Richard M. (Rick) Palank is President and CEO of the Business Finance Corporation of St. Louis County, which is an SBA 504 certified development company that serves the St. Louis region. Rick is also President and CEO of the St. Louis County Industrial Development Authority, the issuer of tax-exempt industrial development bonds for St. Louis County.

In 1994, Rick founded the Saint Louis Business Development Fund (SLBDF), the only for-profit multi-bank community development corporation that serves the entire St. Louis region.  Owned by 23 area banks and the three largest economic development agencies in the St. Louis region, SLBDF makes investments in growing companies without taking any ownership. Rick serves as the president and CEO of  SLBDF.
 
Rick is a founding member, past president, and Hall of Fame member of the National Association of Development Companies, which is the association for SBA 504 lenders. He is also the vice chair of the board of directors of the national Council of Development Finance Agencies, and is an active member of the National Association of Business Development Companies.

Rick's community service includes serving as board chair of the St. Louis Regional Chapter of the ALS Association. He also serves on the boards of the St. Louis Enterprise Centers and the Webster University International Business Internship Exchange.

Rick has an undergraduate degree in business administration and an MBA from St. Louis University.

Richard M. Palank
314-615-7667
rpalank@slcec.com