Bill Dykstra and his wife, Ann, were co-founders of the Dykstra Consulting Group, a strategy and branding firm based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ann’s tree was the first to be planted in what Ed called the Garden of Friendship, which later became Memorial Walk.
The Dykstras consulted on a wide variety of Lowe’s Inc. projects from 1972 to 1980, which reflected Ed Lowe’s diverse interests. Among these were:
- Big Rock Valley’s use as a mammalian research and display center.
- Advertising for Jones Is Back, a tourist attraction that recreated a
small town from the early 1900s. - Packaging for Frenchy Bucksaw prepackaged firewood.
- Design of a “tray box” for Tidy Cat.
- Market testing for a seasoned flour, an experimental product
developed in partnership with Kentucky Kernel Seeds and Flour Co.
In addition, Dykstras introduced Ed in advertisements to help consumers become more familiar with the founder of Lowe’s Inc. (These included moving images as well as still photographs.)
During his career, Bill developed multiple companies and was a highly regarded business consultant and strategist, and he received many awards and recognition. One he was most proud of was his Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Indiana University in 1983.