Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised right here in Des Moines.

Tell us a little about your family.

I have a large family. I have three brothers and two sisters. My dad currently owns an ad agency. Both of my parents were in the advertising world for quite some time, so you could argue that it’s in my blood. I’m married and have three children—two boys and a girl, ranging in age from 20 years old to 1 year old. They keep me young!

We’re told that you run your own business. Tell us about that.  

After 20 years in advertising and marketing, I decided to make the jump and opened my own marketing consulting firm last October. It’s called Daly Marketing. Daly is my maiden name, and it’s the name by which many people know me in this market.

I have no desire to be just another ad agency. Instead, I’ve chosen to join my clients’ teams, as their consultant, and provide for their needs. This town has several ad agencies, but not many marketing partners that work alongside their clients and cater to their needs. My dad taught me a long time ago that if you take care of others, they will take care of you. That’s what I do. I’m their partner. My firm currently represents four businesses, and we may be up to six very soon. We’re growing, and I love it!

What do you enjoy about living in Waukee?  

My family and I moved to Waukee last August after living in Beaverdale for 10 years. We love it here. Suburbia has its benefits, and it’s also nice to be so close to West Des Moines and the interstate. Lifetime is my gym, and across the street from my home, I’ve got Dunkin Donuts for coffee and Gusto’s for a killer salad and a glass of wine. My chiropractor and kids’ daycare are just down the road, as well. It’s nice having everything so close by. We also love the school system here.

In this issue, we talk about different ways of staying active for people of various physical capabilities. How do you like to stay active?  

I couldn’t be the mom, wife or business owner I am without paying attention to my fitness and nutrition. It keeps me going. I’m the former owner of Kosama Downtown on Ingersoll, so fitness is my thing!

As a certified yoga instructor, I have to say that yoga is a super versatile way to get and stay fit and to keep your stress levels in check. It has benefits for not only the avid athlete, but also the beginner, and you can apply it to all aspects of your life—not just on the mat. Yoga boosts your immunity, helps you detox, strengthens your core and improves your flexibility. It’s great for little kids, the elderly, the Crossfit athlete that needs a recovery day or the runner that needs to stretch and lengthen their muscles. Yoga should be practiced and taken off the mat to bless others. That’s how I see it—as a way to give back.

Where are you from originally?

I’m originally from Stratford (north of Boone), but grew up in Alleman (north of Ankeny).

Tell us a little about your family.

My wife Judy and I recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Together, we have four children—Karin Worth (in St. Louis), Karl Haglund (in Charles City), Lori Konzen (in Grimes) and Brent Long (in Grimes). We have nine grandchildren, ranging in age from 7 to 19.

Tell us about your career.

I started in newspaper work in 1963 as a sportswriter for the Fort Dodge Messenger, and after my Army days, went to work as a sportswriter for the Wausau Daily Record-Herald in Wisconsin. There, I met Dave Marcis, a NASCAR Winston Cup driver. I did some PR and marketing work for him beginning in 1971, and began working as a tire carrier/changer for several drivers in 1974. In the 1980s, I was the editor of Hawkeye Racing News, the executive secretary for the International Motor Contest Association, and a NASCAR Winston Cup gas man. In the 1990s, I became the general manager of the San Antonio Speedway. After open heart surgery, I left the stress of auto racing and returned to journalism as the assistant editor of the Dallas County News in Adel. Later, I served as the sports editor and then editor. I was presented the Master Editor/Publisher Award by the Iowa Newspaper Association in February of 2014 and decided that was a good time to retire. During my time in Adel, I also won three Master Columnist awards, three Best Sports Columnist Awards and many other writing and photography awards.

What do you enjoy about living in Waukee?

My wife and I moved back to Iowa in 2001 and have lived in Waukee since 2003. We live in a senior citizens’ apartment and enjoy the company we’ve found here. We like that Waukee has easy access to any destination. We live between Hickman and University and near the new interchange access.

You recently authored a book about auto racing. Tell us about that.

I’ve had a lifelong interest in automobile racing. My parents took me to my first race at the Hamilton County Fair in Webster City in 1948, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I began the research for my book about 30 years ago and wrote sporadically until my retirement. Then I began working about 5-6 hours every day to complete the work. It covers Iowa racing history from 1900 through 2014. It’s more than 600 pages and has more than 500 photos. Many people don’t realize that Iowa is the nation’s “racing-est” state. In fact, Iowa is blessed with more operating race tracks per capita than any other state.

Since the book was published in December, I’ve had a number of book signing events, and all have been very well-attended. The book has been well-received within the racing community—even more so than I imagined. The book is currently available at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville, Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum in Algona and Sardeson Racing in Greenwood, Neb. Several more outlets will be added soon.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Urbandale.

How long have you lived in Waukee?

We moved to Waukee in 2005.

Tell us about your family.

My wife Michele and I have been married for 20 years. We have three children—Michael, a senior at Waukee High School; Sydney, a sophomore at Waukee High School; and Kynzi, a seventh grader at Waukee North Middle School. All three of our children have attended Waukee schools since their kindergarten years.

What are some of things you have enjoyed most about raising a family in a growing community?

We’ve really enjoyed the growth of the school system, the connectivity of the bike trails, shopping at locally-owned businesses, having lots of restaurants choices, having friendly neighbors, living in a safe community, having local Waukee community events, and the fact that Waukee has a progressive plan for the future.

Tell us about ChildServe and what you do there.

ChildServe is a non-profit organization committed to improving the health and well-being of children with special health care needs. We provide services to nearly 3,000 children and adolescents per year by offering pediatric rehabilitation medicine; home, community, and residential care; and family support services. Our mission is to partner with families to help children with special health care needs live a great life.

I’m the Director of Human Resources at ChildServe. I have the privilege of supporting more than 2,600 staff and volunteers who are driven by dedication and their commitment to the children and families we support.

When you’re not busy, we heard you enjoy landscaping. Care to share any tips for those wanting to up their green game this spring?

Don’t be afraid to be creative with your yard. It’s an expression of who you are. Have fun with it!