2017: Vince Robinson

At first glance, alternative energy sources appear to be Vince Robinson's driving passion. After all, he has been involved in wind farms for nearly 25 years, and his solar energy activism is only gaining, well, power. Look closer, though, and these endeavors reveal themselves to actually be expressions of Robinson's real passion: Helping Lincoln County's communities, citizens and economy in southwestern Minnesota.."It's kind of a unique model for economic development," Robinson said of his overall strategies as the executive director of the Lincoln County Enterprise Development Corporation. "It's a grassroots development model, all about entrepreneurialism and helping people realize their own goals and aspirations for business development.".Robinson has served as executive director since 1990 with a one-year hiatus in 1999. For the last 21 years, he has also sat on the First Security Bank board of directors in Hendricks, Minn. The two positions fit hand-in-hand. Robinson learns what the bank hopes for from his clients in terms of loan preparation and presentation. The bank, meanwhile, always has an idea of what is happening next in the area.."Vince travels all around our county and our trade area with his ear to the ground all the time," bank President Matt Amundson said. "He keeps us very well in the loop for what he sees going on.".As the only economic development specialist in a county of fewer than 6,000 people with no community larger than 1,200, Robinson and his firm, Development Services, Inc., fit a very particular role. How does one best help small communities? How can one help with development projects?.The obvious answers include help with grant writing and administration, advocate for housing and commercial building rehab projects, and engage in housing development. The longer view, however, presented a new economic opportunity as the country emerged from the financial and oil crisis of the 1980s, right when Robinson graduated from school with a master's degree in production management and finance.."My interest in [renewable energy] started with seeing some of the activity associated with the wind power push back in the early 1990s," he said. "It has just somewhat evolved from that into how can I create businesses to do that?".Those businesses include a 30-megawatt wind farm partly owned by 150 locals. After its initial success, Robinson put together another investment group of 15 individuals to buy out an existing wind farm of about 11 megawatts.."We're doing similar things with solar, where we're putting together local investment opportunities for people," he said..Finding economic ventures to spur along the county is exactly what originally brought Robinson to Amundson's attention, eventually leading to the invitation to join his board of directors. Over and over again, Amundson heard Robinson's name. Soon thereafter, he repeatedly worked with him when certain loans first got off the ground.."I got to work hand-in-hand with some of his clients," Amundson said. "I got to work with him through our economic development authorities. Because he was a pro-business advocate, small-business advocate, it fit us perfectly.".That pro-business attitude has turned into a pro-bank attitude, fortunately for Amundson and First Security Bank.."He doesn't push product on us, but he makes sure we are in the loop and have access to look at a deal or visit with a client," Amundson said. "He asks the client to at least give us a shot. While he has to be cautious about pushing a client in any one direction, he keeps us abreast of the industries he is working in, whether it is solar or wind or micro-enterprise.."We get to join in on a lot of different relationships because of him. Even when at times it could be easier for him to have relationships at other banks, he has always been a promoter of our bank and feels strongly that way.".To hear Robinson tell it, he is only providing the natural bridge between a community bank and a local economy.."Banks are the lifeline to economic development in our small communities," Robinson said. "Anything I can do to understand what [my clients] need to present to [the bank] to provide each other with a better opportunity to serve the community, it's just a good relationship."