Fred Ashman
As a 12 year old a teacher had the class take a very basic aptitude test. The result were goals. Freds were to become: a professional trumpet player, an audio engineer, a TV director, and a pilot.
Achieving all those goals by age 30, he continued beyond those goals, becoming a CEO, writer, lecturer, author. He is also a husband, father and grandfather.
"Goals are important, and believing in your dreams sets the stage. Actively gaining the knowledge skills and experience brings those dreams and goals into reach. Hard work, effort and never giving up makes them reality."
As a 12 year old a teacher had the class take a very basic aptitude test. The result were goals. Freds were to become: a professional trumpet player, an audio engineer, a TV director, and a pilot.
Achieving all those goals by age 30, he continued beyond those goals, becoming a CEO, writer, lecturer, author. He is also a husband, father and grandfather.
"Goals are important, and believing in your dreams sets the stage. Actively gaining the knowledge skills and experience brings those dreams and goals into reach. Hard work, effort and never giving up makes them reality."
Career
Fred Ashman built his career at the intersection of leadership, communication, and consequence.
For more than four decades, he worked alongside CEOs and senior leadership teams at moments when the stakes were real—bankruptcies, mergers, cultural resets, operational failures, and high-visibility public crises. His work was not advertising. It was internal alignment under pressure.
He served as founder, CEO, and principal creative lead of a full-time production team of 20–30 full time professionals and hundreds of freelancers, shaping large-scale meetings, executive presentations, and enterprise-wide video initiatives for major global corporations across industries. His teams received more than 120 major non-broadcast and broadcast production awards, but awards were never the objective. Trust was.
Much of his early executive work was rooted in the aviation industry, where operational precision, public scrutiny, and union complexity converge. Working closely with airline leadership during periods of disruption and transformation reinforced his conviction that internal credibility is as critical as external brand strength.
Early in his career, he learned that creative execution at the executive level carries weight beyond aesthetics. Being in the room during leadership transitions — including global enterprises facing possible liquidation — clarified the responsibility inherent in shaping internal messages. The pressure was not artistic. It was operational. The outcomes affected livelihoods, reputations, and institutional survival.
That realization cemented a principle that guided his work: when senior leaders entrust you with their message, the obligation is absolute. The stakes are high. You must live up to that trust. Failure is not theoretical—and not an option.
In addition to corporate leadership engagements, Ashman produced large-scale national and international events and later wrote and directed an independent feature film that was released theatrically across the United States. These experiences deepened his understanding of audience psychology—whether in a theater, a convention hall, theatrical film, Series Pilot, or a global broadcast.
He is frequently invited to speak to leadership groups and creative professionals on the disciplined use of live moments and visual storytelling as tools of executive leverage.
Ashman began his professional life as a professional musician and sound engineer, experiences that shaped his understanding of audience psychology and the power of shared experience. Early work at Disney as musician then producer-director, left deep impressions and lessons. That foundation carried forward into his executive work: audiences remember what they experience far longer than what they are told. He is a private pilot with over 4,500 hours logged in multiple aircraft, including jets. He continues playing and performing on trumpet, and guest lecturing and consulting.
He and his wife of more than fifty years live in Montana. They have ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
His new book, Trust In The Room reflects lessons learned over decades of working where leadership, risk, trust, and belief intersect—when the stakes are real. Written for high level Executives and those who aspire to senior leadershp.
Clients include American Airlines (35 years), Boeing, Sony (Japan)
NCR (37 years), AT&T, Disney, Universal, Pizza Hut, Rockwell International,
Eli Lilly (Germany) Wells Fargo, Coca Cola, Chevrolet, SONY Japan and USA,
Toyota, Bridgestone, Teradata, MasterCard International, Dassault Falcon (jets),
Galaxy Aerospace-IAI Aircraft, Learjet/Bombardier, Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruise Lines, Sempra Energy,
Qualcomm, Coca Cola and many others.
