April 11, 2019. Our meeting featured a classification talk by Mark Haldaman, an Easton Rotarian for almost a year. Mark’s roots are right here in the Valley as his father is from Bethlehem and his mother from Easton. The family settled on a 16-acre farm in Point Phillips, Pennsylvania. This rural upbringing led to a childhood filled with hiking and camping.
His college education was interrupted by marriage and parenthood but the break did have a positive effect on his grades. He wound up taking an entry-level job in banking but did not expect it to be a career. The bank employment paid off as his employer paid for the cost to earn an Associates Degree from Northampton Community College. He advanced into the world of commercial loans where he became well-versed in a lot of boring, yet useful, legalese. Employer financing again played a hand as he finished his 12-year college plan with a degree from DeSales University. A couple of short-term stints led to his current position at Embassy Bank where he continues with commercial loans which he describes as the “Wild West” of the loan business.
Mark is married with two children and the family lives in Northampton. He has been active as a Scout Leader and with the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. He enjoys backpacking, target shooting, and whiskey. He is also a home brewer specializing in Belgian and British beers.