Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2023 58 A VB BrandSource, the nation's largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture, and CE dealers, has revealed the winners of its second annual High Five Awards, a salute to the unheralded employees who are the backbone of every business. The award honors five special nominees, chosen from across the home goods industry, for their relentless pursuit of doing whatever it takes to get the job done. These are the behind-the-scenes people who do the heavy lifting with little or no fanfare and deserve a day in the sun. Think of it as a collective "high five" to laud these special workers for all they do. So without further ado, drumroll please. And the 2023 winners are: • Danny Tapia, Classic Maytag Home Appliance Center Tapia has been a dedicated employee of the Woodward, Okla.- based BrandSource member for 27 years. Wearing many hats, he is the first person in the building in the morning, before hitting the road for a day filled with deliveries, repairs, and whatever else pops up during an eventful shift that often spills into the evening. Tapia was nominated by Classic Maytag owner Karen Mitchell. • David Daoud, Furniture Masters Daoud wears many administrate hats in his role at the burgeoning Central Alabama business and has helped facilitate the BrandSource member's explosive growth as it expanded from one to five showrooms over the past 2 ½ years. Aside from his duties running the operations side of the retail chain, Daoud, described as the "backbone" of the business, still finds time to offer guidance and assistance to his teammates whenever needed. Daoud was nominated by Furniture Masters owner Allen Sayed. • Johnna Conatser, Lafferty's Home Center Carefully taking the time for any extra steps needed to do her office manager job right, Conatser handles everything from billing to POS to SOS for the Texarkana, Texas-based BrandSource dealer, and constantly seeks opportunities to learn and broaden her skillsets. Conatser's knowledge and skills, combined with her indomitable spirit, have made her an integral component of Lafferty's success. Conatser was nominated by Lafferty's owner Mason Lafferty. • Brandi Robinson, Tempur Sealy International (TSI) Robinson is a customer marketing manager (CMM), handling all the marketing assets on behalf of TSI for BrandSource members across all platforms. Robinson has consistently and tirelessly gone beyond the call of duty to assure that traffic is being driven to members' websites and stores, all the while with a smile. Robinson was nominated by Paula Higginbotham, national account manager for TSI. • Samantha Flaig, Hein's Appliance Lead salesperson Flaig is the driving force behind many of the day- to-day operations at this Shawano, WI-based BrandSource member, and is the delightful ray of sunshine on the end of the line when a customer calls the store. Never one to think of herself, Flaig is the first to step up and cover for someone who is out that day, and is the embodiment of a team player. Flaig was nominated by owner Chris Matson. This year's inductees will be enshrined as the High Five Awards Class of 2023. Each received an engraved plaque, and an exclusive news release announcing the achievement was provided to their local hometown press. So congratulations to each of this year's High Five Award winners. AVB BrandSource raises our collective hands with a resounding high five to all of you! B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S AVB ANNOUNCES 2023 HIGH FIVE AWARD WINNERS Employee award salutes the behind-the-scenes superstars Andy Kriege, YSN is General Manager of Communications for AVB/BrandSource, merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, consumer tech and home furnishings dealers RO High Five Award winner Brandi Robinson, one of five recipients, received high praise from her Tempur Sealy managers and AVB clients alike.

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