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Dakota Midday: When Citibank Came to South Dakota

When Citibank moved its credit card operations to Sioux Falls in 1981, the company promised to bring some 400 jobs to the area. Today Citibank employs around 2,300 workers. 35 years ago, Sioux Falls’ population was around 80,000 with an economy built on agriculture and meat packing. Today the city’s population has more than doubled at nearly 170,000 and the economy has grown and diversified.

In 1980 Doug Hajek was managing Western Bank's mortgage operation and had a front-row seat to the events leading to Citibank's decision to move its credit card business to South Dakota. Today Hajek is a banking lawyer and partner at Davenport Evans in Sioux Falls. He says it's untrue that the state changed its usury laws to lure Citibank to South Dakota. Efforts to eliminate the state's usury limits were already in the works when the bank came calling.

Hajek presents the talk "When Citibank Came to South Dakota" this evening at 7 pm at Augustana College’s Gilbert Science Center. He joined Dakota Midday and discussed the unlikely series of events that brought the banking giant to Sioux Falls.

Karl was born to northeastern South Dakota crouton farmers, but was orphaned as a toddler during the Great Salad War (1966-67). Rescued by a flock of chickadees, he grew up in the woodlands of Sica Hollow. Legends of a bird boy living in the trees attracted the interest of renowned ornithologist and amateur bandoneon repairman Dr. Vogel Gehrke. With a handful of suet, Dr. Gehrke coaxed the timid boy down from the trees. He adopted him, named him Karl and taught him not to molt on the carpet. Dr. Gehrke’s book, The Bird Boy of Sica Hollow, was a best seller and Karl became a minor celebrity and teen idol. He appeared as a guest star on numerous television programs, most notably an awkward role on The Love Boat as the boyfriend of Captain Stubing’s daughter, Vicki. After critics panned his 1980 album, Bird Boy Does Disco, Karl retreated from public life and returned to Sica Hollow. Living in an isolated tree house, Karl achieved a reputation as a mystic. Pilgrims and seekers from around the world came to ask him about the meaning of life and for vinaigrette recipes. Growing tired of answering questions, he climbed down from his tree, shaved his massive white beard and took a job as the host of SDPB Radio’s Dakota Midday where he could ask the questions instead. After three years in that position, he ran out of questions and became host of Jazz Nightly instead. Karl makes his home in Vermillion with his charming wife Kari and three delightful children, Kodey, Kasey and Spatula. His hobbies include reciting the alphabet, combing his hair and doing volunteer work with delinquent songbirds.