"The world of capitalism is being called to protect life and property of the global community." said FDNY Chaplain, Fr. Christopher Keenan. After, 9/11/01, one New York couple answers the call with a commitment to "Spiritual Capitalism," where business is personal!

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Peter Ressler and Monika Mitchell Ressler are married partners in life and in business. In the 1990s the Resslers opened an executive search firm specializing in institutional debt and equity, sales and trading. In lay terms, they are headhunters for the bond and equity markets. Their clients include Wall Street's top investment banking firms, commercial banks and hedge funds.

Before 9/11/01, Peter Ressler was known in the Wall Street community as the "pistol." Peter's motto was "I'll never quit. You will have to kill me first." But with the tragic events of that momentous day, Peter lost his drive to succeed.

Father Mike, the NYC Fire Department chaplain, a personal friend, was the first official casualty of the attack on the World Trade Center. "The death of Father Mike, a wise and gentle Franciscan priest, was a jarring reality for us. His passing represented the loss of innocence in the face of this absolute cruelty. Our business screeched to an abrupt halt as our personal lives filled with anguish."

All of Wall Street became one: politicians, the medical community, iron, steel, construction and sanitation workers worked day and night with the Emergency Medical Services, police and fire departments in the rescue and recovery efforts.

New York City saw the catastrophe through a kaleidoscope of desecration and consecration: the rescued and the rescuers, demolition of the money-obsessed world of the financial industry and salvage of bodies and relics. Daily reports from colleagues and friends told of miraculous escapes and of fear for and tragedy of those missing. Firefighters shared the heartache of 47 funerals in two months. A banker colleague lost 27 in the Towers. Those in any uniformed service were held in reverence. "Suffering mirrored in their faces inspired the rest of us to go on."

"For an unprecedented moment in history, Wall Street took its eyes off of money. Life and love became the priority." People forgot themselves, deals, markets, trades, and outdoing each other. Reaching out and helping were the actions of the day. Making money lost its appeal. Some left their profession. Some stayed as a tribute to lost colleagues.

Firefighters were exhausted, worn and torn by the irony of their task. "This isn't what we signed up for," echoed a member of Engine 14.

Yet: "In those days, weeks and months, the kindness and caring of others to us, and us to them gave meaning to our existence." A multimillionaire financial advisor met with minimum-wage earners with no insurance "How can I help you manage through the coming months?"

"It was America's worst moment and America's shining moment all at once," says Monika. "Surely, in this we saw grace," she adds.

Despite their loss of 90% of their income and business, Peter and Monika recognized their survival was priceless. Still, they felt empty, unmotivated and helpless. Yet, while some asked where is God? The Resslers' sought meaning.

Five weeks after the terrorist attack, Peter walked the streets wondering what purpose his work served in the face of the senseless suffering. "For 21 years I had worked the haunts, closed countless deals and generated millions of dollars of revenues on these now-unrecognizable blocks."

That evening, near his Long Island home, Peter ran into a neighbor wearing a volunteer firefighters' T-shirt. He told Peter that the only requirement for joining is a desire to help others. "It was the stimulus I needed at the age of 46 to defy logic and join the ranks of the noble foot soldiers that saved my city."

"The next few months I would travel between work (endless stories from colleagues of those missing and dead) and the firefighters' boot camp." Now he felt connected to his friends who were digging at the site and those lying in the debris. At last, Peter felt useful and somehow stronger.

"It was damned hard too. Before I started, I thought I was in great physical shape. I was wrong. It took all of my strength to carry a set of irons and 50 pounds of breathing equipment up a 75-foot ladder in full gear. … It seemed to substitute for the weakness I felt emotionally."

Still, Peter craved a deeper purpose in his work. To his surprise, the answer came in a phone call from a trader client. "Hey Pete, you changed my life," said the trader. Pete was blown away. "Hell, yeah. If it wasn't for you, I would never have worked here."

