An Interview with Faribault's Accounting Manager

While you may not see Sonya Troje directly handling any cave-aged cheese, she still plays an integral role in the daily operations of our cheese business.  As an Accounting Manager, Sonya’s main duties include approving invoices, adjusting inventory, preparing financial statements and making sure all the financials are in line at month’s end for the Caves of Faribault as well as Prairie Farms’ other Blue cheese facility in Mindoro, Wisconsin.

As a member of the team since April, Sonya was excited to embark on a new adventure.  “What I found intriguing about the role is the responsibilities included some areas I had minimal exposure to and I was looking for a fresh start within my career,” explains Sonya.  “I don’t like to be bored and this role offered a variety of responsibilities.”

As a Minnesota native, Sonya was in her late 20s when she decided to go back to school, taking night classes and receiving her Bachelors in Accounting from National American University in Bloomington, MN.  She then continued her education at the Keller Graduate School of Management where she received a Masters in Accounting and Financial Management, all while working full time and raising a family. 

Sonya now calls the town of Faribault her home, having moved back after spending a few years in Port Richey, FL.  While the weather may not be as hot as Sonya likes it, she can now be closer to her recently married daughter and son-in-law.  “It was my time to come home,” she says.  She also takes monthly trips to the Mindoro, Wisconsin facility, where she proudly shows her state allegiance with her Minnesota Vikings license plate.

It’s clear that Sonya is never afraid of a challenge and enjoys learning new things outside her comfort zone.  These skills fit well when it comes to putting those numbers together for cheese.  “I’m very driven, focused and dedicated in what I do,” says Sonya.  “I want to know how to do all the things, and then I look for ways to see if we can make a process more efficient.”

Though numbers are her “thing,” she has gotten the opportunity to sneak away from her desk to explore the sandstone caves.  “I’ve been in the caves a couple of times when I first started and walked through the production,” Sonya recalls.  “I plan to do it again now that I’ve been here a few months and understand more and more.  I find the history of the Caves to be very interesting and super cool.”

Sonya’s motto has always been to “take the road less traveled,” and she admits a move to the cheese industry has been quite the change, but just the right “road” she was looking for.  “It’s different from what I know, but that is also what makes it a challenge that I want to take on as I am all about learning as much as I can.”

When Sonya isn’t busy crunching the numbers, you can likely find her spending time with family and taking an occasional cruise to a tropical destination to fulfill her need for hot weather.