Troy Irvine

Age: 34

Family: wife, Kristine; sons, Max, 3; Charlie, 3 months

City: Albert Lea

Livelihood: financial adviser

Company or organization: Edward Jones, Northbridge Mall, Albert Lea

What motivates you? Faith, family, friends, and giving back to my community.

What was the latest book you read? “90 minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper.

If you could pick your at-bat song, what would it be? “Today is the Day” by Lincoln Brewster.

If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would you invite? Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln.

What would the meal be? Jake’s Pizza

Where did you grow up? Albert Lea is my hometown.

What is your favorite movie of all time? “Grumpy Old Men.”

Where is your favorite spot on Earth? Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area.

Maria Loerzel

Age: 34

Family: husband, Greg Loerzel, personal trainer at Albert Lea Family YMCA; 2-year-old son Jacob

City: Albert Lea

Livelihood: family medicine physician

Company or organization: ALMC Mayo Health Systems in Albert Lea

What motivates you? Chocolate. All kidding aside, a sense of community involvement and helping others.

What was the latest book you read? “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” by Lisa See.

If you could pick your at-bat song, what would it be? Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman.”

If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would you invite? Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Thatcher and Sandra Day O’Connor.

What would the meal be? Filet Mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus with glass of shiraz-cabernet and chocolate crme brûlée.

Where did you grow up? Glenburn, N.D., a small town north of Minot, N.D. (two hours from the Canadian border). My graduating class had 27 people.

What is your favorite movie of all time? “Pretty Woman” and “Footloose” are a tie for me. What can I say? I grew up in the ’80s.

Where is your favorite spot on Earth? Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride, Colo.

Jeremy Corey-Gruenes

Age: 35

Family: wife, Jenny, 35; daughters Ava, 4, and Rosa, 2

City: Albert Lea

Livelihood: high school English teacher

Company or organization: Albert Lea High School

What motivates you? I’m motivated by opportunities to learn new things and be exposed to new ideas. 

What was the latest book you read? “The New Kings of Nonfiction,” edited by Ira Glass (anthology with multiple authors).

If you could pick your at-bat song, what would it be? “Desire” by U2.

If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would you invite? Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha), Jesus Christ, and Muhammad.

What would the meal be? Penne pasta with pesto sauce, focaccia bread with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil and fresh garlic. Red wine for Jesus and me; tea or water for The Buddha and The Prophet. 

Where did you grow up? I grew up on a small farm 20 miles south of Mankato and attended Lake Crystal-Welcome Memorial High School.

What is your favorite movie of all time? “The Godfather Part II.”

Where is your favorite spot on Earth? The Acropolis in Athens, Greece, overlooking the city at night.

Jennifer Brown

Age: 22

Family: mother, Candace; sisters Rachel, 17, and Catherine 15; brother, Travis, 13, and a Rotteweiler named Lola.

City: Wells

Livelihood: engaging the community to live a healthy lifestyle and volunteering in different communities

Company or organization: Anytime Fitness, Albert Lea, and AmeriCorps, Mankato

What motivates you? Living a life filled with passion and adventure. I’m a recent graduate that is just trying to find my place in this world, and find a position where I can be active, engage others, learn, and grow in my community.

 What was the latest book you read? Tie-breaker: “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte and “The Female Brain” by Louann Brizendine, M.D.

 If you could pick your at-bat song, what would it be? It would have to be something powerful and exciting, so I would choose “I Don’t Wanna Stop” by Ozzy Osbourne.

 If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would you invite? Lucille Ball for her humor and charm; John F. Kennedy, to get his perspective on politics today; Thomas Edison, to spark motivation so I won’t give up on the first failure I encounter.

 What would the meal be? A mixture of my favorite foods: roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes, asparagus, cappellini pomodoro, grilled chicken with pineapple sauce, cheesy hash brown potatoes, garlic bread, corn on the cob, my famous mushroom burgers, blueberry pie with a great cup of coffee, and of course a pint of Ben & Jerry’s for everyone.

Where did you grow up? Wells

What is your favorite movie of all time? This is a tough decision, considering I am a movie fanatic. Yet you must stick with classic films of the ’80s, so “Pretty in Pink” it is!

Where is your favorite spot on Earth? A tiny village called Mosul, tucked away in the brush of Kenya, Africa.

Alison Sorenson

Age: 24

Family: just married to Chris Sorensen; parents Dale and Val Phillips of Hartland

City: rural Alden

Livelihood: chiropractor

Company or organization: TouchWorks Chiropractic in Albert Lea

What motivates you? The need and desire to help other people gets me out of bed and to work every day.

What was the latest book you read? “Possible Side Effects” by Augusten Burroughs

If you could pick your at-bat song, what would it be? “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from the musical Hairspray. It’s a great upbeat song that makes me want to dance!

If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would you invite? Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, and Marie Curie.

What would the meal be? Hamburgers on the grill (made by my husband!), steamed summer squash and asparagus, and cheesecake for dessert.

Where did you grow up? I grew up in the country by Hartland.

What is your favorite movie of all time? A tie between “The Sound of Music” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” I watched them constantly as a kid.

Where is your favorite spot on Earth? Sitting on my window seat with a good book.

Read the special section inside today’s edition or go to AlbertLeaTribune.com/specialsection