Control Systems, Surveys, and Strategy: Finding Meaning from Metrics Brings Career Success

Brian Fowler with Jenine Sparks 

Early Curiosity: Growing Up a Teacher’s Kid in Michigan

Jenine Sparks grew up as a TK (Teacher’s Kid) in a small town in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Her parents were experts in physics, chemistry, mathematics, history, and computer programming, fostering her love for the sciences and the arts. From conducting chemistry experiments to tinkering with her father’s old computer, Jenine learned to experiment and analyze from a young age, skills that would later shape her approach to research.

Jenine’s early curiosity taught her to approach challenges methodically and creatively. Her father encouraged both daughters to study engineering, saying, “With an engineering background, you can do almost anything you set your mind to.” He was not wrong. Jenine earned a full-tuition scholarship to Michigan Technological University, where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with honors.

High-Stakes Problem Solving in the Petrochemical Industry

Her career began in Houston, Texas, in the petrochemical industry at an engineering and construction firm. She worked onsite for various clients, from the local ship channel to the Twin Cities, on plant instrumentation, process controls, and shutdown systems. Her work directly contributed to improved plant safety and efficiency, giving her early experience in solving complex technical problems under high-stakes conditions. While in Houston, Jenine and other technical professionals received letters from the Michigan Governor’s Office urging them to return home. She answered the call, taking a client-side position in the silicones industry. 

Discovering Market Research Through Business and Curiosity

Over the next few years, Jenine earned seven recognition awards for outstanding performance, started a family, and pursued an MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Central Michigan University. Before starting the program, she did not know market research existed as a career path. She was fascinated by how analytical thinking and structured problem-solving could uncover human behavior patterns, bridging her engineering background with strategic business decisions.

After enjoying her first market research course, she asked her instructor to be her advisor and conducted a market research study for a local business as her thesis. Her advisor introduced her to several market research companies, which led her to apply to Gongos Research. As a mother, long stretches of travel for plant start-ups (lasting a few weeks to several months at a time) were less appealing, making Gongos the perfect opportunity to improve work-life balance.

Learning the Craft at Gongos Research

At Gongos Research, Jenine managed projects directly for founder John Gongos. With his mentorship, she quickly learned the ins and outs of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Notably, she oversaw projects from concept design to drive study, including focus groups, design clinics, drive clinics, segmentation, pricing, and features and functions studies. These projects culminated in a product launch that created significant buzz and was a widely celebrated advancement within the powersports industry.  

Expanding Horizons Through Remote Research at MarketVibes

During her six years at Gongos, she collaborated with VPs on new business efforts and project-tracking tools. One of those VPs eventually left Gongos to start a new company and recruited Jenine for over a year before she accepted. MarketVibes Sr. Research Associate, Jenine’s first remote position, allowed her to broaden her industry experience and learn survey programming and other skills.

While their largest clients were in durable goods, nutrition, animal health, and not-for-profit sectors, Jenine adapted quickly. Many of the research projects led to improvements resulting in award-winning product introductions (e.g., Best of NeoCon and other design awards). Though MarketVibes initially weathered the 2008 recession, lingering effects eventually led to layoffs, and Jenine began seeking new opportunities.

Navigating Complex Public Opinion at Stratalys Research

Stratalys Research, a boutique market research firm originally based in Washington, D.C., recognized Jenine’s talent. She admired the owner’s ingenuity and proprietary software, including Q2 (qualitative and quantitative online focus groups), Advertest, CopyEditor, and LiveRead. Remote and flexible, the role enabled her to participate actively in her children’s activities and local volunteer endeavors.

She worked on projects from end to end, moderating weekly Q2 chat sessions with around 30 participants per session to explore public opinion on national campaigns, public relations initiatives, Presidential speeches, and politically sensitive or hot-button issues. Additional studies focused on marketing and advertising initiatives for healthcare, financial, and technology clients, occasionally engaging global participants with real-time translations. 

Research on the Front Lines During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she conducted weekly Q2 sessions with policy influencers, healthcare workers, emergency personnel, and the public about quarantine concerns and potential vaccinations. She found it especially rewarding to hear directly from healthcare workers and policy influencers, understanding the real-world impact of decisions in uncertain times. While the work at Stratalys was fast-paced and impactful, it offered limited advancement, leading Jenine to seek a new opportunity.

Deepening Consumer Connection at Bellomy

At Bellomy, Jenine initially supported the energy and utilities team before expanding to food, beverage, and retail clients. Jenine believes that the best insights come from asking the right questions, listening closely to the stories behind the data, and engaging consumers directly through in-person research methods such as CLTs, shop-alongs, store intercepts, IDIs, and focus groups. This philosophy has guided her throughout her career.

She focused on improving procedures, mentoring early-career researchers, and moderating Discovery Sessions for stakeholders at all levels. Often leading multi-phase hybrid studies such as awareness and usage, journey mapping, segmentation, and willingness-to-pay studies, Jenine earned frequent praise for her project management and mentorship. In June of 2025, she received a peer-to-peer shout-out and Bettering Bellomy recognition.

Jenine finds mentoring especially rewarding, believing that guiding others to connect insights with business outcomes not only strengthens teams but also sharpens her own analytical and leadership skills. Sadly, she was among the many talented individuals laid off in July during company restructuring.

Continued Growth, Service, and Looking Ahead

Jenine is not one to sit idle. She continues to upskill, recently completing AI-related certifications while pursuing her next opportunity. She enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, riding her vintage motorcycle, photography, and creative pursuits. One day a week, she volunteers at Love INC, assisting with client intake and helping families with emergency needs, including keeping lights on, accessing food, or connecting them with other resources. She enjoys seeing the tangible difference her support makes in families’ lives. This hands-on problem-solving mirrors her professional approach to research, turning challenges into actionable solutions for those in need.

Through a career spanning engineering, market research, and leadership roles, Jenine Sparks has demonstrated adaptability, curiosity, and a commitment to both professional and personal growth, always striving to turn complex data into meaningful insights while supporting those around her. As she looks ahead, Jenine is eager to apply her unique blend of analytical rigor, creativity, and mentorship to drive meaningful impact in her next professional chapter as the Executive Director of her local Chamber of Commerce.

Jenine is pictured riding her restored 1971 Suzuki TS-185R Sierra through Metamora, Michigan, enjoying a fall color tour on a sunny afternoon. This is the same on-road/off-road motorcycle she rode as a teenager.