What other characters are desired?

Look to natives and tell us about the soil. You'll then get a winner

I'm going with Dawn Redwood or Swamp White Oak. Two very different forms to choose from and yes I know the former is not native but it fits the bill for everything else.

you may get a few other interesting choices from those more familiar with your zone 6

Be aware there are few fast growing long lived trees, and logically anything both fast growing and long lived will eventually get HUGE.

What threats will these trees face? Is it windy? Any tree diseases in the area? Oak wilt? Gypsy moth?

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is one of the few native trees both long lived, strong, and fast growing. Takes up a lot of yard space.

White Oak (Quercus alba), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Sugar Maple, and Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) are all strong, long lived trees that grow slowly. Tupelo has the added perk of exceptionally strong wood and clay tolerance. Beech is finicky about transplanting but beautiful. Tupelo and sugar maple have great fall color.

I will debate the about of yard space bald cypress or dawn redwood take up. They are both great choices and I'd rather him plant both than a row of just one. That way when some bug we haven't heard of comes by it doesn't kill his whole row.

Some trees, burr oaks, white ash, they don't get super tall but get WIDE. Bald cypress and dawn redwood especially will get tall but just not super wide.