Vistage Member Excellence Awards
Meet the winners
Incredible journeys. Inspirational triumphs. Vistage members know no limits.
Amid a mountain of challenges, Vistage members continue to conquer the seemingly impossible. Working harder than ever before. Leading through unprecedented times. Recommitting to the climb with integrity — day in, and day out. These Awards celebrate visionary leaders relentless in their pursuit.
In four categories, the Member Excellence Awards celebrate those steadfast in both their leadership climb and their embodiment of Vistage values. Meet the award-winners below!
Impact Award
(1-3 years’ tenure)
The progress of Vistage’s newest members is awe-inspiring.
Leadership Award
(3+ years’ tenure)
These trailblazers make a discernible difference that reverberates far beyond their business.
Lifetime Achievement Award
(10+ years’ tenure)
These members see no finish line in their pursuit of world-class.
Legacy Award
(all tenure eligible)
Those leaving behind a positive, impactful, and memorable journey for future leaders to someday follow.
Current Vistage Member Excellence Award Winners
SCPA
Darin Gleason
President & CEO, Cannon Instrument Co
Member since
2022
Impact Award
For about a decade, Cannon Instrument Company was a stable but flat growth business. Stepping into his role as CEO, Darin Gleason, knew Cannon could be more, but it would take investment. By investing in people, processes, tools, and strategy, he created a foundation for growth. Upon that foundation sit three initiatives fueling company growth: Commercial Excellence, Product Management, Partnerships & Acquisitions.
Rich Stump
President, Suburban Testing Labs
Member since
2017
Leadership Award
Suburban Testing Labs is one of the last privately-held, independent environmental testing laboratories in the nation. Since 2017, Rich has initiated a powerful growth trajectory, tripling headcount and growing revenue from $4 million to $12 million. In his industry, he was ahead of the curve gaining testing capabilities for the harmful emerging contaminant, PFAS, years ahead of what is now a standard part of environmental testing.
John Gilliland
CEO, Investment Real Estate, LLC
Member since
2006
Lifetime Achievement Award
Between a recession, family health issues and the normal ebbs and flows of business, CEO John Gilliand has navigated through the toughest parts of his career. As a “self-storage guru,” he masterfully led Investment Real Estate to brokering $1.2 billion in sales and acquiring over 70 properties in eight states throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic worth over $766 million.
Dallas-Fort Worth
Cody Sutton
Founder and CEO, Guide Energy Solutions
Member since
2021
Impact Award
In the world of oil and gas, Cody Sutton drills down a champion business strategy, ambitiously expanding Guide Energy Solutions. “Challenges sometimes give us our best opportunities,” he shares. With sights set on South Texas and Louisiana, he hopes to expand his two-location operation, grow his team from 30 to 50 and drive revenues upwards of $150 million.
Joey Seeber
CEO, Level Legal
Member since
2015
Leadership Award
Just 15 years ago, Level Legal was a just startup – aiming to provide clients with world-class service. Flash forward to today, with a handful of original employees and over 500 team members, the company delights hundreds of clients while maintaining an average NPS of 74. As former mayor of Tyler, TX, Joey pulls from his experience to make Level Legal delightful.
Nathan Potter
Former Chairman, CEO and Owner, DW Distribution Inc.
Member since
2016 – 2023
Legacy Award
As a third-generation CEO, Nathan Potter helped grow revenue from $130M to $400M in his last 10 years by strategically prioritizing customers and team members. While enjoying this success, Nathan realized the right buyer would be able to scale DW faster than he could, so he changed roles and sold the company. Now, he supports the acquirer with M&As — applying what he learned in his selling journey.
Atlanta
Brett Goodson
President, Almond Cow
Member since
2021
Impact Award
Serial entrepreneur Brett Goodson transformed a startup into a $15M brand, drawing inspiration from natural interfaces or riparian zones. Brett studies the opportunities that appear where disciplines meet. These are evaluated in depth using a method marketing approach to understand solutions to customer problems.
Pete Tortorelli
General Manager and Managing Director, Omni International
Member since
2019
Leadership Award
Pete Tortorelli drives scientific progress by impacting lives daily. Specializing in sample preparation devices, Omni’s innovations span applications such as newborn drug screening to a groundbreaking 95% accurate saliva-based COVID-19 test. Under Pete’s leadership, sales have doubled in the last five years. Now part of Revvity, Omni remains dedicated to addressing scientific discovery and health needs.
Travis Darnell
President, CT Darnell Construction
Member since
2009
Lifetime Achievement Award
CT Darnell Construction, led by President Travis Darnell, defies the construction industry’s negative stereotype. Travis prioritizes trust, fostering long-term relationships. To circumvent the unpredictable nature of the business, he diversified into fast growing cloud-based data center construction, and boosted profitability by exiting under performing market segments.
