At age 18, Bruun emigrated from Denmark to Grayling (Mich.). He became a minor stockholder in Salling, Hanson & Co., and later Secretary of the company. In 1931 or 1932 he was appointed trustee of the company, to oversee the liquidation of its assets. Bruun pushed to establish the Grayling State Savings Bank (GSSB) in 1931, after the Bank of Graylng failed. Esbern Hanson was the first president of GSSB, while Bruun served as vice-president. When Bruun became president of GSSB, he founded the Grayling Insurance Co., because he noted that many of his customers had a difficult time finding insurance. Bruun was the secretary of the Grayling Development Co. (GDC) and a stockholder of the North Mich. Land & Oil Corp. in Grayling. The goal of the GDC was to prmote good uses for cut-over lands of the Salling, Hanson & Co. properties. Exploring for minerals and oils also occurred. The GDC had a lease at one point with the State of Michigan for full mineral rights on all state-owned lands in Mich. due to the efforts of Bruun. In 1928, Bruun saw oil exploration equipment being tested and was fascinated. Bruun was also responsible for Fred Bear establishing his archery company in Grayling. He showed Bear the property the company would eventually be built upon, and sold it to him. Bruun died in 1966. (Information from the First hundrred years : an introduction to the history of the Gryaling area, pp. 117-120.).
From the description of Grayling Development Company records, 1927-1960. (Clarke Historical Library). WorldCat record id: 46654671
