Portland State Magazine Winter 2011

1'111 FINI< BROTHERS GIVE BACI< IN THE EARLY 1970s, a tiny studio apartment in the Blackstone was home to Tom Fink '71 (above right) and his brother, Dick '73. Ac cimes chey even squeezed in another roommate to save money. Boch agree thac che cighc living conditions were worth it: They earned bachelor's degrees and sec a solid founda– tion for their future successes. Now Tom and Dick have created planned gifts char name PSU as a ben– eficiary of cheir life insurance policies– contribucions thac will evencually fund studenc scholarships. Hard work, and in Dick's case, additional money from an athletic schol– arship, paid for their education. "When we were in school, a studenc cou Id earn enough money in the summer to pay for a year of college," says Tom. "I don't think chat is possible today." Growing up in T illamook, che Fink brothers took on jobs thac city dwellers can't even imagine. They both milked cows and pulled green chain, and Dick plucked oysters in Tillamook Bay and was a paid bouncy huncer for moles, the field-digging rodenc kind. They also saved money by spending their first cwo years at community col– leges: Tom ac Clark College in Vancou– ver, Washington, and Dick at Treasure Valley in Oncario. After graduating from Porcland State with a degree in economics, Tom received a fellowship to work in Tur– key. Each day he commuted across the Bosporus Strait from European Turkey to Asian Turkey. When rhe fellowship ended, his travels continued to western and eastern Europe, and in 1972 to eastern and southern Africa. While in Tanzania, he climbed Mounc Kiliman– jaro. He later sold Parker pens in South Africa to help make ends meet. Dick's degree from PSU was in health and physical education. He went on to join the Air Force and serve ac che Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. He chen returned to Porcland where he worked for Esco and earned an MBA from University of Portland. In 1990, after almost a decade of working at WNI Trucking Company in Wilsonville, Dick and two parmers started General Transportation Services, Inc., where he now is secretary-treasurer. Tom also returned to Portland and is now president of Magnacorp Insurance. The Fink brothers also give their time to Porcland Seate. Both are frequem volunteers on University boards and commitcees. "When chinking about giving to PSU," says Tom, "people should first consider che cost of not investing in an educational institution that is making such a difference in Porcland and in Oregon." For more information on supporting students and programs at Portland State Un1vers1ty through your estate plan, visit pdx.edu! giving or contact Mary Anne Rees, Director of Gift Planning, at 503-725-5086 or mrees@pdx.edu.