Chris Winkler, Founder & CEO
A 20-year market research veteran, Chris Winkler started Sift Research in 2020. Prior to Sift, Chris spent most of his career at a large, global market research company, where he served as a Vice President in the Automotive Division. During his 13 years there, he led teams conducting research projects for ten different automotive OEMs and several Tier 1 suppliers. Chris has conducted over 200 different projects of various methodological approaches during his career and this work spans the globe - he has executed projects in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. He is an expert with automotive clinics (static and dynamic), telematics and infotainment usability, focus groups, feature tests, asynchronous qualitative, ethnographies, online surveys, and intercepts.
During Chris’s tenure in the automotive space, he has gained valuable insight into project best practices and potential pitfalls. He truly understands how to run a successful project from initial design, to execution, to the final data analysis. His understanding of the automotive market and his many contacts within the industry allow him to provide meaningful insight at all phases of the project.
The early part of Chris’s career was spent managing recruiting/interviewing call centers and focus group facility projects. This early experience gave him tremendous insight into the details and processes that are integral parts of successful research projects and an expert level understanding of the little things that can impact a project behind the scenes.
Chris started his market research career shortly after earning his Bachelor of Science in Marketing at San Diego State University. In his spare time, Chris enjoys exercise and spending time with his children, which entails a lot of trips to the beach (when he’s not coaching their youth sports’ teams).