Barry Plant has celebrated its second virtual awards night, highlighting the group’s high achievers.
The Announcement:
After re-scheduling their annual Awards for Excellence gala night several times due to lockdown, Barry Plant CEO, Nigel O’Neil, bit the bullet and organised a virtual event on Thursday the 14th of October.
“It’s so important to celebrate these awards”, Nigel shared, “particularly in the extremely challenging year all Victorian agents have endured.
“But every time we set a date we’d go into lockdown or a lockdown would be extended.
“It’s only recently that I was able to get into a studio to film a presentation.”
Despite these limitations, the virtual awards night was a roaring success with not only team members but their families, joining in to celebrate the winners and the group’s success.
“It was an unexpected benefit that whole families, who wouldn’t normally come to an event at the Palladium, were able to share the success of their loved ones.”
Invited guests, sponsors, suppliers rounded up the estimated viewing numbers to around 900.
While people in metro Melbourne were consigned to individual viewing bubbles, regional offices (except Mildura) could dress up and get together in groups to enjoy the night.
“These awards really were a tribute to the tenacity, adaptability and endurance of our people,” Nigel said.
“Despite restrictions during the Awards year, they have still been able to transact real estate – and in good numbers.”
The Barry Plant Awards have always aimed to highlight high achievers in all roles within their group.
“While the sales agent awards are the glamourous ones, everyone, including the agents, know that they wouldn’t be the success they are without the teams supporting them.”
One of the Founders, Director and Master Auctioneer, Barry Plant, opened the proceedings and talked about what Covid had taught the industry and how technology and a willingness to find a way had allowed agents and property managers to still serve their clients even in the strictest periods of lockdown.
He encouraged those agents new to the industry and new to Barry Plant to take inspiration from the night’s winners.
“This could be you in just a couple of years’ time. Everyone in the Barry Plant Group can achieve these levels of success.”
The Barry Plant Franchise Office of the Year, voted for by their peers, was Barry Plant Essendon – Keilor East under the leadership of Bill Karp.
The Lilydale office had an outstanding night with their star agent Josh Stokes taking out Top Seller (no PA) and Top Lister (no PA) and second place in the Top Performer ranks, they took out first place in their category for Sales Office of the year and achieved second place in office awards in their category for highest number of sales.
Roula Kapotis from the Berwick office won Property Manager of the Year while Geelong agent, Chari Emirzade won both the Top Lister with a team and Top Seller with a team.
Ray Harb from the Point Cook office took out Top Performer with no PA and Deane Hughes from the Leopold office was awarded Top Lister with one PA.
Michael Steenhuis from the Blackburn office achieved first place for a Top Performer with one PA and Chee-Ky Dunlop from Noble-Park Keysborough offices won the Top Performer for the category of a sales person with a team.
Mitchell Shire was awarded Office with the Highest Total sales in their category – for the third year in a row while Barry Plant Highton and Barry Plant Doncaster East took out top spots in the two other categories.
Barry Plant Manningham took out the Top Office of the Year (Large) award for the thirteenth time since 2008 – an amazing effort.
Geelong office was awarded the Marketing Award for an effective campaign with a schedule valued up to $5K, the Rowville office took out the award for a schedule between $5K and $10K and the Doncaster East office snared the award for a schedule over $10K.
Barry Plant Glenroy scored well in Property Management, with Charbel Kattoura sweeping up the Business Development Manager of the Year award.
Barry Plant Narre Warren won Property Management Department of the Year, Laura Keyte from Frankston-Cranbourne won the PM Department Manager of the year and Casey Jaramenko (Geelong) took out Property Management Rising Star of the Year.
Gabriel Nigro from the Berwick office won Novice Auctioneer of the Year in a hotly contested field while Michael Egan from the Bundoora office took out the senior auctioneer crown.
Other notable individual winners include:
Receptionist of the year went to Vanessa Nedelkovski from the Tarneit office. There were two Corporate Support Person of the year winners, Sofia Lauricella from Barry Plant Essendon – Keilor East and Ruth Appleton from Mitchell Shire.
In a year when the support teams certainly earned respect, Directors Recognition awards were won by Sara Press (Berwick), Joanne Papalia (Essendon-Keilor East), Clare Way (Mitchell Sire), Bianca Harris (Noble Park-Keysborough), Andrea Huljak (Rowville) and Nardeen Pearce from Taylors Lakes office.
Amanda Claridge from Pakenham office won the Ron Hudson Rising Star award and the Rowville office clinched the important Community Service Award.
Source: Barry Plant
