Age: 37
It’s not uncommon to find Karin Finley trudging through a field of prairie grass in hikers and a suit. The jaunts to the field come with her work. As the associate general manager for Qualico Communities, Finley leads a team of 14 who design and construct residential subdivisions. Finley manages the land purchase, then watches the initial community plan through to the municipal approving authority’s acceptance, ironing out any problems along the way. “Some days I wish I worked on an assembly line so I could predict what happens next,” Finley says of her work, which is often bogged down by logistical constraints that require her finesse.
Last year, two community developments under Finley’s managerial eye in northwest Calgary, the Pillars of Royal Oak and Evanston, were named the Best New Community and Best Show Home Parade at the Sales and Marketing Awards, an industry accolade recognizing excellence among Calgary’s homebuilders. Since 2000, Finley has also sat on various committees with the Urban Development Institute, working as a liaison between homebuilders and the City of Calgary on construction standards and specifications.
A dry sense of humour and an appreciation for sarcasm round out Finley’s ambitious attitude. “Some might even say I’m highly competitive,” she says matter-of-factly. That competitive streak extends to Finley’s TV viewing, watching golf and tennis. “I have an appreciation for wanting to win, particularly in individual sports,” she says. But Finley, always one to know what’s going on in the world of sports, also doesn’t mind catching the odd team game, provided it’s live. “If it gets you out in the bleachers eating peanuts, it is okay with me,” she says.
COMMUNITY WORK
Volunteer, Friendship Ministries
Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity
Board member, Calgary International Children’s Festival
PAST
Committee member, Urban Development Institute
Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity
Fundraiser, The Weekend to End Breast Cancer