Scott Bruin ’75, believes philanthropy is important.

“At any level, it makes a big difference,” says Bruin, who begins his term as Stetson’s new Alumni Association president on July 1. “People can connect by participating at local and on-campus events. They can make financial contributions when and as they are able. There are lots of different ways to be active and engaged at Stetson University, and all are vital!”

Bruin, the executive managing partner of CapTrust Financial Advisors, currently lives in St. Petersburg. Yet he happily returned to campus for the Hatters’ first football game of the year as well as Homecoming.

“When alumni come back for campus events, they see this is not the same place that many of us experienced,” Bruin says. “There’s been a transformation since President Wendy B. Libby (Ph.D.) arrived at our university. Whether it is the Hand Art Center, the new sports facilities and fieldhouses, the campus landscaping and Stetson Green, the transformation of the library into a state-of-the-art learning center or simply having dorms that are pet-friendly, Stetson is on the move.”

Bruin and outgoing Alumni Association President Kathy Graf have been friends since their undergraduate days at Stetson. “Kathy actually suggested that I get involved with the board,” he recalls. “I have a huge amount of respect for her because she led the board through a transition period and built a solid foundation for the future.”

One of Bruin’s personal goals is to improve the flow of information that goes out to alumni. “I remember getting a flier in 1998 that featured a picture of Gary Meadows (then director of Alumni Affairs) with his pants rolled up, standing in Holler Fountain,” Bruin says. “I saw a sense of humor that I didn’t perceive was there the last few times I‘d engaged with the university. The university foundation is the same, the sense of humor continues to expand, but the focus and attitudes are all about excellence in everything we do.”

He believes it is “critical” for alumni to give back to Stetson and gratefully acknowledges the role his Stetson education and experience played in his professional career. “I grew up in a small town in Florida. There wasn’t much there,” Bruin says. “Stetson was the launching pad for me to have a life and career that I never would have had by attending another university. Stetson turned out to be a great fit for me. You’re looking at a man who has spent 30+ years in business and who never took a business class. A liberal arts education helped me to succeed in life.”

And Bruin shares that success with others: He proudly points to five Stetson graduates working for his company.

“I’ve been accused of ‘Stetson-izing’ the firm,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s absolutely true.”

by Renee Garrison

This story is included in the Stetson University Magazine, Summer 2014 issue, due out the first week of June.