Oh, what a night! 2024 is here, and so are the 2023 award winners from across the Southwestern Family of Companies! The following SWFC businesses recently celebrated their annual awards and 2024 kickoff meetings a few weeks ago. Click below to jump to each section, or read the full article below!
Southwestern Advantage – Freddie Awards, Jan. 14, Renaissance Hotel, Nashville
SBR Consulting – 2024 Kickoff and Awards, Jan. 19, Prague, Czech Republic
Southwestern Consulting – Spencer Awards, Jan 25, City Winery, Nashville
ThinkingAhead Executive Search – 2024 Awards Banquet, Feb. 2, The Graduate Hotel, Nashville
Southwestern Advantage
The Southwestern Advantage Great Leadership Summit (GLS) 2024 began Friday, Jan 12 at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, TN. Attendees listened to presentations on sales, mentorship, and leadership along the theme of Perfect Effort, Perfect Planning, Perfect Execution, followed by the 25th Annual Freddies award ceremony on Sunday evening in the grand ballroom.
Lifetime Unit Record-Breaker Emil Tsvetkov and District Sales Leader of the Year Veiko Roos accept their awards.
Still setting the pace, District Sales Leader Emil Tsvetkov set a new record for Lifetime Units sold with 123,286 units. Awards were also given to 2024 District Sales Leader of the Year Veiko Roos, Field Sales Leader of the Year Zachery Benavidez, and Top Campus Worldwide, TalTech with 141,627 units.
(L to R): Zachery and Olivia Benavidez accept the Top Team Leader (Full-Time) Award. Zachery was also recognized for Field Sales Leader of the Year. Velislav Iliev accepts the Student Excellence Award.
The following outstanding individuals were also recognized for outstanding performance and achievement:
Top First Year Salesman: Luke Larkin
Super B (Second Year): Antoni Michal Golab
Top Experienced Salesman: Janis Strapcans
Top LEAD Revenue (In School): Barbara Chaul
Top LEAD Revenue (Experienced): Jack Wheeler
Top Online Subscribers (First Year): Michael Brown
Top Online Subscribers (Experienced): Vyvy Nguyen
Top Team Leader (Full-Time): Zachery and Olivia Benavidez
Nominees for the Student Excellence Award, an award nominated by SWA District Sales Leaders and Directors were Rosemary Chesney, Ilona Savik, Javier Mazzei-Soto, and Esther Schumann, with 2024 winner Velislav Iliev. To qualify, the nominee must be in school during the spring semester with a minimum of 3.0 GPA, bring a team of at least five to Sales School, and sell a minimum of 3,000 personal units.
Congratulations to all the Freddie award winners! 2024 is off to a strong start!
SBR Consulting
This past year, the SBR Consulting team saw records smashed and year-over-year growth for their 21st year in a row since launching in 2002. 2023’s theme was Own It, and it was a team effort.
SBR Consulting recently met in Prague, Czech. for their 2024 kickoff and awards on Jan. 19. New awards were created for Emily Best with the Project Management Award, for her excellence in managing large accounts. New arrival Kristína Kubáňová was also recognized during her first year for fantastic organization of the event, with the Operations team lead by Sarah Howard, Outstanding Contribution Award winner.
On the Czech side of the business, SBR welcomed Krystof Hon onto the management team for his record growth, and Jan Nekolný, smashing £1 million in sales and delivery combined – a massive feat for the Czech team.
Issy Chappel was promoted to Principal Consultant after a huge year of delivery. There was also exceptional growth from Dani Ivanov, leader of the Bulgarian team, as well records broken from Emma Prunier, Thomas Coles, Bill Bauer, Emile Hall, Dave Duke, and Matt Best.
The awards were capped by the usual pacesetters, setting the benchmark of top performance: Stuart Lotherington, Alan Morton, Jonny Adams, Jason Walkingshaw, and Josef Dvořák who all beat records in Closed Sales and Delivery.
SBR Double Diamond and Diamond Production Award Winners
Double Diamond Production Award: Stuart Lotherington
Diamond Production Award: Jonny Adams, Alan Morton
Gold Production Award: Krystof Hon, Josef Dvořák, Jason Walkingshaw
Bronze Production Award: Jan Nekolný
Platinum Delivery Award: Jonny Adams, Stuart Lotherington
Gold Delivery Award: Issy Chappel, Matt Best, Thomas Coles, Krystof Hon, Jason Walkingshaw, Alan Morton
Silver Delivery Award: Emile Hall, Dave Duke
Bronze Delivery Award: Emma Prunier, Bill Bauer, Jan Nekolný, Josef Dvořák
Personal Growth Award (Level 1): Daniel Ivanov, Krystof Hon
Personal Growth Award (Level 2): Thomas Coles, Jason Walkingshaw
Retention Award: Jan Nekolný, Josef Dvořák, Jonny Adams, Alan Morton, Stuart Lotherington
New Business Award: Josef Dvořák, Alan Morton, Stuart Lotherington
The awards were rounded out by President’s Club Incentive Trip winners Krystof Hon, Josef Dvořák, Jason Walkingshaw, Jonny Adams, Alan Morton, and Stuart Lotherington.
Congratulations to all the SBR Consulting award winners!
Southwestern Consulting
SWC Top 10 Producers with 2023 Top Producer David Linsmeyer. Linsmeyer broke the SWC record for the most new clients sold in a year.
