Upon leaving Timaru Boys High in 1961, John Bruce joined Dalgety's in Ashburton and after 25 years of being transferred around New Zealand, he joined Williams & Kettle Ltd in Napier and then Hastings.In 1990, John's real estate career commenced, based in Hastings, selling rural properties.  More recently, he has been specialising in lifestyle, orchard and vineyard properties, and small farms.John and his wife, Barbara, have two children, Michael and Anna, who work in Auckland and Hastings respectively.