North Star Port

formed Lake Superior Warehousing, Inc., as terminal operator to turn things around. Prettner enjoyed her role with the Port Authority and rose to board president. Around the same time, the Duluth City Council was developing covenants for the new Duluth Economic Devel- opment Authority (DEDA). Concerned that there was too much power concentrated in a small number of people, she drafted an amendment that city councilors could not serve on more than one authority at a time. It was accepted. "Well, that came back to bite me," she said. "By then, Gary Doty was mayor, and he wanted me on DEDA. That meant I had to give up my seat on the Port Authority board." Unexpected life turns In 1996, Prettner married longtime Duluth lawmaker Sam Solon. They settled into a comfortable life as kindred spirits, intent on making their community and state better for all. Five years later, tragedy struck when Solon was diagnosed with an aggressive melanoma. He passed away 10 months later on Dec. 28, 2001. Solon's funeral was held just over a week later. The huge memorial service at the Duluth Entertainment Conven- tion Center attracted people from all walks of life. "Sam was well respected as a lawmaker, but he was also just a regular guy who went down to Coney Island (on Superior Street) every morning to have coffee and talk with people," Prettner Solon said. "He could relate to anybody." Many people approached her at the funeral about running for her late husband's Senate seat. The next day, a large group of friends and leaders of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party met at her house to make the case. "I was numb, just going through the motions, but they orga- nized a press conference to announce my candidacy," she said. "That was the hardest campaign I ran in my whole career." The Minnesota Senate proved to be a good fit for Prettner Solon. Her natural gift for diplomacy and ability to work with people of differing views helped her pass significant health- care reforms and her keystone legislation, the Next Generation Energy Act. "It was my favorite public office," she said. "I felt impactful. I could do things. It was amazing." Rise to Lieutenant Governor … and return to the port In 2010, Prettner Solon agreed to be DFL-endorsed candidate Mark Dayton's running mate in his successful race for Minne- sota governor. As lieutenant governor, she worked to connect people across the state with resources in St. Paul, and did so effectively. But she chose to retire at the end of one term. When Governor Dayton inquired about what she wanted when she left, Prettner Solon asked for an appointment to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority board. "I told him I started a term there that I couldn't complete, and I'd like to go back and finish it," she said, adding that Governor Tim Walz reappointed her in 2021. "It is one of the most exciting boards in the city. The economic impact of the port on Duluth can't be overstated. We need to protect and nurture the port because it is so significant." Strength in adversity These days, Prettner Solon also is protecting and nurturing her own health. She recently was diagnosed with breast cancer— again—her third bout with the disease. She faces a long road to recovery with a treatment regimen that will span years. Her two grown children from an early marriage and three grand- children are with her on the journey, providing joy, levity and perspective. She is optimistic about the future and remains committed to community service. "I love Duluth—everything about it," she said. The sentiment goes both ways. 4 | NORTH STAR PORT | SUMMER 2023 Y V O N N E P R E T T N E R S O L O N caption here please The economic impact of the port on Duluth can't be overstated. We need to protect and nurture the port because it is so significant. "

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