Snowmobile Trailblazer Keeps Speeding Ahead at Trillium Woods

When you sit down with Marlys Knutson, it doesn’t take long to realize you’re talking to someone who has lived several remarkable lives in one. From her early days in Minnesota to a groundbreaking career in marketing and communications, Knutson has always thrown herself wholeheartedly into new experiences and champions learning by doing. Though she is retired and enjoying a maintenance-free lifestyle, she still remains active and dynamic, having found the perfect home at Trillium Woods, a vibrant senior living community in Plymouth, Minn.

Building a Career from the Ground Up

Knutson grew up near Lake Minnetonka, raised by her mother alongside three sisters. From an early age, she understood the value of hard work and practical experience. “My family didn’t have the money to send me to college, so in high school, I enrolled in the Minnesota Office Education Association program,” Knutson explains. “It was a two-year program. I spent one year in the class learning and the second year on the job. I was in school four hours a day. I looked at myself and said, ‘you’ve got to learn everything you can as fast as you can and get some great mentors and learn from them.’”

Her career began at a photography studio, working with major clients like Tonka Toys, which soon recruited her directly. “I had some great bosses that were happy to turn over their work to me, and that’s how I learned,” she continues. “Back then, if you wanted to get the experience, you could get the experience. And I just kept pushing forward… even if I didn’t really know what the assignment was, I figured it out.”

At Tonka, she found her footing in consumer marketing, eventually attending major industry events like Toy Fair in New York and helping shape campaigns for nationally recognized brands.

But it was her next move that defined her legacy and helped her discover one of her life’s passions.

“After that, I was hired by Polaris. The CEO of Tonka Toys knew the CEO of Polaris, because they were both part of the Young Presidents Organization from Harvard. I took an interview with Polaris after three months of them pursuing me, just to get them off my back. I really wasn’t interested in going there until I met them. The next day I was sent an offer and went to work at Polaris two weeks later.”

She spent 33 years at Polaris. “I’m proud to say, other than snowmobiles — because I wasn’t born yet when they came out— I helped introduce every product Polaris came out with up until I retired in 2016.” She helped sell an impressive line-up that included ATVs, personal watercraft, and motorcycles.

Discovering a Passion for Snowmobiling

She became a trailblazer in a male-dominated industry, especially within the snowmobile world, where she not only marketed the products but also learned to ride and fully immerse herself in the culture. “Before I worked at Polaris, I hadn’t really been into snowmobiles,” Knutson says. “I’d been behind somebody once, but I realized that if I was going to be really good at my job, I had to learn how to be really good at riding.”

On her first photo shoot, the test drivers in Roseau showed her the ropes. “It didn’t take me very long to say, ‘Wow, this is really cool.’ After that, I just couldn’t drink it in fast enough.”

Her work took her across the country and beyond, orchestrating massive events, leading dealer meetings with thousands of attendees, and even participating in a reenactment of a historic snowmobile expedition across Alaska.

“I focused a lot on gals because there weren’t a lot of women who were riding at that time. And it was kind of lonely to be the only gal in the pack,” Knutson explains. “We did what we called a ‘Way Out Women’s Ride’ to kick off our new theme, which was ‘The Way Out.’ We had teams of girls start off in Newfoundland, British Columbia, Maine, and Washington — four people in each group. They each rode their state or province, then they passed off the sleds to the group from the next state or province. The last riders all ended up in Roseau all together.”

Along the way, she earned industry recognition, including induction into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame.

Choosing the Next Chapter

In addition to professional achievements, Knutson lived a full, happy life with her husband of 38 years before he passed away, which included a period of caring for him through a long illness. “That part was hard,” she reflects, but like so much in her life, she found a way forward by leaning on support systems, adapting, and continuing to grow. After retiring in 2016, Knutson spent nearly a decade in the home she and her husband had built together. But as she approached 70, she began thinking ahead.

“I wanted to chart my own course,” she says.

That mindset led her to explore senior living options carefully and intentionally. After considering several communities, she ultimately chose Trillium Woods, the region’s premier senior living community. She was drawn by the new construction offered in its recent expansion and the ability to customize so much of her new home, but the biggest factor was the sense of warmth and welcome she felt each time she visited.

Her move was no small undertaking, but she had plenty of help. “Trillium Woods has so many resources and connected us with LivNow Relocation. They helped me with realtors, housing, moving, downsizing. After 47 years in my home, I sold it — in just one day. I just could not have had a better experience.”

Finding Community and Connection

Life at Trillium Woods has offered Knutson something she deeply values — connection — and she has embraced the social fabric of the community.

“I live on the fourth floor, and we call our lounge ‘Lounge 54,’ because it’s Building 5, Floor 4,” she says. “Every month, we have a get-together. Now that we’ve gotten to know each other, we’re having fun with a question of the month to get a little discussion going.”

She also enjoys attending huge group dinners in Trillium Woods’ new Bistro, “It’s so much fun to get together and get to know the neighbors better,” she says.

She’s also been pleasantly surprised by how engaged the staff is. “They regularly reach out to residents for feedback and encourage participation in wellness and lifestyle programs tailored to their interests,” Knutson says.

Still Engaged, Still Giving Back

Even in retirement, Knutson hasn’t slowed down. She serves on the boards of both the Iron Dog Brigade and the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame, continuing to shape the industry she helped build. Her work includes reviewing nominations, selecting inductees, and participating in events across North America.

All in all, Knutson has found a perfect balance as she maintains connections to her friends and passions outside of the community, while building a social network and new interests on the Life Plan community’s campus. “I just could not be happier to be here,” she says.

Learn More About Trillium Woods

Discover if the vibrant, maintenance-free Trillium Woods lifestyle could be right for you or someone you love. Schedule a visit at https://www.trilliumwoodslcs.com/#/further/55.