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Mark Bean ’04, vice president, compliance and operational risk manager at Merrill, was honored with Bank of America’s prestigious 2023 Global Volunteer Award. Out of more than 200,000 employees worldwide, Bean was one of only 80 recipients to be recognized.

The award acknowledges the exceptional volunteer contributions of Bank of America employees who are serving their communities. Honorees receive a $1,000 grant to be directed toward the nonprofit of their choosing. Bean’s selection was the Wild Bird Research Group, an organization dedicated to conserving avian populations and their habitats through bird banding. 

“I feel deeply honored to receive this award and to work for a company that supports our volunteering efforts in such a meaningful way,” he says. 

Bean, who earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from ������ý����, dedicates more than 140 hours annually to environmental initiatives in and around his hometown of Hopewell Township, New Jersey. 

His appreciation for the natural world began in 2016 when he and his family chose to convert their property’s stormwater collection basin into a wildflower meadow. Eager to learn more about the biodiversity that was emerging in his own backyard, Bean reached out to local environmental organizations for guidance. 

“I went from identifying things as just a tree, flower, bird or bug, to actually knowing what type of plant, animal and insect I was seeing,” he says. “But even more significantly, I learned why they’re important.”

Today, Bean serves on the board of trustees for several of the organizations that provided support during his early exploration and learning phase, such as Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and the Wild Bird Research Group, among others. 

"These organizations gave me a gift, and I want to pay it forward by expanding their reach any way I can," he says.

Reluctant to take all the credit, Bean emphasizes the crucial role his wife, Samantha Bean, and their daughter play in his advocacy efforts. Together, the family assists with several hands-on initiatives throughout the year, from monitoring kestrel nest boxes to participating in nestling bandings. Samantha Bean chronicles the family’s adventures on her blog, flutterbymeadows.com. 

“You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference,” he says. “Just get out in your communities and try to fill the needs you see.”