Mayor Ashley Harris is a Rock Island native and graduate of Rock Island High School. He served in the U.S. Army for four years, fulfilling his tour of duty in Germany. He has been employed as a machinist at John Deere for 23 years and is a member of the UAW. He served on the board of Community Caring Conference before taking a position with CCC as an organizer for four years until 2024, while keeping his full-time job.