DBU Alumnus Serves Those in Times of Grief

Mark David prays every day that he can be a light in his corporate settings, demonstrating excellence in service to others to the glory of God and by extending a friendly smile and words of encouragement to people of different backgrounds who are experiencing the painful loss of a family member.

Mark currently serves in Estate Servicing Operations (ESO) at Bank of America. His role is to ensure the end-to-end deceased customer experience is coordinated from notification to the final disbursement and/or closure of the account. "Working with survivors requires a special touch of empathy and sympathy to ensure all transactions are handled as efficiently as possible. Working with families and customers when they have experienced the loss of a loved one crosses multiple lines of business in the bank and the customer to ensure they are protected."

A native of Austin, Texas, Mark received his associate degree in Arts and Sciences from El Centro College in 1983. Later in 2006, at the age of 46, Mark says his life hit rock bottom. Driving up to Dallas Baptist University one hot August afternoon to the sound of the Mahler Student Center bell tower playing "Blessed Assurance Jesus Is Mine," the Lord reminded Mark that he was still His child and that He was still calling Mark to follow Him.

Returning to DBU the following week, he met (retired) staff member Dennis Linam and inquired about how he could enroll at the University. "He asked me one question: 'Have you ever accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?' My reply was, yes, I have, and his reply was 'follow me.'"

Mark went on to complete his bachelor's degree at DBU in 2008 in Business Studies while working full-time for the Mansfield Independent School District. Two years later, he finished his MBA in Management with certifications in Mediation and Arbitration before becoming employed at Bank of America. Every year since 2015, he has received Global Recognition at Bank of America for providing excellent customer service, and in 2016 Mark also received an award from the city of Duncanville for outstanding community service.

Mark is married to wife Dee David, who is currently working on her own master's degree at DBU in Christian Ministries. They have six children and seven grandchildren, and they attend Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, where they serve as facilitators in the Grief Share Ministry, helping those who have lost a loved one by creating an atmosphere of warmth, caring, and trust that is biblically focused and Christ-centered.

"What my education at DBU has done for me is more than the workplace," says Mark. With opportunities to travel to Cuba and India for mission work as a student, DBU provided him with Christ-centered compassion for those in need that prepared him for the challenging role of working with families who are settling the financial estates of their lost loved ones. "The greatest tool that I received from DBU was servant leadership, to serve as a witness to His calling in my life and by being ready at all times to share the gospel of salvation to the entire world."