Southwestern Consulting recently held its January 2024 Global Summit at SWFC Headquarters in Nashville, TN. SWC sales and leadership coaches met January 23-26 for a week of training, team-building, and fun, followed by the 10th annual Spencer Awards at City Winery on Thursday evening.
Top Producer Revenue awards went to 2023 Top Producer (Coaching) David Linsmeyer and Top Producer (Coaching) First-Year Sarah Landis, as well as 2023 Most New Clients Sold record-breaker David Linsmeyer, and 2023 Most New Clients Sold, First-Year, Victoria Buckmann.
Retention awards went to Matt Kirby, Top Retention (Selling) and Brandon Richardson, Top Retention (Coaching). The 2023 Million-Dollar Producer Club recipients were David Linsmeyer, Steve Reiner, and Dana Potthoff.
Marjorie Dudley was awarded the prestigious 2023 Coach of the Year award, for outstanding excellence in multiple facets of coaching. With an incentive trip to Portugal this spring for all qualifying coaches, SWC announced the 2025 incentive trip location as Hawaii during the dinner.
SWC 2024 Million-Dollar Producers David Linsmeyer, Steve Reiner, and Dana Potthoff.
The following individuals were also recognized for outstanding achievement and excellence:
Extrallence Award: Angie Moss
The Fighter Award: Jaye Haynes (Ops)
Designated Hitter: Sara Hodges (Ops)
Gaye Haynes Award for Operational Excellence: Payton Husain (Ops)
Admin of the Year: Liz Thomas (Ops)
Team Leader of the Year: Dave and Emmie Brown
New Team Leader of the Year: Kerri Tuttle
Org Leader of the Year: Ron Alford
Team Growth Award (Revenue): Positive Force
Client Results Award: John Renken
Superman Award (5 Strong): Matt Kirby
200 Club Award: Nate Zinn
(L to R): Andrew Hovelson accepts awards for 2024 Student Coach of the Year, Top Producer, Top Retention and the Superman Award. 2024 Coach of the Year Marjorie Dudley gets a hug from emcee Gena Parker. Emcee Sara Hodges presents Jaye Haynes with the Fighter Award.
Student Coaching Awards
SWC Student Coaching also recognized the following outstanding student coaches, led by Top Producer and 2024 Coach of the Year Andrew Hovelson:
Superman Trophy (5 Strong): Andrew Hovelson
Top Producer Rookie: Robert Harris and Jason Mahr
Top Retention (Coaching): Whitney Armstrong
Top Retention (Selling): Andrew Hovelson
Tutor Award: Stephanie Rivera and Whitney Armstrong
Fighter Award: Shelbye Hawkins
Designated Hitter Award: Whitney Armstrong
Extrallence Award: Constanza Zurita
Training Awards
The SWC Training Division recognized Top Producer (Revenue Realized) Emmie Brown
and Top Producer (Revenue Delivered) Christina Gradillas for being outstanding producers in the area of group sales and leadership trainings for 2023.
Congratulations to all the Southwestern Consulting award winners!
ThinkingAhead Executive Search
The ThinkingAhead Executive Search team recently celebrated its success in 2023 with their annual Compass event and awards night at the Graduate Hotel in Nashville on Feb. 2. The evening was led by emcee Hans Schlegel, including a special Thank You video for President Greg Boucher and the announcement of the 2025 President’s Club trip location to the Dominican Republic. The 2024 theme was G.R.I.T. to Greatness, with G.R.I.T. standing for the core values of Growth, Resiliency, Integrity, and Teamwork.
Production awards were led by Top Producer Trinity Taylor Scott (Platinum Plus), Courtney Rice, and Jen White (Platinum awards). Elise Gay won the prestigious Mosley Award for excellence in the area of team collaboration and executive search.
Platinum Plus and Platinum Award Winners Trinity Taylor Scott (2023 Top Producer), Courtney Rice, and Jen White.
Top Producer Award: Trinity Taylor Scott
Platinum Plus Award: Trinity Taylor Scott
Platinum Award: Jen White, Courtney Rice
Gold Award: Jonathan McIntosh, Kay Linder, Derek Schlender, Hans Schlegel, Brian Vogt
Silver Award: Alex Soto, Jessica Martinez, Heather Campbell, Elise Gay, J.W. Heflin, Cathy Moll, Dan Kuhar, Chris Spagnola
Bronze Award: Ryan Rasmussen, Jay Boone, Stephanie Maas
(L): Awards emcee Hans Schlegel tells a bedtime story to Jonathan McIntosh about the 2024 ThinkingAhead President’s Club trip to Punta Cana. (R): Mosley Award Winner Elise Gay
In addition, the following individuals were recognized for outstanding achievement:
Personal Growth Award: Alex Soto, Trinity Taylor Scott
Fellows Award: Stephanie Maas, Cathy Moll, Kay Linder, Hans Schlegel, Courtney Rice
Horizon Award: Ryan Rasmussen
Shareholder Award: Ryan Rasmussen, Alex Soto
Mosley Award: Elise Gay
President’s Club Trip (2024 Ireland): Jessica Martinez, J.W. Heflin, Dan Kuhar, Chris Spagnola, Johnathan McIntosh, Kay Linder, Derek Schlender, Hans Schlegel, Brian Vogt, Jen White, Courtney Rice, Trinity Taylor Scott
Congratulations to all the ThinkingAhead award winners!
