A major national franchising company marked its 40th anniversary with its annual conference and awards dinner recently.
Recognition Express, a promotional products and branded clothing company and part of specialist franchise operator, The Bardon Group, hosted the event in Daventry welcoming colleagues from across the UK as it celebrated the successes of the last 12 months and marked the start of its fifth decade in business.
Founded in 1979, the company has evolved from being a single product supplier to a leading corporate branding agency supplying branded business gifts, promotional products, personalised name badges and a full range of branded clothing to businesses, schools and organisations across the UK.
The conference is an opportunity for the company’s local business owners to come together to hear from suppliers and colleagues, share ideas and best practice. After a day of presentations and workshops, staff were then invited to let their hair down at an evening dinner with comedy from award-winning comedian Nick Page, a semi-finalist in the 2018 series of ITV show Britain’s Got Talent.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Recognition Express annual awards. Chris Masters, operations director and awards ceremony host, commented: “The annual awards are always a much-anticipated event and this year they had added significance as the business celebrated four decades of success. Forty years is a remarkable achievement for any business, and much has changed since we started out. But what certainly hasn’t and certainly won’t change is our dedication to building strong relationships and delivering exceptional customer service.”
Among the award highlights was the Outstanding Contribution Award which went to Wayne Cherry, a Bardon Group employee and franchise territory owner, who was recognised for his part in delivering over £2m worth of clothing sales last year for the business.
Dennis D’Arcy, who runs Recognition Express North Scotland, was also singled out as he received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Dennis, a former professional footballer, has been with the company for most of its 40 years having started his franchise 37 years ago.
Full list of awards and winners
Lifetime Achievement Award – Dennis D’Arcy, Recognition Express North Scotland
Best Month Awards – Amanda and Ed Kennelly, Recognition Express West London
£250k Milestone Award – Stephen Bennett, Recognition Express Croydon
£500k Milestone Award – Matt Bevis, Danny Bevis and Claire Lindley, Recognition Express Eastern
Franchisee of the Year – Hugh O’Neill, Recognition Express Bromley & Dartford
Outstanding Contribution Award – Wayne Cherry, Bardon Group
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