62 JULY / AUGUST 2023 HB Digital: Click to view a biography of Mark Bruin, or visit indiana. bank/about. IBA Board Review Mark. E Bruin South Region Director Indiana Bankers Association President & CEO The National Bank of Indianapolis Get to know Mark E. Bruin, south region director of the Indiana Bankers Association Board of Directors. Bruin is president and CEO of The National Bank of Indianapolis. What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? My first real job was washing dishes at The Iron Skillet restaurant. It was dirty and very hot in the summer because there was no air conditioning, and you were the last one to leave at night. But it forced you to work hard because if you did not keep up with the flow coming into the dish room, the servers would not be able to reset place settings as tables turned over. Who inspired you, and how? My parents, Ralph and Mary Bruin, have played a huge part in my life. They demonstrated how hard work and treating people as you want to be treated leads to happiness and success. They also created strong family bonds that have helped us all through life’s difficult moments. What drew you to banking? In college I was fortunate to land a summer job at the former Union Federal. There, I not only saw how the branch worked, but they had a commercial real estate banker in that office who let me shadow him when there was time. I thought “this is pretty interesting” and changed my focus to banking to pursue a career in commercial lending. What advice do you have for those starting careers in banking? Be open to the wide variety of jobs that exist in banking. There are a great many career options one can pursue in banking, so find one that fulfills your passion. What do you do for fun when not working? Golf is a great way for me to get away from work and enjoy the outdoors and the company of friends. Spending time with family is very important. Twice a year my wife and I rent a house somewhere and invite our two sons and their girlfriends to come stay with us. Since they live on opposite coasts right now, it is a great way to spend quality time together. What is a personal motto or quote you live by? I believe in the Golden Rule; treat people as you want to be treated. Unfortunately, we have lost some element of the human connection and to restore it begins with mutual respect and genuine caring for the other person. Reflecting on your career, what accomplishments are you most proud of? The last three years have been incredibly challenging for our industry and our country, but all the banks stepped up and worked through COVID and changing work habits to deliver on [the Paycheck Protection Program], loan deferrals and assistance, and helping our clients every step of the way. Now, we are working through the impacts of the fastest increase in interest rates in modern history. I am most proud of how the 300+ teammates at The National Bank of Indianapolis continued to deliver high quality service to our clients despite the many challenges we faced. Please share a bit about family/home life. My wife Sharon and I love to travel and recently returned from France and visited Normandy, which had been a goal for several years. We have two sons. David lives in Maine and manages a community theater with a strong emphasis on education. Colin lives in Portland, Oregon, and works for a computer firm doing web development. Being located on opposite sides of the country is a challenge to spend time together, but we try once a year to be together somewhere. HB
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