March 7, 2023

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Mandy Frey, talent manager for the city of Sioux Falls.

Name: Mandy Frey

Age: 36

Hometown: Sioux Falls

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I was born and raised in Sioux Falls. After graduating college, I knew I wanted to establish my career here.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

After graduating from Roosevelt High School, I went to college at the University of Iowa – Go Hawks! Typical high school graduate who wanted to go explore but quickly realized that the grass is not always greener. That was short-lived as I realized how much I loved Sioux Falls and wanted to be close to friends and family.

Seeing Sioux Falls grow throughout the years has been astonishing. Where my home in Sioux Falls is now was a field when I was growing up. I went from a teenager “cruising the loop” downtown to now a business professional working downtown in City Hall.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

It’s a privilege to work and serve my community. In human resources, I work with all departments on their hiring needs. There’s a role for every interest, from public safety to health, to culture and recreation, to technology and internal operations. It’s rewarding to work alongside each department to ensure we have found quality candidates to work as police officers, firefighters, librarians, street and traffic technicians, and many others – all for the sake of making our community great.

How did you get connected to your industry?

After graduating college from the University of Sioux Falls, I decided to begin my career in higher education. I spent 15 years working in higher education between the University of Sioux Falls and Southeast Technical College. These experiences solidified my interest in workforce development for the Sioux Falls community.

In December 2022, I took a leap and changed my career from education to local government. As the new talent manager for the city of Sioux Falls, I’m excited to use my background in higher education and workforce development to showcase the city of Sioux Falls as an employer of choice in our community.

Describe your workplace in three words.

Rewarding. Collaborative. Innovative.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

I like change! My friends and family may be the most surprised as they know I like structure, but I thrive on constantly reviewing and evolving practices to ensure we are putting our best foot forward.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

Supporting our local businesses and community events.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

Ikea.

If you had $1 million to start a business, what kind of business would it be?

 I would purchase a property on Lake Okoboji and rent out via Airbnb or Vrbo.