Steve Rieth

EDITOR’S NOTE: A church community is created when people gather together for the love of God. At the same time, Saint Philip’s is comprised of many people who represent different ages, life experiences, and world views.

The “In conversation…” series is one attempt to create possibilities for connection between the different people in our community. As varied as we all are, there are also similarities and mutual interests waiting to be discovered. And there is one thing we all share: a desire to know God and be in relationship with him.

This week’s conversation is with Saint Philip’s parishioner and volunteer, Steve Rieth.

How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Charlotte and I moved to Tucson in 2022 so that is when I started attending full-time. Prior to that we would attend whenever we visited her parents here in Tucson, especially at Christmas time.

Were you raised in a faith tradition?
I was. My parents are devout Roman Catholics. Growing up I went to church every Sunday and was an Alter Server. I fell away from the church in college—mostly due to disagreements with the church’s social policies.

How did you find your way to the Episcopal Church?
Charlotte is a cradle Episcopalian (who grew up here at Saint Philip’s) so she introduced me.

What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
The church we attended in Virginia was much smaller than Saint Philip’s. I enjoy being part of a larger faith community because the system doesn’t rely on just a few people to function. I can step back without fear that everything will fall apart.

I also like that this parish is part of the Anglo-Catholic tradition; the liturgy and other aspects are familiar to me and in my comfort zone.

How are you involved at Saint Philip’s?
I volunteer as an Acolyte, Verger, and, on occasion, as a Thurifer (the person who manages the incense). I’ve also serve as a back-up person for live-streaming videos when the professional team is out of town.

What do you do professionally?
In 2012, I joined the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a Patent Examiner.

What does that involve?
When inventors apply for a patent, I go through their application to make sure their application meets all the legal/formal requirements, and that their claimed invention is novel and non-obvious. I do that by searching through prior patents and literature. The area I examine is mostly in polymeric compositions. Think paints, coatings, rubbers, plastics, etc.

You probably didn’t have this as your career goal in high-school. How’d it come about?
I always liked organic chemistry but I didn’t know what to do with that degree. While in graduate school, I determined I wasn’t interested in academia so I explored other options, including a career in intellectual property. After reading a few books on the topic, I was fascinated by the legal side and liked the idea of working with a “bird’s eye view” on the latest technology.

What do you enjoy about the work?
I get to see cutting-edge technologies, and learn how they work—often before they hit the shelves. Every day I open up cases and learn about new ideas.

It’s also a form of public service. A patent gives the owner the right to exclude others from making/using/selling a claimed invention for a limited period of time. By issuing valid patents, I protect the public’s interest with respect to the intellectual property landscape—at the same time I promote the advancement of the sciences and technology. It’s wonderful to be part of that process.

If you weren’t a Patent Examiner, what other career path might you have taken?
Something to do with film. When I entered college I was interested in chemistry and film. I chose chemistry because it seemed a more practical career choice. But I love films—especially ones made by independent studios. Charlotte and I are members of the Loft Cinema.

What do you do to relax and replenish yourself?
I haven’t been relaxed in nine months—since our son Joseph was born!

But I love strategic board games like Power Grid, Terraforming Mars, and Terra Mystica. When I worked in Virginia a group of examiners would get together after work to play board games—similar to a poker night. It’s a nice way to be social and not interact via electronic devices. I hope to find a similar group in Tucson.

What’s something you’re proud of?
One of my biggest achievements is earning my doctorate. It took six years, and lots of time and energy.

What’s something you find challenging?
Raising a child and balancing everything. I know every parent goes through it but experiencing it is intense. I now manage my time hour by hour. He is a joy but being a father is nothing I could prepare for.

One thing that isn’t challenging is finding people to speak to at Saint Philip’s. I am guaranteed to be the most popular person on campus when I walk around with Joseph.

What’s something you’re passionate about?
Giving Joseph the best opportunities in life that I can. The minute he was born my perspective changed. It’s far less about me now and all about him. I also obsess over problems and planning. That might be more compulsive than it is passionate! 

What’s a core value?
Treat people as equals, and recognize that everyone is their own person. It’s so easy in today’s heated political environment to dehumanize people because they believe something different. That doesn’t help any of us.

What’s one of your guiding principles?
Take a broad view of things.

If something weird and unexpected happens I do my best not to panic and react in a rash way. I usually take a step back and reevaluate what the best path forward is.

I try to be an optimist.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
My family and the support they’ve given me over the years. That support system is really strong.

My parents and older sister live in Albany, New York, and Charlotte, Joseph, and I visit them at least twice a year.

Joseph already has a frequent flier account. With all the flying he’s already doing, he might earn an elite status before he starts college.

What’s one of your super powers?
I’m very analytical, and good at solving problems. That complements my interest in board games since much of that “play” is about optimization, risk assessment, and strategy.

If success were guaranteed, what would you like to do—that you haven’t yet?
Buy a lottery ticket or go to a casino (where I’d bet it all on black). There’s that analytical side of me!

What might people be surprised to learn about you?
That despite my northeastern accent, I was born in northwest Arkansas. I grew up in Shelton, Connecticut but am neither a Red Sox or a Yankees fan. Let’s go Mets!

What’s a fun fact about you?
I once cleared out part of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Wait. What??
When I was in 8th grade, my class visited the White House. When I went through the metal detectors the alarms went off so loudly that the Secret Service cleared the entire place out.

I had forgotten that in my coat pocket was a huge ball made out of aluminum foil. (My grade school forbade kids to have balls at recess so some of us saved the aluminum foil from lunches and made a ball that we threw around on the playground.)

Surprisingly, the Secret Service agent gave me the “ball” back after talking to me and confirming I wasn’t a threat. My mother still has the ball, and a photo of me holding it while standing with my amused friends outside the White House.

Missed an interview? All previous interviews can be found on Saint Philip’s website under the “About Us” tab. Click here to visit that page.