Christopher Ebel – Vice President of Marketing, Brownells, Inc.
Contact Information
- LinkedIn: [Christopher Ebel Profile](http://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherebel)
- Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
- Current Company: Brownells, Inc.
- Current Position: Vice President of Marketing
Current Role & Responsibilities
Christopher Ebel serves as the Vice President of Marketing at Brownells, Inc., a position he has held since August 2023. In this capacity, he oversees all marketing operations for a nine-figure direct-to-consumer business, emphasizing profitability and brand development. He leads a team of 26 professionals, managing and executing innovative, data-driven marketing strategies.
Ebel’s approach leverages deep marketing analytics expertise—driving improvements in promotional optimization, conversion rates, and customer engagement. His leadership is distinguished by a consistent focus on profitable growth and efficient marketing execution within both traditional and digital channels.
Professional Background
Ebel’s extensive marketing experience spans major retail and automotive organizations, where he has delivered enhanced revenue and customer acquisition programs. His prior positions include:
- Assistant Vice President, Marketing
Pep Boys-Manny, Moe & Jack
(Jan 2022 – Aug 2023)
- Director, Pricing Strategy
Ashley Furniture Industries
(Jan 2021 – Jan 2022)
- Senior Manager, Pricing & Growth Strategy
Advance Auto Parts
(Jan 2020 – Jan 2021)
- Manager, Performance Marketing
Advance Auto Parts
(Jan 2019 – Jan 2020)
- Associate Manager, Media & Analytics
Bridgestone Americas
(Jan 2016 – Jan 2019)
- Sr. Marketing Operations & Insights Analyst
Optum
(Jan 2015 – Jan 2016)
- Marketing Insights Specialist / Digital Marketing & Analytics Specialist
UL Solutions
(2013 – 2015)
- Sales & Marketing Analytics Intern
PlayCore
(2013)
This career trajectory highlights a synthesis of performance marketing, pricing strategy, analytics, and leadership across Fortune 1000 and multi-national enterprises.
Education Credentials
- MBA, Master of Business Administration
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(2020 – 2022)
- Bachelor of Science, Economics
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
His valid academic foundation gives him a solid footing in both technical marketing skills and high-level business strategy.
Professional Skills and Interests
- Expertise:
- Data-driven marketing
- Pricing strategy and growth optimization
- Brand development and management
- Direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing
- Team leadership and talent development
- Professional Interests:
- Emerging technologies and their applications in marketing
- Digital transformation in retail and e-commerce
- Customer engagement innovation
- Strategic partnerships and organizational growth
Company Overview: Brownells, Inc.
Brownells, Inc. is a prominent private retailer and e-commerce platform within the firearms and sporting goods sector. The company is headquartered in Iowa, and was founded in 1939. Brownells is recognized for its large-scale, direct-to-consumer approach, with a nine-figure revenue portfolio and over 340 employees.
Executive Leadership at Brownells:
- Frank Brownell: Chairman
- Chad Martin: CEO & CFO
- Jon Pettlon: COO
- Jennifer Carlson: VP, Merchandising & Supply Chain
- Meg Ruzek: VP, HR
- Pete Brownell: CEO
Ebel's role places him alongside Brownells' top executives and implicates him in C-level decision making regarding marketing direction, digital strategy, and growth initiatives.
Actionable Insights
Christopher Ebel’s current responsibilities and background reflect significant authority in marketing allocation decisions, technology adoption, and vendor partnerships at Brownells. His history of adopting emerging marketing technologies and focus on analytics-driven growth suggest a high receptiveness to innovative solutions demonstrating clear impact on ROI, conversion efficiency, or customer lifecycle optimization.
Ebel’s team size and leadership experience verify his central role in evaluating and implementing external platforms or agency partnerships, especially those that can complement Brownells’ DTC retail focus. His analytical and strategic mindset will prioritize solutions that can integrate seamlessly with advanced data or performance marketing infrastructure.
His demonstrated interest in emerging technologies and leadership development further underscores an openness to collaborative, growth-oriented business relationships, particularly if they offer measurable improvements in marketing process or outcomes.
Summary of Key Points
- VP of Marketing, Brownells, Inc.; oversees all marketing for a nine-figure DTC business
- Direct report leadership over 26 marketing professionals
- Strong background in marketing analytics, pricing strategy, and digital marketing within automotive and retail sectors
- MBA from UNC Chapel Hill; B.S. in Economics from UT Chattanooga
- Known for cultivating high-performing teams, embracing emerging tech, and optimizing for measurable growth
- Positioned to make or influence significant marketing and technology investment decisions within Brownells