About Brand Champion and its people

Brand Champion helps businesses better bond with their communities by creating a strong emotional connection. If you make the people in your community feel better about your business (than the national chain or other competitor), then you will grow the fastest. It's really that simple.

We bring you science, research and a tested system built from years of experience to get the job done successfully. As a matter of fact, we have yet to work with a customer (who followed our recommendations) who hasn't been successful as a result of our strategies and recommendations.

Peter Starkel

Peter Starkel – Overseeing Brand Development and a Partner at Brand Champion since 1997. He has branded literally thousands of companies in 72 communities around the United States and Canada. Peter’s clients enjoy an average annual growth of 31%, usually with lower marketing costs.

Prior to working at Brand Champion, he spent 10 years in the broadcast industry operating and consulting radio stations. He developed a reputation as a turn around specialist with sales departments.

He has dual degrees in Journalism and Broadcast Management from Grand Valley State University and postgraduate studies at the Central Rockies Leadership Council. Peter has been trained directly by marketing giants Jack Trout, Harry Beckwith and Roy Williams.

Jon Lockwood

For years Jon Lockwood examined, wrote, experimented with and collaborated to create advertising. This led to innumerable creative awards, including the coveted $20,000 Gold Radio Mercury Award in 1996 and the only National Gold ADDY awarded for a local Radio commercial in 1997. Acclaim for Jon's ad craftsmanship led to his opening The Lockwood Agency in 1998. Today, twenty years into his advertising career, Lockwood is convinced that good advertising is not very effective for an irrelevant business. Now, as partner and head of creative strategy at Brand Champion, he is committed to helping businesses evolve.

Tracey Kurdziel

Tracey has spent time in both the corporate world at the industry trade association Automotive Industry Action Group and as an artist/photographer and graphic designer. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design and BA in Advertising from Michigan State University. Tracey is primarily responsible for Creative Management as Brand Champion's Creative Director. She has worked with hundreds of clients in 22 industries developing advertising campaigns.

Lynda Starkel

Lynda has worked in retail management and consulting the retail industry since the late 1980's for Pier One, WH Smith, The Sharper Image and others. Her practical sense helps her create realistic retail strategies for Brand Champion clients. Lynda has a BS in Marketing from Indiana University. She has served as Managing Partner and Controller for Brand Champion since it's inception.

Chad Rickman

Chad has done more than most people his age. He has worked on SEO projects for Dell Computers, Microsoft and two dozen other Fortune 500 companies. At age 19, he started his own web-consulting firm, putting himself through college. Chad is an Eagle Scout, and is Brand Champion's web consultant, working with many of our high profile clients. He works in 8 code languages in both Microsoft and Unix server environments.