Dear Readers,
I enjoy writing these stories as much as I hope you enjoy reading them. Whether I’m writing about former students or Menomonie grads I knew nothing about before, I find the variety of life experiences that all began in Menomonie to be fascinating. This week’s story is from my former student Jay Fahl.
My first question to Jay was regarding his strongest memories and highlights of time at MHS. He replied that what stood out most were “all the memories made, relationships established, and accomplishments achieved from participating in football, tennis, choirs, and musicals.” I asked him to elaborate.
Jay started with his sports experiences in football and tennis. He fondly recalls the time he spent with teammates playing football games under the “Friday night lights” and the spring weekends traveling to and playing in tennis tournaments. Jay’s other passion in high school was music. He especially enjoyed the late nights spent rehearsing musicals with the rest of the cast. “I credit these experiences with cultivating my continued preference for working closely with a small, trusted circle of people to achieve meaningful goals.”
When Jay reminisced about his academic experiences, he credited Craig Olson’s Economics class for inspiring his educational and career path, Craig Aamot’s choir instruction and direction for fueling a lifelong pursuit of music-making, and my class for our activities and group projects that Jay described as “challenging and fun.”
After high school, Jay attended UW-River Falls, graduating in 2006 with degrees in Economics and Political Science. Since then, he has spent all nineteen years of his career in finance—16 with U.S. Bank and currently serving as its VP Portfolio Credit Risk Manager out of the Minneapolis headquarters.
In addition, Jay is a certified group exercise instructor and has taught classes for eight years.
Jay and wife Lindsay are avid world travelers who love to explore new places. When Jay wrote that they had visited 26 countries, I asked him to name some of his favorites – New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Norway and Sweden. World travelers for sure!
Jay is also co-founder and President of a 45-man a cappella chorus – The Journeyman Chorus – that draws members from and performs across the Upper Midwest. The group is in its sixth season. I asked if he might be bringing his group to the Mabel Tainter in the future? He replied that while there’s no plan in the works for Menomonie, the group is planning a future performance at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls. Last fall they performed at a Collegiate Festival in Eau Claire and they will be doing a concert in Burnsville, MN, during the first weekend in May.
Currently Jay, Lindsay, and five-year-old daughter Finna live just west of River Falls. They are active in their church in Woodbury where he has led a small group Bible study for several years. Jay’s other interests include weightlifting, golfing, ice fishing, supporting his daughter’s activities, and taking advantage of any excuse for firing up the smoker and cooking outside.
Jay added that he and his family have stayed very close friends with MHS classmates Bethany (Selvig) and Josh Risler. The two families enjoy spending time together and travel together along with the Rislers’ two teen-aged sons.
Thank you, Jay, for sharing your story with us this week. We love to know what “our kids” are doing with their lives!
Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her or to request an interview she may be contacted at [email protected]
