Decades of Independent AR Authority

Decades of Independent AR Authority

The depth of experience has made KCG the independent authority on AR strategy and trusted by professionals and teams to interpret the analyst marketplace, challenge conventional thinking, and make better decisions.

Our independence is fundamental to that authority. KCG has no financial ties to any analyst firm, vendor, or research house, so our guidance is shaped only by what is true, useful, and in the best interests of the AR professionals we serve.

The depth of experience has made KCG the independent authority on AR strategy and trusted by professionals and teams to interpret the analyst marketplace, challenge conventional thinking, and make better decisions.

Our independence is fundamental to that authority. KCG has no financial ties to any analyst firm, vendor, or research house, so our guidance is shaped only by what is true, useful, and in the best interests of the AR professionals we serve.

THE STORY

Built for Analyst Relations

Founded in 1998 by former Gartner analyst Bill Hopkins, KCG was created to help Analyst Relations professionals better understand the analyst marketplace and make smarter, more confident decisions. Nearly three decades later, KCG remains focused exclusively on advancing the AR profession and supporting the people and teams responsible for it.

KCG brings together three essential pillars: community, content, and context. We connect AR professionals so they can learn from one another, provide independent content informed by decades of research and observation, and add the context teams need to apply those insights to their own organizations.

Together, these pillars give AR professionals a trusted place to ask difficult questions, challenge conventional thinking, stay ahead of changes across the analyst landscape, and strengthen the strategic value of their programs.

A TRACK RECORD

Our Record Speaks for Itself.

1998
Founded on Independence
The firm that wouldn't take sides
Bill Hopkins starts KCG on a single premise, carried over from his time at Gartner: analyst relations only works when the counsel behind it has no strings attached.
Jun 1998
The Article That Started It
Before the letterhead, before the first hire.
The Community, Content, Context framework is codified. KCG moves from project work to a repeatable system for building sustained analyst influence.
Nov 2000
Velocity 2K
KCG's first stage.
KCG hosts its first conference, at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, launching the event model that becomes KCG Connects.
Mar 2003
The Mystical Box Chart
A system, not a guess.
KCG publishes its first proprietary analyst-positioning model, plotting firms and analysts by exposure to buyers and influence over IT purchasing, the forerunner of the analytical rigor KCG still applies today.
Oct 2005
KCG Connects Begins
Community becomes the model.
The inaugural KCG Connects AR networking event convenes. Some of the AR professionals in the room that day are still active AR Tribe members.
Oct 2006
Influencing the Influencers
The book that named the discipline.
Bill publishes the first edition, cementing analyst relations as a distinct, teachable practice rather than a byproduct of PR or marketing.
2013
KCG RIAs Launched
Measuring what analysts are worth.
Research Impact Analysis becomes KCG's first metrics product, giving clients a way to quantify the value of specific analysts, firms, and reports instead of guessing.
2016–2017
EIAs and SIAs Launched
The measurement system expands.
Exposure Impact Analysis and Signature Research Impact Analysis extend KCG's metrics into competitive tracking, digitizing vendor performance against competitors on signature research.
2023
25 Years, and the AR Tribe
Independence, scaled.
KCG marks 25 years by launching the AR Tribe and the KCG Essential Content Engine, turning two decades of practice into a community and content system built for the next one.
2026
KCG 3.0
AI enters the practice.
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THE TEAM

The People Behind the Work.

The People Behind the Work.

Founder and CEO
Bill Hopkins
Bill Hopkins
Founder and CEO
Bill has 40 years of direct experience across every side of this industry, as a soldier, IT practitioner, vendor, industry analyst, entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, and KCG is the firm he built from that vantage point. Clients come to him when the decision is complex and they need a perspective not shaped by vendor relationships or analyst incentives.
His drink order is always water, his reasoning equally direct: hydrate or die.
President & Partner
Jeff Turner
Jeff Turner
President & Partner
Jeff has 25 years of experience in commercial strategy, market development, and research operations across technology, healthcare, and professional services. Before KCG, he served as VP of Research and Client Operations at The Futurum Group.
Every other year, he joins a medical mission trip to the Philippines.
Director of Research
Dustin Stanton
Dustin Stanton
Director of Research, Innovation, and Client Solutions
Dustin played offensive line for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys before bringing that same discipline to analyst relations. He developed two of KCG's core research tools: the Research Impact Analysis (RIA)™ and KCG Benchmark™.
He can solve a Rubik's cube in under three minutes.
SR. Manager, Strategic Client Partnerships
Luke Zimmermann
Luke Zimmermann
SR. Manager, Strategic Client Partnerships
Luke spent years as an Account Executive at Gartner, working with both vendor and end-user organizations, which means he knows analyst relations from the inside. At KCG, he specializes in Contract Optimization and Gartner strategy, helping clients navigate renewals, restructures, and new analyst relationships.
He spent five weeks working remotely in Peru and made it to Machu Picchu.
Client Success Coordinator
Jeanna Magee
Jeanna Magee
Client Success Coordinator & Media Manager
Jeanna came to KCG from broadcast media, where she produced and hosted radio programs. She's the first person most new clients meet, leading onboarding, managing platform access, and keeping projects on track across AR Tribe, Content Catalyst, and Master Class I Training and Certification.
She starts every morning with a cup of Earl Grey.
Partner Emeritus (Retired)
Stephen England
Stephen England
Partner Emeritus (Retired)
Stephen scaled MicroWarehouse from $150M to $2.5B in revenue and took it public at a $3B market cap. With 25 years in analyst relations, he advises on analyst firm contracts, organizational structure, and budget strategy. He remains a trusted voice at KCG as Partner Emeritus.
His drink of choice is a London Mule — gin and ginger beer.
CPA | Accountant
Cathy Rioux
Cathy Rioux
CPA | Accountant
Cathy is KCG's accountant, keeping the numbers straight behind the scenes. She also runs her own firm, providing bookkeeping, financial reporting, and analysis for small businesses.
If creme brulee is on the menu, the decision is already made.
Creative Director
Austin Richardson
Austin Richardson
Creative Director
Austin has 20+ years in brand identity, web design, and creative operations. At KCG, he leads the visual identity system and site build, from the rebrand through the Framer site and AI product marketing. Clients come to him when the work needs to feel as sharp as the thinking behind it.
Austin serves churches and faith-based nonprofits through his design practice.

MISSION, VISION, VALUES

What Drives the Work

Mission

To support and elevate Analyst Relations professionals, AR teams, and AR stakeholders.

Vision

To be the most trusted and valued partner in the AR industry.

Values

Client-Centric

Standard of Excellence

Collaborative

Integrity

Continuous Learning

Unbiased

Sense of Urgency

CONNECT

CONNECT

Ready to Work with KCG?

Start with a conversation.

WHEN TO ENGAGE

Reach out

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