Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
The creative genius behind Guideposts was Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. With his wife, Ruth, Dr. Peale founded the organization in 1945.

During his long life, Dr. Peale was acclaimed as one of the foremost ministers and motivational speakers and writers of the 20th century. While serving as minister at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, he spoke to 100 groups a year and authored 46 books.

By far the most popular of his books was The Power of Positive Thinking. Published in 1952, that book immediately became a best-seller and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 186 consecutive weeks. Still available today, the book has sold more than 20 million copies in 42 languages. Positive thinking, Dr. Peale often explained, is faith in God and belief in oneself.

Throughout that book and throughout his career, Dr. Peale emphasized the individual's extraordinary ability to overcome life's problems and seize its opportunities through the application of faith in daily life.

In 1984, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan.

On Christmas Eve, 1993, Dr. Peale died at his home in Pawling, N.Y. He was 95. He is revered today because his consistent message continues to show that faith works powerfully in ordinary lives.

By those who knew him, Dr. Peale is remembered best for one simple quality: his unconditional love of people.

Ruth Stafford Peale
Ruth Stafford Peale is the widow of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. The daughter of a minister, Ruth Stafford was born in Fonda, Iowa, on September 10, 1906. She is the mother of three children: Margaret Peale Everett, Dr. John Stafford Peale, Elizabeth Peale Allen. Mrs. Peale graduated from Syracuse University and taught mathematics before her marriage in 1930.

Although Ruth Stafford Peale worked closely with her husband in all aspects of his ministry, she also has established a separate identity as a religious leader, public speaker and author. Because of her dynamic spiritual achievements, Mrs. Peale has been a great influence to millions and has made many contributions to religion in America.

She is co-founder, publisher and chairman of the board of Guideposts. She is a member of the board of directors of American Bible Society, Interchurch Center, Blanton-Peale Institute, and Laymen's National Bible Committee.

Mrs. Peale has written numerous articles appearing in Reader's Digest, Woman's Day and Saturday Evening Post. She is the author of Secrets of Staying in Love (1984), published by Thomas Nelson, and A Lifetime of Positive Thinking (2001), published by Guideposts.

Among other distinctions, Mrs. Peale was the first woman president of the National Board of North American Missions of the Reformed Church in America, and the first woman chairman of the Planning and Program Committee of the National Council of Churches 1966 Assembly. She served for ten years as national president of the Women's Board of Domestic Missions of the Re-formed Church in America; served as vice president of the Council of Churches of the City of New York and of the National Council of Churches; and as a trustee of Hope College, Holland, Mich.; Champlain College, Burlington, Vt., and Syracuse University in New York. Mrs. Peale is also a member of the National Women's Board of Northwood University.