Who We Are
About Us
As a farm kid born and raised on a farm 10 miles southeast of Fairview, Brandon learned about hard work early. Brandon’s parents both operated businesses, which led to a busy childhood. “I can still hear my dad saying ‘there’s always something to do!”, Brandon jokes.
After completing high school in Fairview, Brandon pursued business and athletics at Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) and then at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) where he studied Radio and Television Arts.
His professional history includes a wide variety of fields, from seed cleaning at Golden Acre Seeds, to graveyard cleanup at Canfor, to selling at Future Shop to running his family quicklube shop in Peace River. “I’ve worked a lot of different jobs through the years, learned from some great people along the way, but at the end of the day, couldn’t see myself in those roles as a career, so I’d move on, learning and trying new things.” Radio, though — whether organizing special events or writing, recording, producing and selling ads — has always had a special place in his heart. However, he wanted to expand beyond radio into new avenues and marketing channels, specifically digital marketing.
“I’m not great at just accepting mediocrity,” he says, laughing.
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Now, with Ignite, Brandon says he appreciates being able to give his creativity free reign. “I love that we have no limitations,” he says. “If something new comes along that’s worth pursuing, we can be at the forefront. It’s all up to us. Marketing is always changing, especially on the digital side, so we need to work daily to stay ahead.”
He’s a self-professed data nerd and with everything they do, information reigns supreme. “I love data and analytics,” he says. “We can learn so much from our efforts in a short time, so we can constantly be evolving and improving.”
One thing he loves about Ignite’s work is that it’s never boring and suits his endlessly optimistic outlook. “We have a fresh take on the business world, and we’ve been successful in injecting new ideas and finding ways for our clients to be successful through different strategies.” Brandon remarks. “Working as a radio rep locally was one of the best experiences of my life. On the daily, I got to sit with business owners and managers from so many different categories of business, gaining a unique perspective into their marketing challenges, every day was an education. And through that experience, I was introduced to my business partner Coree-Ann and the best business mentor in the game, Dennis Chopko.“
When Brandon’s not deep in data-driven research or strategic planning, he can often be found immersed in music, writing jingles, playing guitar, piano or drums in Ignite’s in-office music studio (the ‘lab’). He’d otherwise be spending time with his wife and 3 kids or seeking an endorphin high with snowboarding or playing basketball.
Coree-Ann’s upbringing was filled with change. Having lived in Cochrane, Saskatoon, Kelowna, Arkansas, Black Diamond, Calgary, High River and Red Deer – she now calls Grande Prairie home.“I’m grateful for having been shuffled around so much because of my dad’s job, I’ve had so many experiences that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
After finishing high school in High River, she graduated with a Business Diploma from Red Deer College and then a Bachelor’s Degree in Business with a Major in Marketing from the University of British Columbia-Okanagan.
Living in so many wildly different locations, she learned to make friends with almost anyone. “Moving around really taught me that it doesn’t matter what you look like or what your background is,” she says. “Everyone has something to offer the world and we are all human on the inside.”
It’s something that serves her well playing her part in Ignite’s operations. “I love working with people,” she says. “I’m really good at connecting with people, understanding them and relating to them. I’m not afraid to ask and I’m honest to a fault.”
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Radio was her niche before launching Ignite. In this fast-paced world she specialized in advertising sales, content creation and production. Now Coree-Ann puts this experience to work every day at Ignite, in tandem with her background in business and marketing. Her drive and passion are what make it fun for her.
“I love finding the best deal for our clients,” she says. “I love knowing the right questions to ask in order get the best deal for them. I love negotiating and finding win-win situations. I love building relationships. I could go on for a long time, there’s so much I love about what we do.”
When she’s not working out exciting new strategies with clients, Coree-Ann can often be found spending time with her family skiing or roasting hot dogs around a fire. “I love to sit by the fire with a cold beer in my hand,” she laughs. If you can’t find her there, she might be working away at her family acreage, tending to her chickens, garden and greenhouse or honey bees at home.
Though born in Czechoslovakia, Tomas Krejcar (Krates-are) has lived in the Grande Prairie Area nearly all his life. His unique combination of artistic talents, logical thinking and a passion for programming made website design a natural choice for him. “A website must serve two masters; the site owner and the site user. Helping the user helps the owner.”
For many years Tomas ran his own webdesign business out of Beaverlodge. In order to be able to offer more comprehensive services and focus on his core skillset, he has joined forces with Ignite Marketing & Productions. Tomas also lived in his native country for six years while working for a software design company in the Czech Republic. He has an Associates Degree focused in Web Design from BCIT but he is proud of his ability to learn and problem solve on his own. “Maybe they should teach Effective Googling at school…”
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Tomas has too many interests to list them all. When he’s not working on the computer he likes oil painting and creative crafts. He likes to spend time at home with his wife and four kids teaching them arts and programming. “I love computers and technology and designing pleasing and efficient user experiences. If I were born in a previous era, I would have been a watchmaker and goldsmith.”
Tomas brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a desire to stay ahead of the constantly evolving digital world. We are enthusiastic to have him as a partner of Ignite.
William was born and raised in Grande Prairie and knows the area like the back of his hand. Growing up, he was always known to buy and sell items online, running around town looking for the best deals to trade them for profit. “I have always been captivated by the power of digital connections and how suddenly you can reach people you would otherwise never meet in person.” From those early days of experimentation, William has brought his knack for entrepreneurship into the realm of marketing. His passion for business brought him to study at the University of Alberta School of Business, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Strategic Management and Organization. During his studies, he discovered the importance of learning, research, time management, and hard work.
“I love working with people; for me, it’s all about connecting with audiences, understanding needs, and creating experiences that resonate with people.” Working with people to create successful campaigns is a highlight of his job. From the research to the implementation, William is always focused on maximizing results and creating a winning scenario.
When he is not crafting marketing magic, you can catch William creating music or being active. “I love music and could not live without it; a world without it would be very, very boring” he says in a laugh. He has been singing and playing piano for over twelve years with strong involvement in the Grande Prairie Boy’s Choir and Conservatory Piano. Outside of music, William loves being active. If he’s not playing soccer, he can be found riding his mountain bike, hiking, or in the gym.
“I’m committed to what I do, and when I set my mind on something, I get it done properly.” William brings his knowledge and enthusiasm to the marketing world. Whether he’s collaborating on a new project or simply brainstorming ideas, he is eager to embark on a new journey.