Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of the successful Dickey’s Barbecue franchise, has congratulated Thomas and Stacey Hart on becoming Brand Champions due to their outstanding work in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Dallas, TX -- (SBWire) -- 12/08/2015 --For any business, the success of its brand is its lifeblood. Brands represent the underlying ideals by which a business identifies and relates to its customers, and championing the values of a brand can help strengthen that relationship between a business and its audience. Dickey's Barbeque is a hugely popular Texas barbecue chain with over 520 stores, and CEO Roland Dickey, Jr. is celebrating those who best embody the chain's brand values. The most recent Brand Championship awards has been given to Thomas and Stacey Hart, of Dallas, Texas.

Originally from the DFW Metropolex, Thomas and Stacey both grew up eating at Dickey's Barbecue Pit. In fact, Thomas' parents have been going to the same Dickey's every Wednesday for 40 years.

"Charlotte is a great barbecue city," Stacey says. "This city's barbecue focuses mostly on pork, so we are one of the only barbecue restaurants to serve good brisket." All generations of the Hart family love Dickey's, even down to the youngest child. Every time the family visited Texas, they had to stop at their favorite Dickey's to get a taste of their hometown. Eventually, Thomas' father suggested that the couple open a Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Charleston, as the city was missing a great Texas-style barbecue place. The rest is history! Stacey opened the store in 2013 and has been doing excellent business ever since.

The store in Charleston is located in a corporate part of town, and Stacey spends a lot of time catering to local businesses and bringing food to construction workers in the rapidly growing business park. "The bounce-back catering cards work wonders for our store. We see a lot of repeat business from secretaries and pharmaceutical reps that host frequent caterings, and the discount cards have made loyal guests out of these catering jobs, both professionally and personally." Catering accounts for 22% of the store's business, and Stacey uses community marketing tools regularly to continue to build her business.

A spokesperson for Roland Dickey, Jr. explained, "Roland was insistent from the beginning that we implement the best and most comprehensive support system for our franchisees, and ensure they felt part of our family. Thomas & Stacey have really reciprocated that family feeling, and have given back more than we could ever have expected, which is why Roland is so pleased to recognize them as Dickey's Barbecue brand champions."

About Roland Dickey, Jr.
Roland Dickey, Jr. is the CEO of Dickey's Barbeque chain of fast-casual restaurants, and has led the franchise to over 500 stores and multiple awards, as well as being named one of the top 20 most influential restauranteurs. He regularly travels the country speaking at events and conferences on how franchises can reach the next level.

For more information please visit: http://www.rolanddickeyjr.com/