Morgan Conque Named SMB Leader of the Year Finalist

CHICAGO, Nov. 6, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Morgan Conque, Vice President of Go-to-Market at Ashling, a leading global provider of AI and automation consulting and development services, has been named a finalist for the SMB Leader of the Year award at the 2026 U.S. Forces in Business Awards. The event, which will take place in Dallas, Texas, on December 10, aims to spotlight outstanding former service members driving American business forward.

Conque's journey from the U.S. Army to the business world is a testament to the skills and leadership qualities honed during her military service. Commissioned through ROTC, she served with NATO forces in Germany, ran personnel operations in South Korea, and advised an Afghan army hospital, where she significantly reduced the medical evacuation cycle from 17 hours to 3. Her final role was as the Medical Operations and Logistics Officer for the First Cavalry Division, supporting over 18,000 soldiers. These experiences translated into business leadership, where she led branch operations for a large specialty infusion pharmacy team and later moved into intelligent automation.

Conque's career trajectory showcases the adaptability and resilience of military veterans. Following her service, she held various leadership positions, including bid manager and sales platforms, enablement, content, and strategy. Her educational background, including a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Seattle University, a Master of Science in Biosecurity and Disaster Preparedness from Saint Louis University, and an Executive MBA from Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, further equipped her for her current role.

At Ashling, Conque leads go-to-market strategy, aligning sales, marketing, and partnership teams to drive the company's fast-paced growth and navigate the evolving market landscape.

Ashling, founded in 2018, is a global AI and automation consulting and development firm specializing in digital process transformation. The company aligns with clients on what value means for enterprises, designs, builds, and manages solutions that work from pilot to production, and architects an operating model designed for rapid deployment and compounding success. Ashling's delivery accelerators get clients to production five times faster and prove ROI sooner, backed by a delivery team of forward-deployed AI pods and an award-winning innovation culture. With over 400 clients across industries, an 86 NPS, and an unwavering commitment to business outcomes, Ashling is the firm enterprise clients trust.

More than 200,000 service members leave active duty in the United States each year, yet research by ZipRecruiter and the Call of Duty Endowment found that almost one-third of veterans are underemployed, a rate 15.6% higher than among their non-veteran peers. Morgan's career is a testament to what that talent can achieve. Established in 2018, the Forces in Business Awards celebrate veteran role models like her, reflecting the breadth of industries and professional disciplines where former service members are making their mark.

Winners will be announced on December 10, 2026, at a black-tie gala in the Lincoln Ballroom at the Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre, hosted by longtime CBS News anchor and Gold Star son Doug Dunbar.