Mason Danner

About Mason Danner

I have a deep philosophical desire to understand how things work, and the grit to make them work the way they ought to. I use these skills to untangle ambiguous problems on one of the world\'s largest B2B software platforms, leading product, program, science, and engineering to develop and deliver high ROI solutions. I grew up in one of the most remote towns in the lower 48 states, reading everything I could, trying to understand how the world worked. I earned an MA in history, exploring the intersection of imagination and ecology. At the same time, I paid for my education working primarily as a mechanic, repairing cars and welding exhaust systems. To this day, I still love a quality tool that just perfectly solves what had been previously intractable. Graduating at the height of the recession with a liberal arts degree, I was able to work and subsequently be laid off from a variety of fascinating roles. I worked on a conservation chainsaw crew and as a wildland firefighter. I enjoyed two seasons as a National Park Service Ranger, teaching high school history in between. I supported a million-dollar-a-month parts and equipment business for a Caterpillar dealership.In 2012, I moved to Seattle with no plan and no job. I was hired to train mechanics to install an IoT device, and end users to run the software. I grew frustrated trying to communicate product gaps and taught myself to write business requirements. Within weeks of submitting my first BRD, a product role was created for me. Over time I was able to work with experienced product managers to hone my skills while driving home deal-closing product initiatives that scaled to other users and won industry recognition. After spending a brief time at an early-stage startup, I took a temp contract role at Amazon, assuming I’d be done in 90 days with a good story about how I wouldn’t want to work there. In the first month, I was pulled aside and informed they wanted to create a role for me. I have grown that product from a successful launch through a major iteration, generating significant ROI and growing our team’s scope year over year, expanding into ML and Generative AI products. This has allowed me to work with an amazing and brilliant group of colleagues. I like what I do, but occasionally wonder what is next for me.

Experience

1. Senior Manager of Product Management - Tech

   Amazon

   Mar 2024 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

Education

• Purdue University

  Master's degree, History

  2007 — 2010

• University of Washington

  Project Management

  2014 — 2014

• University of Nevada-Las Vegas

  Bachelor's degree, History

  2002 — 2007

Skills

• Program Management
• Team Leadership
• Process Improvement
• Sales Management
• Project Planning
• Customer Service
• Training
• Operations Management
• Strategy
• Account Management
• Project Management
• Strategic Planning
• Product Management
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Management
• Team Building