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Veterans United COO Kelley Frink Earns HousingWire Women of Influence Award

July 1, 2026

COLUMBIA, Mo.,- Veterans United Home Loans is proud to celebrate Kelley Frink, the company's newly elevated Chief Operations Officer, as a recipient of HousingWire's 2026 Women of Influence award. Now in its 17th year, the prestigious honor recognizes 100 women whose leadership is shaping the future of the housing industry.

The recognition comes just days after Veterans United announced Frink's newly expanded role that will extend her oversight across the company's full business operations, including operations, finance and strategic planning.

"Kelley's recognition by HousingWire is well-deserved, and it comes at a fitting moment," said Amanda Andrade, Chief People Officer at Veterans United Home Loans. "She has been an integral part of building Veterans United into the nation's No. 1 VA purchase lender, and we couldn't be more excited about what she's going to bring to the role. This honor reflects not just Kelley's individual accomplishments, but the kind of leadership that defines our culture here at Veterans United."

Frink, who joined Veterans United in 2013 and has served in senior leadership for more than a decade, is one of the company's longest-tenured executives. As CFO, she helped guide the company through remarkable results in 2025, overseeing a year in which Veterans United financed more than $26 billion in home loans.

"Being recognized alongside so many remarkable women in housing is humbling," said Frink about her honor. "I'm proud of what our team has built here at Veterans United, and I'm energized by the opportunity ahead in this new role. Our mission - making sure Veterans and military families have access to the home loan benefits they've earned - is what drives everything we do, and I'm committed to serving that mission in an even bigger way," she said.

About Veterans United Home Loans
Veterans United Home Loans, a full-service national direct lender based in Columbia, Missouri, closed more than $26 billion in loans in fiscal 2025 and was the nation's No. 1 VA purchase lender, according to Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The company's mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service.

VeteransUnited.com | 1-800-884-5560 | 550 Veterans United Drive, Columbia, MO 65201 | Veterans United Home Loans NMLS # 1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Private lender. Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Licensed in all 50 states. Military advisors are paid employees of Veterans United. For State Licensing information, please visit www.veteransunited.com/licenses. Equal Housing Opportunity.

About HousingWire's Women of Influence Award

Now in its 17th year, HousingWire's Women of Influence award recognizes 100 women whose leadership is shaping the future of housing. Honorees are selected based on professional accomplishments, industry leadership, community involvement and overall influence. To learn more, visit www.housingwire.com.


Veterans United Facts

  • $26.8 billion
    in loans financed in 2025
  • Defense Employer Support Freedom Award Recipient
    by the Secretary of Defense
  • More than 5,000 employees
    with 24 branches nationwide
  • More than $155 million
    raised for nonprofit charitable arm, Veterans United Foundation since 2011
  • Ranked in Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For
    every year since 2016, with a high of 14th (2022)

Featured In

  • Chicago Tribune
  • Los Angeles Times
  • Yahoo! Finance
  • US News & World Report
  • CNN Money
  • INC 500

Meet The Expert

Chris Birk, Vice President of Mortgage Insight at Veterans United Chris Birk
Author, The Book on VA Loans

Chris is the nation’s leading expert on VA Loan benefits. He authored The Book on VA Loans in 2011, and maintains the VA Loans Insider blog. His analysis and articles have appeared at a host of sites and publications, including the Washington Post, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, ABC News, USA Today, the Houston Chronicle and more. Members of the media may request a free copy of The Book on VA Loans to learn more about the VA loan program.

See Chris' Bio »