VCNB Lender Bruce Block will finish his forty year career in banking and finance when he retires Friday. In doing so, he will turn the page to a new chapter in his life’s book. “I have enjoyed my years in banking and finance and have met a lot of people and made friendships that I hope will continue,” he said. “However, I’m looking forward to moving on to something different.”

The Pennsylvania native began his career as a management trainee with a finance company in Yuma, Arizona. When they transferred him to Columbus, Ohio, his career took off and he spent the next four decades forging relationships and hitting his stride in a range of finance and banking areas. He trained younger employees, worked in collections and did all types of lending. Before coming to VCNB, Bruce had worked fourteen years as the Head of Consumer Lending for a community bank in Logan.

He joined the VCNB family as a Retail Lender in McArthur in 2015. It quickly became clear his connections with dealerships across Ohio would make Bruce a great fit in the bank’s growing Indirect Lending Department. So for the last four years, he has helped customers who wish to finance their vehicle purchase from the comfort of the dealership while working closely with the dealers who make that happen.

“These aren’t just business acquaintances. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people over the years and have developed good relationships with many dealers,” Bruce said. He went on to describe the lessons he has instilled in a new employee he has been training. “The key to being successful is developing relationships with people. Find common ground so that you have something to relate to when you’re talking. For me, it might be running or soccer or the fact I lived in Arizona for a while and they did too. Building relationships with people will help you become successful and will help you enjoy your job more.”

Bruce has many interests that he enjoys pursuing outside of work. He has been a soccer referee for eighteen years and will soon take on a new title as the Miller High School Boys Junior Varsity Basketball Coach. Bruce also enjoys running and working out at the gym.

The self-described lifelong learner is an avid reader who enjoys substitute teaching at the high school level. He has a bachelors degree in Public Administration and Social Science from Waynesburg University in Pennsylvania, a masters in Social Science from Ohio University and his teaching license in Social Studies. He also takes online classes from the University of Chicago as time allows.

“I believe there is no such thing as too much education,” Bruce explained. He went on to describe a letter of recommendation from a professor at OU who said she had never seen a student who pursued learning for the sake of learning the way that Bruce did, all while juggling family and career.

Bruce has a grown daughter and a stepson. His wife Korrie is a teacher in Athens County where they reside near Glouster.

“I have enjoyed my forty years in banking and finance. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many good people, interesting people, and to learn a lot from working for different people. Looking back, I have to wonder where the forty years went. Time goes so quickly as the days become weeks and the weeks become years.”

The bank will host a reception in Bruce’s honor at our Friendly Bremen Banking Center on West Fair Avenue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.