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TONY SOFIOVICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL BANKER Meet Tony Sofio, a Village Bank commercial banker, who considers himself the consummate people person. “I enjoy working with business owners and helping them succeed,” Tony says. Tony joined Village Bank at the beginning of 2023 as vice president, commercial banker. He’s a Michigan native who has lived in the north metro and worked in banking for more than two decades. He’s also the grandson of entrepreneurs. “Both my grandparents were business owners, so I understand the trials and tribulations that business owners go through,” he says. Reach out to Tony for all of your commercial lending or small business financing needs. Tony joined Village Bank because he appreciated its reputation in the community and admired the support it provides its clients. Village Bank chose Tony because he’s a banking expert, actively engaged in the business community, including the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. “My ear is tied into just about every industry out there,” he says. “This helps me be up-to-date with what is going on in each industry.” These days, with rates trending up, Tony advises his business clients to embrace patience, but not if it means passing on opportunity. “I have experience with SBA lending, which is helpful for growing companies,” Tony says. “Rates are always influx. We know if they go up, at some point they will go down. So do not let that slow you down if the right opportunity presents itself.” Acquisition lending or a start-up loan through Village Bank, for instance, might provide Tony’s clients with a means to grow or launch operations. Experience has taught Tony how to be a great advocate for business owners. “If a challenge is brought to me, I think about it and dissect it,” he explains. Taking time to examine all sides of a problem provides Tony an opportunity to weigh all options. That analytical side of Tony blends well with his outgoing nature. He attributes watching his father, a politician, with helping him learn successful interpersonal skills. “I grew up watching my dad shaking hands with people or knocking on doors to win votes. He was not afraid of doing those things in order to win. My job is really no different, meeting people and asking them for their business.” And for entrepreneurs, working with Tony is always win-win. When Tony is not supporting local businesses to achieve success, he volunteers as assistant coach for his son’s basketball team. He also enjoys golf, hunting, skiing, and reading biographies, where “there’s always a lesson to be learned,” he says.
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