Steve
Van Drunen '86
Banking On God's Providence
Steve Van Drunen '86 is no
stranger to the high risk world of finance. After 15 years in the banking
industry, he felt prepared to take a major step of faith in his professional
career.
In September 2003, Van Drunen
teamed with five associates in an endeavor to start Providence Bank (In
Organization) in South Holland, Illinois. When his former employer, South
Holland Trust & Savings Bank, was sold, that opened the door for him
to branch out.
"Separating from an established
entity and the security it provides to step into a venture with this degree
of uncertainty requires trust in God," said Van Drunen, who served as South
Holland Bank's senior vice president of commercial banking. "We have to
believe that He is overlooking this process throughout its duration.
"This is something I've thought
about, but I had to gain the experience and develop a network of contacts.
There are different components to starting a bank: the funding, the business
aspect, establishing a presence in the market, getting people to trust
you and invest their money with you. All those pieces have to come together."
American National Bank &
Trust Co. of Chicago gave Van Drunen his first job in 1986 after he graduated
from Trinity with a degree in business administration. A few years later,
he went to Pinnacle Bank in northwest Indiana before joining South Holland
Trust & Savings.
Providence Bank is expected
to open sometime in June 2004. Van Drunen's group took another step of
faith by deciding to donate 10 percent of the bank's profits to various
Christian and non-profit organizations in its community. As he explains,
that decision stems from an obligation to be good stewards and rely on
the Lord's provision.
"People may be surprised
at the amount that we've chosen to give, but we feel it's what we should
do. It follows the tithing principle, and by giving that portion to God,
it can make a dramatic impact on the organizations that receive it."
Van Drunen lives in Cedar
Lake, Indiana, with his wife, Mary, and their four children. He believes
that the same faith values that govern his personal life should be apparent
in his professional life.
"Faith should be fundamental
in everything we do," he said. "It should manifest itself in our work,
at home with our families, and when we worship at church. It ought to be
evident in every phase of our lives."
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