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Thomas J. Strigel

952-361-6220

8975 Wedgemere Drive

1) When did you move to Victoria and why did you choose Victoria instead of a neighboring community? “My family moved to Victoria in December of 2004 from the neighboring city of Chaska. When we outgrew our previous home, initially, we explored Victoria at recommendation of friends who had lived in Victoria for a number of years and raised their family here. We were immediately attracted by the friendly small town atmosphere and beautiful surroundings.”

2) Where were you born and where else have you lived? “I was born in Akron, Ohio, and in my early childhood our family also lived in Wisconsin before moving to the Twin Cities. We lived in Minneapolis, Deephaven, and Eden Prairie.

“As an adult I lived in Minneapolis while attending the University of Minnesota and then relocated back to Eden Prairie upon graduation. A corporate relocation took me to the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama, for 3 1/2 years before being relocated back to the area and settling in Chaska.”

3) Tell us about your family. “My wife Susan and I have been married for nearly 17 years and we have three daughters: Meredith (11), Paige (12), and Lauren (14).

4) What is your formal education and how did it prepare you for today? “After graduating from Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, I attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a B.S. in Engineering.

“The fundamental value of an Engineering education is to learn how to methodically approach a problem, understand the constraints, and gather the data necessary to design a solution. As one of my professors liked to say, ‘Every design is a compromise.’ I have found this to be true in many aspects of life and believe strongly that it is necessary to carefully balance the needs and wants of your stakeholders to reach the solutions which are acceptable to the majority.”

5) What is your work experience and how can it help you serve the City of Victoria? “My career has been concentrated in technical sales, marketing, and product management. These roles have all leveraged and built on my educational base, and added the ‘people’ element to problem solving.

“In these roles, it is critical for me to understand the internal and external forces and trends affecting the business and develop solutions that help my customers achieve their goals. I expect these same skills will be needed to serve the citizens of Victoria.”

6) What are some of your various memberships and why have you chosen those memberships? “My formal memberships have been limited to professional organizations which helped me build a professional network and stay current with technology and issues which affected my business roe. In addition, I am a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic service organization which sponsors and supports activities within the community.”

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