Josh Ingalls is a self-described physics nerd and Einstein fan, and a thrill-seeker who developed a desire to help people while providing day care to his young relatives for a year. 

He used to build cabinets in Waterloo and now uses analytics to help Principal Financial Group Inc. navigate a sometimes challenging job market.

In other words, he’s not your typical psychology major with a philosophy minor out of the University of Northern Iowa. 

For starters, he also has a master’s degree in industrial and organization psychology from UNI.

For Ingalls, his career revolves around finding the right person for a job, but also keeping those people happy once they accept an offer.

“If you can help people enjoy a job more, you can have all kinds of amazing impact on their lives,” Ingalls said. “People live longer, they are happier, their kids are more successful.

“For me, it was I wanted to help people, but I found a niche that would allow me to do this in the business world.”

This is a guy who worked full time at Omega Cabinets in the Waterloo area while taking a full load of classes at UNI. 

Surely that provides some insight into his character. 

“I think it says to me that I had good friends that helped with notes,” Ingalls said. 

“It also says I was really broke. I am most proud that I was able to handle that.”

He did some recruiting work for Principal in Waterloo, and is glad to be working for the company full time in Des Moines now, using all the high-tech approaches to job recruitment. 

Ingalls takes in Des Moines life with gusto. 

“I am a Des Moines resident through and through,” he said. 

“I live downtown. I try to take in as many events as I can. I enjoy Gray’s Lake and Saylorville Lake.”

Reasons he’s a forty:

• He volunteered as a lunch buddy at PACE Juvenile Center.
• He worked with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to recruit volunteers. CASA advocates for children who have been abused or neglected.
• He volunteered at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
• He has consulted with many organizations on how to use social media.