Solberg, Fonti join Marshfield Clinic Development Committee

Trygve "Trig" Solberg of Minocqua, president of T.A. Solberg Co., and William "Bill" Fonti, CEO of Furniture & ApplianceMart, were recently selected to serve on a new committee formed to promote philanthropy at Marshfield Clinic.

The 20-member Marshfield Clinic Development Committee will work to build awareness of the Clinic's history of providing accessible, high-quality patient care, its nationally recognized medical research program and its extensive education division.

"Trig and Bill, like all the members of the committee, are leaders in the community who understand both the importance of philanthropy and the tremendous need for the vital services provided by Marshfield Clinic," said Teri Wilczek, chief development officer at the Clinic. "The dedication, leadership and inspiration that they bring to this effort will help us reach a whole new level of giving."

As a nonprofit organization, the Clinic provides patients of all economic levels with access to high-quality health care and promotes research and education, said Dr. Brian Ewert, Marshfield Clinic president and CEO. "This committee will help us to develop the resources to not only continue this important work, but to expand our assistance to those in need and to build upon our knowledge."

Solberg owns Trig's grocery stores in Minocqua, Eagle River, Rhinelander, Stevens Point and Wausau. He's involved with a variety of nonprofit groups.

"Having a lot of experience with fundraising for various causes, I'm looking forward to playing a greater role in increasing the support needed to not only maintain what the Clinic does now, but to expand its service to help more people," he said.

The Fonti family, Furniture & ApplianceMart and Marshfield Clinic partnered in 2004 to create the Fore a Cure golf outing. The event has benefited breast cancer research, mobile mammography screening and childhood diabetes services at the Clinic. The Fonti family established the Catherine Fonti Angel Fund in honor of Bill's grandmother to assist Clinic patients who are unable to pay for mammograms and other breast cancer prevention services.