Kevin Bean
President and CEO, ‘Neal, Inc.
Member since
2005 – 2023
Legacy Award
Triangle
Aaron Walker
CEO & Founder, Vadum, Inc.
Member since
2020
Impact Award
Since its 2005 inception as a U.S. Navy contractor, defense contractor Vadum has evolved, forming key partnerships with industry leaders like Raytheon and Lockheed. CEO Aaron Walker drives rapid growth by deploying technology and machine learning to interpret dynamic data from tactical sensors. Recent years have seen remarkable 20-30% annual growth, with revenue increasing from $6M to $17M and headcount rising from 40 to 80.
Brian Higgins
CEO, THS National
Member since
2019-2023
Leadership Award
From Boston to Miami, THS National renovates multifamily properties across the eastern US. With revenue growth of $100M+ in the last few years, Brian Higgins, CEO, attributes this success to the incredible, service-minded people who work for THS. In the next five years, he aims to expand the business beyond $250M+, and to compete and win on a national level.
Erik Lensch
CEO, Leyline Renewable Capital
Member since
2012
Lifetime Achievement Award
Leaving finance behind, Erik acquired a small solar company driven by a desire to benefit the planet. After selling that company to a large hedge fund in 2014 he started a fund to invest in renewable projects. Fund assets soared from $15M to $200M, and Erik is set on a trajectory to $1B in capital. Leading with a culture of innovation, he fosters learning from mistakes, framing challenges as opportunities for improvement.
Charlotte/South Carolina
Brad Fultz
COO, Blanchard Machinery Company
Member since
2021
Impact Award
After the patriarch of family-owned business Blanchard Machinery Co. passed away, Brad Fultz stepped up as interim CEO to keep the company on an upward trajectory. “We had 750+ families who depended on us to keep going,” he shared. He has a people-centric leadership approach, aiming not only to be the best equipment dealer, but also the best place to work in South Carolina.
Skip Norris
President, The Building Center, Inc.
Member since
2015
Leadership Award
Fresh out of college Skip Norris took the helm of his father’s company, The Building Center. At the time he took over as president, it was a $25M business. Today, he has grown it into one of the largest independent building supply businesses in the South, with revenue exceeding $250M — a 900% increase. On top of that, his team has increased from 150 to 400 through a handful of mergers over time.
John Mansure
Retired CEO, Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital
Member since
2009
Lifetime Achievement Award
With 44 years in the medical industry, John focused on putting the “care” back in healthcare. Leading an institution that sees 50,000 emergency room visits, has 82 beds and an 80-acre campus with three medical office buildings, he leaned on harmony and kindness to help the hospital thrive. His influence extends far beyond the walls of the hospital, extending his services to neighboring communities via free clinics.
Chicago
Jared Wasserman
CEO, Alert Protective Services
Member since
2022
Impact Award
For four consecutive years, Alert Protective Services had a 400% employee turnover rate. That all changed when Jared Wasserman was promoted to CEO. By prioritizing an open-door culture he cut employee turnover down to 2%. Jared also put his passion into sales and scaling the security company, increasing sales 300% annually from $1M to $3.2M by balancing his market segment, creating higher valuation.
Rich Santo
CEO, Culture Studio
Member since
2014
Leadership Award
From the Beatles to Travis Scott to the Symphony Orchestra — as the premier merchandise for the music industry, Culture Studio creates it all under Rich Santo’s leadership. The company has seen 66% growth in the last year alone and aims to have a two-day ground ship anywhere in the U.S. With locations in Chicago and Daytona Beach, they plan to expand to Los Angeles for coast-to-coast reach.
Felicia Wilhelm
Founder & CEO, Prairie States Enterprises Inc.
Member since
2000
Lifetime Achievement Award
Felicia leads Prairie States with a visionary approach. Drawing on her high-stakes ICU nursing experience, she shapes a workplace culture centered on respect and compassion. She fosters longevity in her team while embracing fresh talent for added vigor. Felicia’s strategic thinking propels the company’s growth in a competitive marketplace with advanced IT and analytical tools to enhance client experiences.
Dave Petersen
CEO, NAI Hiffman Commercial Real Estate
Member since
2015
Legacy Award
Dave’s legacy is evident in NAI Hiffman’s remarkable growth, expanding fourfold during his 18-year tenure. Originally Chicago-based, the company now spans 27 states with 260 employees. Dave’s leadership drove diversification into property management, lease administration, project management, and medical office facilities. Now, Dave is in the process of a transition, with a new president coming on board.