Film credits include three Imax films, two for the C.R. Smith (American Airlines) Museum in Dallas, multiple award winning documentaries, plus many award winning shorts and commercials. His feature film, “Proud American”, which he wrote and directed, was released nationally on 750 screens (Cinemark, AMC, Regal ++).
An independent production, the film features a veteran cast of actors from film and TV with Ashman’s signature heart touching stories and spectacular aerial images.
TV/Video credits include award winning documentaries, several TV network pilots , multi camera live broadcast (CBS) regional Emmy Awards Shows (director), and music videos.
In 2016 Ashman directed 10 episodes of broadcast 1 hour show, shot with a live audience of 300, 6 cameras with live band, celebrity acts, for broadcast in the SOCal market.
An experienced pilot (4,500 hours), Ashman is renowned for his aerial filming expertise. He is both director and co-pilot on the Learjet missions for films and commercials. Pictured below is the MU2N corporate jetprop.
Ashman is also a classically trained professional musician who during college led his own rock band with multiple appearances on the Disneyland stages, opened for Stevie Wonder in concert and has been a studio musician, produced and conducted studio sessions and shows with 50 piece live orchestras.
Boards of Directors: Ashman Served as board member of NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts and Science) Southwest Chapter, for the San Diego Model Railroad Museum https://www.sdmrm.org and as board member and Vice Chair of the San Diego Air & Space Museum (a Smithsonian Affiliate) https://sandiegoairandspace.org/
Aviation
Airplanes are business tools, time machines actually. Private aircraft allow people to manage time far more efficiently. For example commuting from San Diego to Hollywood area reduces a 2-5 hour drive to 40 minutes. That mean more tim spent working and getting home in time for dinner with family, even if it's Friday at rush hour.
Being a pilot with a company plane also allows enormous flexibility of schedules without dependence on airline schedules and no TSA line and early check in times. Being a pilot also opens the doors to new clients, like airlines, manufacturers like Cessna Jets, Dessault Falcon Jets, Galaxy Aerospace, Learjet who all became multi year clients.
Picture below: Ashman with MU2 turboprop (jet-prop). 300+mph, up to 25,000 feet, 1,500 mile range.
Model Trains
A model train enthusiast since age 10, the bug hit again in adulthood. The layout below was dismantled and sold but a new layout is under construction in Hamilton Montana.
Video link below
Fred Ashman built his career at the intersection of leadership, communication, and consequence.
For more than four decades, he worked alongside CEOs and senior leadership teams at moments when the stakes were real—bankruptcies, mergers, cultural resets, operational failures, and high-visibility public crises. His work was not advertising. It was internal alignment under pressure.
He served as founder, CEO, and principal creative lead of a full-time production team of 20–30 full time professionals and hundreds of freelancers, shaping large-scale meetings, executive presentations, and enterprise-wide video initiatives for major global corporations across industries. His teams received more than 120 major non-broadcast and broadcast production awards, but awards were never the objective. Trust was.
Much of his early executive work was rooted in the aviation industry, where operational precision, public scrutiny, and union complexity converge. Working closely with airline leadership during periods of disruption and transformation reinforced his conviction that internal credibility is as critical as external brand strength.
Early in his career, he learned that creative execution at the executive level carries weight beyond aesthetics. Being in the room during leadership transitions — including global enterprises facing possible liquidation — clarified the responsibility inherent in shaping internal messages. The pressure was not artistic. It was operational. The outcomes affected livelihoods, reputations, and institutional survival.
That realization cemented a principle that guided his work: when senior leaders entrust you with their message, the obligation is absolute. The stakes are high. You must live up to that trust. Failure is not theoretical—and not an option.
In addition to corporate leadership engagements, Ashman produced large-scale national and international events and later wrote and directed an independent feature film that was released theatrically across the United States. These experiences deepened his understanding of audience psychology—whether in a theater, a convention hall, theatrical film, Series Pilot, or a global broadcast.
