says you're the guy to talk to to and help us do some of this.'" 

"I had done quite a bit of work with charities on the financial side...so next time we were back here in Saskatchewan I popped in and had a wonderful conversation...and before any time at all...I knew in my heart that we were to be here," Ruston said. 

That was 20 years ago. 

"This Moose Jaw place just grabbed my heart.  We've been totally blessed to be here and it has become home for us.  It's the reason why I plug into the community in various capacities and working together to make a difference - that's what it's all about.  That's why we're back here." 

Ruston and his wife Nancy raised their two children, Kaylee and Talon, here in Moose Jaw.  Kaylee works at K+S Potash Canada while Talon toils in the banking industry in Saskatoon. 

Nancy is a teacher at Cornerstone Christian School in Moose Jaw and chips in on the weekends when Aaron and the local band The UnCoolas are playing dances, weddings, concerts and other charity events. 

"It gives me a mental health break.  Music is a huge part of my life," said Ruston, who also sings with Regina-based band The New Montagues. 

"I love looking down into people's faces and I see them from the time they walk in, some people carrying the weight of the world and maybe they didn't even want to be there.  But, by halfway through, they're tapping their feet and banging the table and some of them are up dancing.  And I see the cares lift off their shoulders.  You know, that's really what life has to be about for me - helping people to realize...the fulfillment in their life and joy that can be there and music is a wonderful avenue for me to get out there and do that." 

Ruston's Purposed Financial, situated at the corner of Athabasca Street and First Avenue Northwest in downtown Moose Jaw, was unique and new to our city when he opened the operation. 

"We had operated under different names before in Saskatchewan and in British Columbia but when I moved here I really did feel that there was a purpose I was brought here for and thus, the name, Purposed Financial.  The underlying entity and the components that are there have been around for over 30 years.  The name, Purposed Financial though, was unique and new to Moose Jaw and it's a part of our larger network which extends right across Canada...it has multiple components to it," Ruston said. 

"We handle everything from GICs to high net worth private wealth management.  We're brokers so we deal with the banks, the trust companies, the life insurance companies and investment companies.  We also have partners on the mortgage side...general insurance, home insurance, farm insurance, health benefits, disability and critical illness coverage.  We also have our own legal and accounting departments so even when we get into more complex situations, we can have our people talk to individuals...it makes for a wonderful picture," said Ruston. 

What about the future?  Is Purposed Financial here to stay? 

"I am here, man...I've got an amazing team with me.  We're here for a long, long time... I'm excited for Moose Jaw, I'm excited for Canada.  We've got some hiccups right now, right?  Things are getting kicked around a little bit.  We'll come out of this...I don't know how that's going to look as a nation, as a people as Moose Jaw, but we're going to come out stronger and hopefully we'll come out of this drawn closer together.  That's what I'm about," said Ruston. 

"So, at Purposed Financial, we're pressing forward and we're growing.  People continue to come to us and value what we bring to the table and we're thankful for that," concluded Ruston.