This interview turned out to be a reunion of sorts. Tricia Foxwell was not only a former student of mine but also one of my daughter’s dearest friends from East Elementary School, through junior high and high school.
I enjoyed hearing Tricia reminisce about the classes and teachers she most admired. Band played a major role in her high school experiences, and two band teachers were responsible for her for her love of instrumental music—James Borgaro and Miles Mortenson. Both educators encouraged her to continually improve as an alto saxophonist, and she took their words to heart. Proof of that was when Tricia won the John Phillip Sousa Award her senior year and earned the position of first chair. At one point Tricia considered becoming a band teacher.
Tricia also remembers “hanging out with band and theater kids” in plays and musicals, especially “South Pacific,” and “Grease.” Artist-in-Residence Stuart Stolz also worked with the drama students on his play “The Place We Call Home” (about the founding of Menomonie).
I asked Tricia if she had any jobs while in school. She worked every Saturday for Mike Phillips at WMNE-AM radio on his “Action Auction” program. If any of you readers are long-time Menomonie residents, you might be familiar with that popular program. Her jobs were to announce items that were sold out and to banter with the on-air personalities. Tricia also worked for several years at the Wilson Place Museum where much-respected educator Ellwyn Hendrickson trained her as a tour guide.
Growing up, Tricia often helped her father Allan (who now resides in Amery) work on cars during the summer. Here is where she gained comfort in technical settings. This became a foundation for her technology career after college. Tricia continues to be knowledgeable about cars and has added home improvements/repairs to her list of skills.
After graduation Tricia realized that she wanted to stay close to home so enrolled at UW-Stout. Her parents urged her to consider technology where there were an ever-growing number of jobs where she could contribute in female technical environments. And that’s exactly what she did! Tricia graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Telecommunications.
Her first job in that field was at Fortis IT, working on Systems Development. In 2000, Tricia worked on the Y2K project. Since 2003, she has been an IT auditor, focused on cybersecurity and technology risk.
Tricia has stayed in that field as it developed and grew. She is now an IT Audit Manager at Securian Financial in St. Paul, working in IT Technology Risks. To this day, Tricia credits MHS for giving her the creative thinking skills she uses on a daily basis.
Tricia has two boys that she is immensely proud of: Evan, a 20-year-old Junior at UW-Stout and William, 17, a senior at Hudson High School. Both boys are in track events; Evan is a Sprinter and William is a pole vaulter. Tricia lives in Hudson, a community she describes as a “quiet place to relax.”
As always, my final question was “What do you feel are some of the qualities that made growing up in Menomonie special to you?” Tricia replied that it was “a close-knit community of down-to-earth people.” She especially likes the fact that Menomonie’s citizens are not boastful, but rather live modestly at a relaxed pace. Tricia noted that she still appreciates living a calm, quiet, peaceful life. She also remembers the city as a community with a love for the arts, something that was fostered in her time there. Her mother Sue continues to live in Menomonie, and Tricia attends the First Congregational United Church of Christ here, maintaining her strong roots to our city.
Tricia Foxwell—another fine representative of the city of Menomonie—enjoys maintaining close ties to her hometown community.
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]
