Bruce Morain NORMANITE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Pictured above: Bruce, Kristi, Caleb, Hailey, Jake, Allie, Taylor, Alex and their three grandsons

Bruce Morain NORMANITE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

For the Morains, entrepreneurship seems to be a family trait.

For more than seven decades, various businesses and enterprises around Norman have been passed down from father to son along with the values, integrity and work ethics that make for successful lives.

The tradition all started with Gordon Morain, the grandfather, who worked as a repairman for Griffin Theatres. His job was to maintain the projectors at various locations around Norman, including the ones operating on Norman’s two U.S. Navy bases.

When he wasn’t on that job, Gordon Morain was sowing the seeds of entrepreneurship that has carried on through four generations. He used his free time to walk up and down Main Street with his toolbox, repairing toasters, lights and whatever else businesses and residents needed him to fix.

By 1945, Gordon Morain had started his own heating and air conditioning business called “Gordon’s Specialty.” He later merged the company with another family business and changed the name to “Gordon’s Service Experts.”

Years went by, and Morain’s son, Allen, began working with his Dad, and he eventually took over day-to-day operations when he was 28 years old. Over time, Allen Morain raised his son, Bruce, in much the same way, involving him in the family business at a young age and eventually passing the air conditioning business along.

Bruce Morain remembers spending every summer working with his dad from the time he was 10 years old, so following in his dad’s footsteps was a natural progression he had always planned on while growing up.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for my dad. He’s my best friend,” Morain said. “I got to work around him and in the field, and I got to see how he managed people and dealt with people. There was just never a doubt that that’s what I wanted to do.”

Eventually, Bruce Morain decided to transition out of air conditioning to a new type enterprise that allowed more room to grow, so he partnered with Jerry Brand, who was a past business associate. He and Brand complemented each other in their roles, and they connected because of their shared values.

Since 1997, Morain and Brand have been operating INOK Investments, a commercial real estate firm with operations in Oklahoma and Indiana. Morain went from 160 employees in his past business to a staff of seven located in both states.

The Morain tradition of family business is continuing through his oldest son, Caleb, who works for INOK and takes care of property management responsibilities. Brand’s two sons also work for the company.

“I loved every moment of every day, working with my father, and I hope my son feels the same,” Morain said. “I sure enjoy having him in the company and it really is a blessing.”

Morain and his wife of 31 years, Kristi, have four children – Caleb, Hailey, Jake and Allie – and three grandsons.

Bruce and Kristi met at Whittier Middle School after Kristi moved to Norman as a seventh grader, and both attended the University of Oklahoma together.

Morain has three sisters and Kristi has three brothers, and they enjoy large family gatherings together in Norman.

“Our kids have 32 first cousins,” he said. “We have family night at our house every week,” Morain said. “Fortunately, my mother and dad are still alive, so they get to join us on family nights and see their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

In addition to spending time with his family, Morain enjoys the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. His family also raises cattle.

Being involved in the community has been another priority for Morain. He has been on the Norman Chamber of Commerce board multiple times and is also involved with organizations such as the American Red Cross, United Way and Juvenile Services.

Attending church is also important for the Morain family, which is part of Summit Church. The Church held services in the Morain’s barn for five weeks before moving to its location in Newcastle. Now, the church has two locations, one in Norman and one in Oklahoma City.

Morain said he loves Norman, and he’ll be here for the rest of his life, following the footsteps of his grandfather, who planted deep roots along Main Street more than seven decades ago. – BSM