He is frequently invited to speak to leadership groups and creative professionals on the disciplined use of live moments and visual storytelling as tools of executive leverage.
Ashman began his professional life as a professional musician and sound engineer, experiences that shaped his understanding of audience psychology and the power of shared experience. Early work at Disney as musician then producer-director, left deep impressions and lessons. That foundation carried forward into his executive work: audiences remember what they experience far longer than what they are told. He is a private pilot with over 4,500 hours logged in multiple aircraft, including jets. He continues playing and performing on trumpet, and guest lecturing and consulting.
He and his wife of more than fifty years live in Montana. They have ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
His new book, Trust In The Room reflects lessons learned over decades of working where leadership, risk, trust, and belief intersect—when the stakes are real. Written for high level Executives and those who aspire to senior leadershp.
Clients include American Airlines (35 years), Boeing, Sony (Japan)
NCR (37 years), AT&T, Disney, Universal, Pizza Hut, Rockwell International,
Eli Lilly (Germany) Wells Fargo, Coca Cola, Chevrolet, SONY Japan and USA,
Toyota, Bridgestone, Teradata, MasterCard International, Dassault Falcon (jets),
Galaxy Aerospace-IAI Aircraft, Learjet/Bombardier, Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruise Lines, Sempra Energy,
Qualcomm, Coca Cola and many others.
Film credits include three Imax films, two for the C.R. Smith (American Airlines) Museum in Dallas, multiple award winning documentaries, plus many award winning shorts and commercials. His feature film, “Proud American”, which he wrote and directed, was released nationally on 750 screens (Cinemark, AMC, Regal ++).
An independent production, the film features a veteran cast of actors from film and TV with Ashman’s signature heart touching stories and spectacular aerial images.
TV/Video credits include award winning documentaries, several TV network pilots , multi camera live broadcast (CBS) regional Emmy Awards Shows (director), and music videos.
In 2016 Ashman directed 10 episodes of broadcast 1 hour show, shot with a live audience of 300, 6 cameras with live band, celebrity acts, for broadcast in the SOCal market.
An experienced pilot (4,500 hours), Ashman is renowned for his aerial filming expertise. He is both director and co-pilot on the Learjet missions for films and commercials. Pictured below is the MU2N corporate jetprop.
Ashman is also a classically trained professional musician who during college led his own rock band with multiple appearances on the Disneyland stages, opened for Stevie Wonder in concert and has been a studio musician, produced and conducted studio sessions and shows with 50 piece live orchestras.
Boards of Directors: Ashman Served as board member of NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts and Science) Southwest Chapter, for the San Diego Model Railroad Museum https://www.sdmrm.org and as board member and Vice Chair of the San Diego Air & Space Museum (a Smithsonian Affiliate) https://sandiegoairandspace.org/
Aviation
Airplanes are business tools, time machines actually. Private aircraft allow people to manage time far more efficiently. For example commuting from San Diego to Hollywood area reduces a 2-5 hour drive to 40 minutes. That mean more tim spent working and getting home in time for dinner with family, even if it's Friday at rush hour.
Being a pilot with a company plane also allows enormous flexibility of schedules without dependence on airline schedules and no TSA line and early check in times. Being a pilot also opens the doors to new clients, like airlines, manufacturers like Cessna Jets, Dessault Falcon Jets, Galaxy Aerospace, Learjet who all became multi year clients.
Picture below: Ashman with MU2 turboprop (jet-prop). 300+mph, up to 25,000 feet, 1,500 mile range.
Model Trains
A model train enthusiast since age 10, the bug hit again in adulthood. The layout below was dismantled and sold but a new layout is under construction in Hamilton Montana.
Video link below
Times Square shot from helicopter in 70mm Imax
Below: Mitsubishi MU2 Jet Prop 8 pax 300+mph
Below... New Train Layout.
HO Scale 2025
HO Scale 2025
Below: Train Video
G Scale: Dec 2019
G Scale: Dec 2019
