The 40-Year Run
By Jesse N. Love with Bruce Galvin
The road for Bruce Galvin, assistant treasurer, has been a long one. Galvin has served at the Treasurer’s office here at The PNW Conference for about 40 years. In those four decades, he has seen much change – in staff, in technology, and certainly in his personal life. But, as a long-distance runner, Bruce knows that on the road to point A to point B, the destination is filled with twists, turns, bumps, and maybe even paths backtracking a step or two.
In 1976, Bruce started out as the youngest of the treasurer’s office team. He received a recommendation from Bruce Parker, his pastor at Centralia UMC at the time. He fine-tuned his work under Bob Stevens, striving for accuracy in numbers and mind you, this was a manual process…by hand. Over time, Galvin wrote much of the computer software for many of the functions at the Conference. Aside from number-crunching, occasionally, he found himself driving a rental truck full of tables and even old school printing equipment back-and-forth to Annual Conference. “I quickly learned how to use a clutch or I would still be sitting in that truck,” he shares.
Fast forward to 2000, Bruce worked with the Rev. Dr. Craig Parrish who would serve as Conference treasurer until 2014. It was a time Galvin really enjoyed, even as the Office transitioned under its new treasurer, Brant Henshaw. Bruce began focusing on being a Certified Financial Planner, forming his own business, Revelation Financial Planning. “Over these many years I have helped about 100 clergy families with their many money needs,” shares Galvin. “Hopefully I have been able to steer many in the right direction as they move towards retirement. No other conference provides such a service.”
Over the last 40 years, Galvin has served so many as an assistant treasurer and pension and benefits officer for The PNW Conference, for Wespath (formally known as The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits), and through his business, Revelation Financial Planning. “It is very rewarding to have so many life long friends. I really enjoy what I do and who knows how long I will keep working – with God and the conference willing.”
For Bruce, the ride continues.
Bruce Galvin resides in Seattle with his wife, Robin. In-between serving as assistant treasurer, he continues running marathons and enjoys music by legends, The Who.
