The Team

Steve Chandler

Owner / Brand Strategist

20+ Years of Place Branding

8 State Tourism Conference Speaker on Place Branding

133 destinations

Steve is a recognized speaker and a leading practitioner on the topic of place branding and destination planning. With already more than six years experience in place marketing and branding services, Steve started Chandlerthinks in 2010 to provide consulting for destinations seeking to make their destination organization, along with their brand, marketing and communications, stronger.

Steve has personally worked on over 130 community and destination branding projects. His experience in similar projects gives him the nuanced knowledge, skills and diplomacy needed to guide, work with and lead local stakeholders. Some of his more recent project work can be seen in what is taking shape in communities such as: Salisbury-Rowan County, North Carolina; Jefferson, Wisconsin; Macon, Georgia; Douglasville, Georgia; Seguin, Texas; Ennis, Texas; Cedarburg, Wisconsin; Village of Northfield, Illinois; Columbus, Georgia and many more.

Greg Fuson

Director of Research & Community Engagement, TMP, FEP

25 Years leading Destination Research

160+ destinations

Avid Fly Fisherman and Fly Tyer

Greg has been helping clients understand their market through research for more than 25 years. He has developed his skills in survey design and management for both quantitative and qualitative areas of research. He oversees survey design, group questionnaires and analysis; and has been part of the Chandlerthinks team since the beginning.

Greg has managed studies for a number of national-branded clients, including a stint as the Director of Research for the Country Music Association. But his passion is in marketing research for places. Greg has worked with over 150 communities around the country. Greg is also deeply involved in helping cities determine the economic impact of festivals and events. Leading this effort for Chandlerthinks, he helps cities and organizers understand the value and importance in measuring and tracking those statistics.

Kevin Hinson

Creative Director / Brand Strategist / Design Lead

20+ Years Place Branding

Award-winning Creative Director, Brand Strategist, Designer

Helped launch the Beaches of South Walton Brand (30A)

Was lead creative on the Pigeon Forge Brand for 8 years

Helped renew the aging brand of the Greenbrier Hotel

Created The Kentucky Wildlands Tourism Brand

Created the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Brand

Other Tourism Destination Brand Development:

Allegany County / Georgia’s Trail of Legacy & Lore / Gulf County, FL / Passages of the Western Potomac / Cajun Coast, LA / State of Mississippi Tourism / Petersburg, Alaska

Other National Branding Work:

Jack Daniels / Schneider Electric / Bridgestone Golf / Peabody Hotel / Grand Cypress Resorts

Cindy Sargent

Creative Director / Brand Strategist / Copy, Story Development Lead

20+ Years of Place Branding

Award-winning Creative Director, Brand Strategist, Copywriter

Developed the Music City Tourism Brand

Created the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Brand

Other Tourism Destination Brand Development:

Lake Guntersville, AL / Georgia’s Trail of Legacy & Lore / Gulf County, FL / Independence, MO / Cajun Coast, LA

Other National Branding Work:

HGTV / Sony / Tiffin Motorhomes / Dean Foods / Beechcraft / FOX Television Network / Schneider Electric

Susan Ewing

Place Branding Project Manager

20 Years of Marketing & Branding

17 Chandlerthinks Projects

Every team has that one person that oversees the timing and attention to details for the entire project. This is Susan. She’s strategic and organized. Exactly what’s needed for a consulting project with deliverables and timelines that need to be met. With more than twenty years of demonstrated success in planning and implementing sound, strong and effective marketing solutions for clients, she is now leveraging her expertise to help Chandlerthinks place branding projects.

Combining relevant classic branding experience and efficiency in project management is Susan’s passion. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong work ethic, flexibility, and extraordinary attention to detail.

Susan is a classic brand builder out of Memphis, working at some of the regions top advertising agencies. She applies big idea thinking to on-the-floor implementation. She keeps the team focused on results.

Kaylyn Bruehl

Operations & Marketing Manager

20 Years in Marketing, Fundraising and Executive Recruiting

Newest Member of the Chandlerthinks Team

husband, 2 sons & 1 golden doodle daughter

Kaylyn may be new(er) to the Chandlerthinks team but she is no stranger to knowing Steve as they first met on The Hill at Western Kentucky University. Kaylyn supports the hardworking Chandlerthinks team through marketing, operations and project management. Her professional background includes past roles in executive recruiting as well as marketing, event planning and financial development.