At 14 years old, no one told Ashley Danielson that serving ice cream cones at Dairy Queen would prepare her for her role as a project manager at Trilix Marketing Group Inc., but more than a decade later, she still uses lessons learned from her first summer job.

“I was in the service industry, and it’s about making people happy and making them happy fast,” Danielson said. “It’s not that different from what I do today. I’m still in the service industry, and while the projects may be bigger than a Blizzard or ice cream cone, at the end of the day, the goal is to still make the customer happy.”

A native of Humboldt, a graduate of the University of Iowa, and still a diehard Hawkeye, Danielson always knew she wanted a career in marketing. 

She is used to going the extra mile for her clients. During a college internship, splitting her time between Trilix and the Iowa State Fair marketing department, she dressed up as the State Fair mascot and even threw out the first pitch at an Iowa Cubs game in costume.

“You have to do what you have to do,” she said. “I’m a competitive person, and I was bound and determined to get up to that mound and throw the first pitch.”

Outside work, she enjoys playing sports, and attending sporting events and concerts. She also loves to travel.

When volunteering, Danielson is passionate about organizations that serve children and animals. 

She also is a member of this year’s Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute class. She credits her motivation to her parents – she gets her personality and mind for business from her father and her strong work ethic from her mother. 

She also can’t wait to see Des Moines grow.

“Des Moines is turning into this perfect city where you don’t have to leave if you don’t want to,” she said. “That’s what makes me stay here.”

Reasons she’s a forty:

• In five years with Trilix, she rose to the role of project manager.
• She serves as vice president of sponsorships on the American Marketing Association – Iowa board of directors.
• She is a 2015 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute class member.
• She is involved with Young Professionals Connection, Social Media Club Des Moines, the University of Iowa Alumni Association and Mentor Iowa.