Get to Know TSS: Tressa M.

BROOKLYN PARK, MN USA – December 10, 2025 – From flying a Black Hawk to designing high reliability semiconductors, Tressa M. has many talents.  Last month she served as an Army Tactical Officer.  In the same week she worked on the first-time implementation of an innovative project on the most advanced onshore technology.

What did you do before you joined TSS?

I began flying in 2009 well before my Army career even started.   My first flight was on a 1967 Aeronca Champ.  I was with an aerobatic pilot on the first flight.  He did many maneuvers my stomach was not ready for.  This experienced acrobatic pilot, he told me, “Don’t puke in my plane.  Puke in your shirt.”  It was winter and I was wearing five layers, so I had many options.  I made it to the landing.  I puked a few times on the tarmac.  Since then, I’ve flown Pipers, Cessnas, Mooneys and many more aircraft.  Not with aerobatic pilots.

All of the Army training I did was in helicopters which began in 2013. I have flown TH-67 Bell helicopters, Kiowa helicopters, and Blackhawks.  Since then on the civilian side, I’ve flown Robinson R22s. 

How did service in the army prepare you for working at TSS?

I’ve been in the Army for over 15 years, and it’s shaped a lot of how I work. It taught me to respect schedules, follow processes with discipline, solve problems under pressure, and handle a lot of administrative responsibilities.

You also meet every kind of person in the Army, and you learn quickly that you’re not the main character—everyone around you is. You have to work with all kinds of personalities and support each other. That mindset has stuck with me. Now I focus on enabling others, sharing what I know, and being part of a team.

Can you talk about serving as part of the army while working at TSS?

It’s been a great experience. I was actually working at TSS during a deployment, and management was incredibly supportive the entire time. Before I left, they reassured me that I’d return with the same seniority and the same role, which was honestly more than I ever expected. A lot of companies say they support service members, but TSS really followed through in ways that mattered. They checked in on me throughout my deployment—not in a perfunctory way but genuinely wanting to know how things were going and if I needed anything. Those small gestures made a huge difference, especially when you’re far from home and juggling two worlds at once.

When I came back, they set me up with my own office, which helped me ease back into the rhythm of everyday work life. Transitioning from deployment to a normal work environment can feel like switching planets, so having that space and support made things smoother than I could’ve hoped for. TSS has been supportive every step of the way, not just in words but in action. It’s one of the big reasons I value being part of this company.

What drew you into this highly specialized career path? What did you study in school?

I started college fully intending to become a mechanical engineer. I’m a very visual person, give me a helicopter I can touch, not electrons zipping around in ways I can’t see. But one of my professors clearly thought I needed a challenge and nudged me toward electrical engineering. Next thing I knew, I was deep in circuits. I wouldn’t be an electrical engineer today if that professor hadn’t redirected me.

In college I also worked on biomass plasma projects, which was really more of a mix of mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering domain. We were essentially disintegrating trash with plasma which seemed very sci-fi for a student job. By my second year on the project, I was leading it. Not exactly semiconductor preparation, but definitely great practice for solving problems that glow.

I didn’t do anything directly related to semiconductors in school, but during my senior year I met a former TSS employee who encouraged me to learn more about the company. I’ve always believed I can tackle whatever work I set my mind to, but the environment matters. You can control your effort, a lot easier than the culture around you. TSS had the kind of positive, productive environment I wanted to be part of even if college hadn’t specifically prepared me for this exact role.

What is your average day at TSS?

My day usually starts with catching up on emails and then looking over my notes from the day before to get grounded because if I don’t anchor myself early, the day will happily run off without me. From there, I sort out the top priorities and dive into whatever projects are most important for the company’s needs at that moment. It’s a bit like triage, but with fewer sirens.

During breaks, I like checking in with colleagues to hear what they’re working on, swap ideas, and help newer team members in package design whenever I can. And when I hit something tricky, I’m not shy about going to the more senior engineers for their perspective. Wisdom is a resource that I’ve found is best mined early and often. Overall, it’s a rhythm that keeps the whole team moving forward.

How do you spend your time when not at TSS?

It changes day to day. In the summer, if it’s a perfect day, I might be skydiving, flying, or out on my bike. I love spending time with my 5 year old nephew. I play hockey year-round, play some basketball, and honestly enjoy things like cleaning the house or going out to shoot guns. I also love learning about all kinds of different things.

What’s your favorite thing about working at TSS?

The people and the environment.  Management and the founders of the company have set up an amazing culture.  The support you get from management to do your job is above the best.

TSS is hiring, join our team.