2014 Recipients

Matthew Williams is a professional bass trombonist who has made numerous recordings and performed with many of the top artists in the music industry.

Matthew has been employed full-time with the Acapulco Philharmonic and la Sinfonica Sinaloa de las Artes orchestras in Mexico, where he starred as a soloist and played alongside renown artists like Placido Domingo and Enrique Carreras. He also teaches trombone, tuba and brass ensembles at the state music conservatory.

Judith Zazueta Aldapa, director of education and training at the Sinaloa Institute of Culture, says Matthew’s traits include ample knowledge, a profound love of music, devotion to his instrument, sensibility and compassion.

“During the time that I have known him, I have witnessed his professionalism which is excellent as a trombone musician, but extraordinary as a teacher,” Aldapa says.

Gordon Campbell, director and founder of The Orquestra la Sinfonica Sinaloa de las Artes, calls Matthew a “real and sensitive artist” who doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the orchestra.

“He instinctively seems to know to add just the right amount of sound and color and is always in tune,” Campbell says. “He is also responsible for developing the only young trombonists in the area.”

A 1992 South graduate, Matthew was selected to the all-state orchestra three times and was a two-time finalist for the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony young artist competition. He earned his undergraduate degree in music from St. Olaf College. He was awarded a masters degree in trombone performance from Yale University, where he studied under legendary trombone teacher John Swallow.

“I remember him practicing diligently to learn music for any performance and he was the most dedicated musician in the band program during the era,” says Edward Huttlin, Matthew’s high school band director. “Although quiet and unassuming, he was a strong leader by virtue of his example.”

From the danger zones in Bosnia and Iraq to the challenges of the business sector, Ben Wright has been all about missions accomplished.

Ben began an exceptional military career after graduating from West Point in 1996. He attended U.S. Army flight school and served nearly eight years as a helicopter pilot and aviation officer. He led several large organizations and served in two combat zones.

Ben earned several medals and badges, including the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal (on two occasions), Army Achievement Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

While in Bosnia, Ben led a helicopter platoon of 30 people and four helicopters that was responsible for keeping peace along the Bosnia-Serbia border during the allied bombing campaign known as Operation Joint Forge. Over 300 successful missions were conducted less than 25 miles from the bombing in Belgrade.

While in Iraq, he was part of a small team deployed to Kuwait in October 2002 to prepare for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He led the first Army Aviation Support unit into Iraq, a group called “The Tip of the Spear.”

Brent Monroe, one of Ben’s supervisors in the military, says he stepped into a technically demanding leadership role at a young age.

“He learned his new trade quickly and was able to garner the trust and respect of his subordinates, peers and senior officers in record time,” Monroe says.

After leaving the military, Ben earned his MBA at the University of Minnesota. He served as vice president of marketing and sales for Fargo-based Appareo Systems and is currently employed in a key business management role at 3M Company in St. Paul.

The 1992 South graduate was a “student athlete as well as a student leader in his class,” says Karen Montgomery, his counselor at South. “This leadership carried over beyond high school.”