Meet Terry Schoonover
A foundation in fairness
Terry’s mother and father instilled in him at an early age the concept of not only charity but justice. While living in Rochester, MN, Terry was active as a District Leader in the JRLC (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition), an interfaith group which mobilizes religious communities (Jewish, Christian and Islamic) to influence public policy in Minnesota. He received the organization’s highest service award in 2012, the Lawrence D. Gibson Interfaith Social Justice Award.
Family roots in the area
Terry was born in Marshfield, WI, and grew up in nearby Loyal, WI. He is the oldest of nine children. Terry graduated from Loyal High School in 1976 and was valedictorian of his class. He went on to Phoenix College (Phoenix, AZ) where he graduated with an associate degree in Electronics Engineering Technology in 1979. Terry worked for several years at Control Data (Bloomington, MN) as an Electronic Technician. He attended the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management in 1987 and Master’s in International Management degree in 1991. He was employed at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) for 20 years, where he worked closely with city and county law enforcement, area fire departments, EMS and public health as an Emergency Management Coordinator. He retired in 2017.
Stewards of the land
Terry and Renee started out with little knowledge of pollinator habitat, but were able to collaborate with enough people and research the topic to gain expertise, navigate grant funding processes, and begin the restoration process. It is a three year investment where the prairie first sleeps, creeps, and finally leaps to reach its full potential.A commitment to community
Terry served as an American Red Cross Board Member for three years, and in 2017 was deployed for three weeks to help victims of Hurricane Irma in Florida. Over his 20 years of service at Mayo Clinic, Terry donated over 15 gallons of whole blood, platelets, plasma and red blood cells.
As a League of Women Voters - Greater Chippewa Valley member, Terry spent this past January and February wearing a non-partisan hat and provided, along with other league members, voter registration training to approximately 350 high school seniors in eight area high schools. He has served as a poll worker and Chief Inspector for the Town of Belvidere, his municipality of residence.
An avid outdoorsman
Terry enjoys hunting, fishing, touring on his motorcycle, and snowmobiling as a member of the Buffalo County River Valley Rider’s Snowmobile Club, where he served as club president for two years.
