Our Team

Dan Copeland was born in 1955 and spent the first 19 years of his life in Jackson, Michigan. He graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1984. In 1987, Dan moved to Fort Wayne, Ind., to start Business People. For over 30 years, Dan has led the company. He has two daughters, one who is active in the business and the other lives and works in Michigan. He is involved in the local community through various non-profit agencies. He enjoys golf, snow skiing and travel. 

Karla St. Myers, editor 
kstmyers@businesspeople.com  

Upon graduating from Indiana University in Bloomington with a degree in journalism, Karla joined the Business People team as an editorial intern. She then came on board as a freelance writer and now, several years later, as editor. Meeting new people in Fort Wayne and supporting their businesses through writing and communication has always been a passion of hers. Outside of working hours, you can find Karla spending time with her husband, two little girls and her dog, trying new restaurants around the Fort Wayne area and partaking in local events and happenings. Coffee, spending time with family and friends, and shopping are amongst her other favorite things.

Emily started working for Business People in 2004 as the ad coordinator. After gaining experience and learning about all aspects of the company, she took over the office manager position in October 2009 and was promoted to VP of Operations in 2014. She has a degree in marketing from IPFW and strives to bring a fresh perspective to Business People. Emily got married in March 2015 to Mark Burnworth and they welcomed their son, Colin, in March 2016. Emily enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends and has a passion for magazines. She feels privileged to work with the Business People team and feels blessed for the opportunities she has been given. 

Though Andrea has had a varied career path, a common theme prevails - sales. When you’re good at something, why rock the boat, right? During her 20 year career in sales, she was a corporate travel agent, helped schools meet their goals while working at Scholastic Books, worked as an account executive for a technology company and then joined the Business People staff. Though she loved her position at Business People, she wanted to broaden her scope of experience, so in 2009 she left to join the Holiday Inn staff. There she wore many hats and gained a wealth of experience, but when a position in non-profit was presented to her, she couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Though her career led her all over the Fort Wayne business landscape, she always had a desire to come back to Business People. In August of 2013, her dream came true. She rejoined the Business People staff and says that “it feels good to be home.” Andrea has one son who is her pride and joy. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening. She dreams of perfecting her golf game (though she says she still has a ways to go), is always looking for the best bargain and believes that when all else fails, the perfect pair of shoes can save the day.  

Danielle Hoelle, art director
dhoelle@businesspeople.com
 

Danielle joined Business People in September of 2012, a year after graduating from IPFW with a degree in graphic design. Outside the world of design, Danielle loves the art of self-expression through other creative outlets such as writing and photography. She also enjoys reading, music, watching movies, cooking and baking, spending time with her friends and her annual family vacations to North Redington Beach, Fla.

Brennah Yoder, operations manager
brennah@bppromos.com

Brennah joined BPPromos, a division of Business People, in September 2019 after graduating from Grace College in December 2018. Graduating from Grace College with two degrees in marketing and facility and event management, she now manages the internal sales operations for BPPromos. She enjoys researching the latest trends in promotional products and branded apparel to best assist her team. During her time at Grace College, Brennah assisted with coordinating the Women's Ministry Program and was awarded with membership in the Sigma Beta Delta Business Honor Society. Presently, she enjoys being a part of her church community in Fort Wayne. In her spare time, you can find Brennah exploring new coffee shops with her husband Caleb, hosting friends and family in their home, running on the Fort Wayne trails, or laughing along to the popular comedy Friends.

Brooke Harruff, project manager
brooke@bppromos.com

Brooke joined the BPPromos team in May 2022 after graduating from Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina with a degree in marketing. While at ASU, she had the opportunity to work as a marketing assistant for the Athletics Department, where she discovered her love for promotional merchandising. After living in North Carolina for seven years, she moved back home to Fort Wayne to be closer to friends and family. Outside of the office, Brooke is typically found binging the latest crime show or spending time with her two favorite pups, Steel and Leo. She also enjoys days on the lake and listening to rock music.