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The Question and Answer feature helps readers learn more about prominent people in the business community. This issue’s Q&A profiles Randy Fink, a vice president at Home Federal Bank and president of the Sioux Empire Housing Partnership.
The Fink File
Name: Randy Fink
Occupation: Vice president of Home Federal Bank
Hometown: Sibley, Iowa
Age: 53
Background: Graduated from Sibley High School and from Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa, with a bachelor’s degree in business and economics; worked in Sioux City before moving to Sioux Falls and joining Home Federal nearly 25 years ago; focuses on lending for builders and developers, also does single-family financing; serves as president of the Sioux Empire Housing Partnership
Family: Wife, Joan; three children: Eric, 23; Marta, 19; and
Jackson, 10
 Randy Fink will mark 25 years with Home Federal Bank in January. (Inertia/for the SFBJ)
A: “I like to go golfing, fishing. I like to spend time with my wife and three kids. I like to spend time outside biking or whatever.”
Q: How did you become interested in your field?
A: “I’ve been here so long, that’s a hard question to answer. I got a degree in business and economics, and I’ve always been interested in the business side. I originally lived in Sioux City, and then I moved to Sioux Falls and got into the lending field. I had some experience on the retail side, and then I had the opportunity to get into commercial lending and mortgages. I enjoy helping people with buying homes and stuff like that.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about work?
A: “Working with people, meeting people, getting out into the community and getting to know people. A big enjoyment is just the fact that when you close on a house deal, especially with first-time home buyers, you get to see how excited they are and you had a part in making that happen.”
Q: Why is Sioux Falls mostly insulated from the mortgage crisis?
A: “I’d probably call it more of an adjustment. We don’t have as many customers that would go through the subprime market. With our Midwest mentality and being more conservative, we pay our bills on time and have good credit, that type of thing. We’re just not affected that much. Lenders here are more responsible for helping people and not getting them into subprime markets and getting them into trouble. That says more for our business community again.”
Q: How do you find time to balance your work and your family?
A: “It just seems like you do. I think you need to know in advance what’s going on, what school activities and family activities, and schedule in work and family together. You need to know when you need to take time off. ... Some things you just can’t get to, and you have to hope your kids or employer will understand.”
Q: What’s your favorite getaway?
A: “Probably the Black Hills. Don’t do the tourist things, just have the cabin in the Hills, just listen to the wind in the trees, the hiking, the fishing, hardly anyone around, peaceful. It doesn’t have to be the Black Hills, just that type of setting where you’re not running around all the time and doing the sight-seeing.”
Q: What’s something about you people would be surprised to know?
A: “I’ve got my original car that I had when I was a kid. It’s a 1962 Chevy Impala. I enjoy riding around in that. I had it all restored.”
Q: Do you have a charity or organization that’s especially close to heart?
A: “In general, probably United Way because it helps a number of agencies. We do give funds to other places, but United Way spreads your money out at a lot of different places. A lot of it works with kids.”
Q: What kind of music is in your car or what do you listen to on the radio?
A: “My kids give me a hard time because I listen to the oldies from the ’60s and the ’70s on XM Radio. The radio stations won’t like me. With teenagers, you get used to listening to their music, too. Some of it’s not that bearable.”
Q: If you could have dinner with two or three people, alive or dead, who would you choose and why?
A: “Kevin Costner because one of my favorite movies is ‘Field of Dreams.’ I’ve always been inspired by Rod Carew of the Minnesota Twins, just basically for his hustle.”
Q: What are the best and worst things about living in Sioux Falls?
A: “The business climate. I’d have to say the people and how well the people in this community work together to make things happen, whether it’s Forward Sioux Falls or United Way. It’s everybody, the business people, they all play a part. Basically, it’s how we take care of each other whether it’s low income or whatever. The bad things about Sioux Falls – the first thing that comes to mind is our traffic. As we grow, which is good, we will expand the potential for more traffic, the potential for more crime. We just need to stay on top of those issues.”
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