Or, a phrase I like: "If you're as good as you claim, why do I (of all people) know about you?"

He's a pen tester. It's free advertising.

Indeed... I've came across a few hackers in my life and not a single one of them wanted to be known / seem as one.

There's also the factor of the word "hacker" having multiple meanings, with the most currently common meaning being equivalent to "people who break into computer systems/networks" (thanks a bunch Hollywood /s), where originally the same word "hacker" meant "person who comes up with creative solutions to technical problems" (among the community of actual original hackers). Both meanings are still in widespread use today but most "normal" people instantly jump to the criminal meaning in their brains thanks to popular media (Hollywood) helping the "black hat" hackers steal the label for themselves.

You know that most hacks don't involve physical access to the target device/infrastructure, right?