Forty Under 40: Gracie Ziegler

Confidence is an important ingredient to reach any career goal, and Gracie Ziegler admits it has helped her move quickly up the professional ladder.

“You have to make yourself stand out and have an overall confidence in yourself,” Ziegler said. “I’m probably overly confident at times, but I’m happy with where that has taken me.”

Ziegler, who grew up in Fayetteville, thought early she might follow in the footsteps of her mother and become a teacher, earning a degree in creative writing from the University of Arkansas.

While attending UA, however, it was time spent working in retail that derailed those plans.

“I knew quickly I liked working in retail,” Ziegler said. “It gave me a different perspective on a lot of things.”

Ziegler left Northwest Arkansas for the first time when she landed a job as a retail sales representative at Crossmark in Plano, Texas. A little over a year later, however, she returned to begin a four-year stint with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., as both a brand coordinator and brand manager.

That propelled Ziegler to Tyson, where she oversees marketing relationships with convenience food stores.

“I’ve been very fortunate that a lot of roles have been created for me and I’ve been able to blaze my own path,” Ziegler said.