Friends of Traditional Banking's leadership teams are honoring eight outgoing Members of Congress with the first ever "Friends of Traditional Banking Award." In a July 9 virtual event, FOTB leaders will thank the following for their exceptional service to the American economy, capitalism, free markets, and strong financial institutions:

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND)

Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN)

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV)

Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-NC)

Scott Bruun has succeeded retiring Oregon Bankers Association president and CEO, Linda Navarro. He is committed to continuing OBA's strong support of Friends of Traditional Banking and serve on the Advisory Council with other association leaders from around the country.

He brings a wealth of experience to his new role with OBA and FOTB with a distinguished career spanning government affairs, public relations, commercial banking, finance, and three terms as an Oregon legislator. Bruun most recently served as head of government affairs at Oregon Business & Industry, Oregon’s statewide chamber and business association.

Jeffrey L. De Bruin, Chief Credit and Risk Officer for Municipal Trust and Savings Bank of Bourbonnais, IL since 2011, has accepted an invitation to join Friends of Traditional Banking's Nationwide Banker Board. A Illinois native with substantial experience in commercial lending and credit risk management. 

De Bruin has been a member of the Illinois Bankers Association Government Relations Committee for over 15+ years and the Illinois Bankers PAC committee for about 2 years. Currently he serves as Chicago Area Chapter President for the Illinois Bankers Association. 

Currently he serves as Chicago Area Chapter President for the Illinois Bankers Association. In the past he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee for School District 153 for 14 years. He has earned a economics degree from Northwestern College, Orange City, IA and graduated from Graduate School of Banking at University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Copper France, president and CEO of Bank of Commerce in Rawlins, has accepted an appointment to FOTB's Banker Board. He is a fourth-generation banker and has been involved in the banking industry since 2000. Aside from his President & CEO duties, he serves as the Information Technology Officer of Bank of Commerce and is heavily involved his bank’s IT Steering Committee.

Copper has served on the Federal Reserve Bank’s Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, and served on the Wyoming State Banking Board from 2015-2021 which involved approving numerous charters for Special Purpose Depository Institutions (primarily digital asset custody institutions) and various Trust Companies. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Director’s for Banker’s Bank of the West in Denver, Colorado, and serves as Director Emeritus.

Copper holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Engineering and Structural Design, and is a 2004 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking Colorado.

In a couple words, the scene might best be captured by major "D I S R U P T I O N" answered by long-term "R E S I L I E N C Y." Author John Steel Gordon, An Empire of Wealth, The Great Game, and Hamilton's Blessing, states there were 29,798 banks in operation in 1921. From 1921 until 1933 the industry was in free-fall due to the Great Depression, but that began to turn around on March 9, 1933 when Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Emergency Banking Relief Act (EBRA). On Sunday, March 12th he delivered his first fireside chat and the EBRA kicked in on Monday, March 13th. Crisis had been averted, confidence in the banking system began to return.

In the last 90 years the industry has endured many global economic cycles accompanied by wide interest rate swings and a plethora of regulation, while largely managing a shift from a primarily physical business model to a hybrid of physical and digital. Yes, the industry looks very different today, but unlike other countries around the globe, there were still 4,587 banks and thrifts across the US at the end of 2023.