Peter suddenly saw significance in his work to impact the lives of others. He recognized his vocation as a calling and a responsibility to protect and enhance the livelihoods and careers of his colleagues. "It had a ring like the code of the firefighter. Instead of viewing each search as simply an opportunity to profit, I would now accept assignments only from clients who practiced the highest moral and ethical standards."

"I live every day with purpose, just like a firefighter." Peter also remains a member of two New Jersey volunteer fire departments and a member of Firefighter Assist Search Team (FAST). Based on the principle of New York City Fire Fighters, he and Monika approach their work and all that they do with the idea "business is personal."

Witnessing the selfless dedication of FDNYC inspired a change in their thoughts about work. "Like the firefighters, we saw that everything we did was for love." Monika and Peter vowed to combine making money with a deep spiritual purpose. Thus, "spiritual capitalism" replaced the survival-of-the-fittest ideology.

The Resslers choose their client companies carefully. "We stand behind all of our client companies – part of our successful sales pitch is that these firms are worthy of the people they employ. They are team players. They treat people right. They operate at the highest level of business conduct. We cannot sell the firm unless we believe this."

As a result of their transformation, as a tool for spreading their philosophy, Peter Ressler and Monika Mitchell Ressler wrote "Spiritual capitalism: How 9/11 gave us nine spiritual lessons of work and business." They tour the United States and Canada, spurring a cultural revolution of "Capitalism with a Conscience." In their talks, seminars, interviews, and in their book (printed on recycled paper), they urge:

replacing greed with the firefighters' code of honor and service

profit and benefit others through your work

the bottom line versus the human bottom line

responsibility of the fittest vs. survival of the fittest

The forward of the book is written by Fortune senior writer, Marc Gunther. About the Resslers' optimism, he says, "I happen to believe they are right. As a reporter who has covered corporate America for a decade, I am encouraged by the changes I’ve seen. Better leaders. Companies that are more caring and compassionate, more diverse, more green, more transparent. Not all of them, of course, but many."

"'Spiritual Capitalism' is a rare book that delivers both good news and good advice: All of us can bring the same passion and purpose to our work that the rescue workers did to theirs on September 11. Indeed, we owe ourselves–and each other–nothing less."

The Resslers had a successful business on Wall Street until the events of September 11, 2001 shocked the New York City, married couple out of their pursuit of money and set them on the path toward "Spiritual Capitalism."

The tragic events of 9/11 affected us as individuals, in communities, as a nation and in the global community. Personal, psychological, social and financial losses were immediate and long-term for many. The Resslers' firm was among those who lost millions of dollars in revenue. They are but one example of the economic impact of the disasters of that day.

Worse yet, unimaginable emotional and physical suffering has ensued for those caught in the area of the World Trade Center; those who entered the area to aid in recovery of bodies and relics; and those close to the scene that day. Survivors, Fire Fighters and other rescuers endure severely reduced lung capacity as a direct result of the poisonous air at ground zero. Many First Responders suffer from respiratory diseases, kidney and abdominal ailments, unusual cancers and terminal illnesses from their dedication at Ground Zero. Yet, they receive little help from government agencies, the Resslers tell us.

Since 9/11 we have experienced other catastrophes: the Indian Ocean tsunami; Hurricane Katrina; numerous floods and tornadoes; famine, genocide and other atrocities. "Our nation went to war. Wall Street and the business community became embroiled in scandals, America's innocence and compassion turned to hatred and fear. We lost so much in a precious short period of time."

Yet, Peter and Monika remain heartened by heroic and caring ways people in America and around the world rally to aide and support those in need. They believe there is more good than bad. "While a small group of people planned our demise and celebrated our misery, the vast majority of the human world suffered with us." Peter and Monika focus on potential lessons to be derived from events and how to avoid future disasters. They feel it is their duty to remind people of good in the world and to share renewed faith in humanity.

We cannot ignore the role of money in our existence. Rather than deny it is in the foundation of our survival, let's put it to honorable use. Marc Gunther, "Fortune" Staff Writer says, "Spiritual capitalism is not an oxymoron. The Resslers make clear that you can pursue purpose and profits, make money, and a meaningful life as well."

"The world of capitalism is being called to protect life and property of the global community," says FDNY Chaplain, Fr. Christopher Keenan. Peter Ressler and Monika Mitchell Ressler accomplish the task in their personal relationships, in their corporate work and with business organizations. They are active members of The Fivers Children's Foundation, The World Business Academy and The UN Global Compact for Values in Business.

From their book, "Spiritual Capitalism: How 9/11 gave us nine lessons of work and business," the Resslers have given me permission to share with you the lessons, key points and "Nine ways to practice spiritual capitalism." Billionaire CEOs, Wall Street executives and other businesspeople embrace these concepts as "timely and necessary" and "a landmark on Wall Street."

The nine spiritual lessons and key points:

1. Business is personal

• Everything you do in business is personal to someone.

• The claim that business is not personal is a deliberate deception.

• Responsibility-of-the-fittest must replace survival-of-the-fittest.

2. Use your pursuit of money as a tool for good

• When we exchange money for goods or services we create a sacred covenant with each other.

• Money is not a thing that controls you – you control it.

• Good is that which enhances, evil is that which destroys.

3. Profit honorably without taking from others

• Gain at the expense of others is not a worthy "win."

• The suffering you create for others and yourself is unnecessary suffering.

• A genuine sense of security is based on personal character.

4. Giving to others is a gift for yourself

• The nature of your actions reverberates into the world and returns to you.

• Concern for others is concern for yourself.

• When you include others in your view, your world expands.

• Business needs to give because it takes.

5. You serve others through the intelligent design of work

• The spiritual purpose of work is to serve each other.

• Every job is a helping profession.

• All jobs have equal spiritual value.

• There is an intelligent design behind our work that binds us together.

6. Calculate the human cost into the bottom line

• Business has a responsibility to those it affects.

• Capitalism must include the human factor in its calculations.

• The ultimate bottom line is life itself.

7. The foundation of business is trust

• Hard work and creative ingenuity equal good business – not deception.

• We create trust by establishing positive relationships with customers, suppliers, our workforce and clients.

• Money is the by-product of our business efforts, but relationships are the essence.

• Repeat business and referrals are what we strive for.

8. Teamwork is the heart of business

• The workplace is a sacred place as it is a manifestation of human existence.

• Management must create, communicate and inspire employees to a shared vision

• Employers and employees form a spiritual partnership.

9. The spiritual purpose of business is to serve the community that supports it

• People form the foundation of business.

• Business is rewarded in profits for serving the needs of the community.

• Business must take responsibility for its role in creation the works around it.

• We have a sacred charge in business to care for the natural world.

Nine ways to practice "Spiritual Capitalism":

1. Remember that everything you do in business is personal to someone.

2. Use your pursuit of money to improve the lives of others as you improve your own.

3. Don't lose sight of the people and things that are most important to you in your pursuit of money.

4. Understand that life is a reciprocal cycle – in order to receive you need to give.

5. Think of your work as a service to others and value the work of others for their contribution to you.

6. Consider the consequences of your money decisions on others before you act on them.

7. Be true in your word and deed in your business dealings.

8. Remember your employers, employees, clients, customers and suppliers are your business partners.

9. Cherish the world around you through your work and business.

Learn more about Peter Ressler and Monika Mitchell Ressler at www.spiritualcapitalism.com

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Diana deRegnier writes the weekly column SpiritLinks for UPI www.ReligionandSpirituality.com from the San Francisco Bay Area, California emphasizing humor, pathos and encouragement for a vibrant spirit. She is also managing editor and webmaster for the nonprofit www.SpiritLinksNewsletter.org (SLN) for spiritual explorers of any or no religious affiliation

© copyright 2008 by Diana deRegnier