WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — XBIZ announced the winners of the 2016 XBIZ Retail Industry Exec Awards last night.
The awards were presented during an elegant dinner at the Andaz hotel with sex educator Reid Mihalko serving as the event’s co-host.
The retail sector’s XBIZ Exec Awards honors the outstanding achievements in a variety of prominent career fields within the video, pleasure products and retail industry.
The 2016 XBIZ Executive Award winners are:
Business Development Executive of the Year: Briana Honz, Pipedream Products
Brand Ambassador of the Year: Conde Aumann, The Screaming O
Marketing Executive of the Year: Kristen Tribby, Fun Factory
Senior Leadership Award: Jackie White, CalExotics
Progressive Leadership Award: Brian Shubin, Fleshlight
Chief Executive of the Year: Mark Franks, Castle Megastore
Tech Leadership Award: Brian Dunham, Ohmibod
Community Figure of the Year: Sunny Rodgers, Doc Johnson
Businessman of the Year: Dean Elliott, Sliquid
Businesswoman of the Year: Julie Stewart, Sportsheets
WIA Woman of the Year: April Lampert, Fun Factory USA
FSC Award — Woman of the Year: Susan Colvin, CalExotics
Marketing Executive of the Year winner Kristen Tribby of Fun Factory said, “I’m so excited to have been working in this industry for almost a decade and working with the most amazing people in the industry — I’m looking at everybody here. I want to thank Fun Factory for being such an awesome company to be working for this past year.”
What a wonderful surprise! I’m so proud and humbled to receive such high recognition by one of our top industry resources,” said Briana Honz, who won Business Development Executive of the Year. “I want to thank XBIZ for the gracious honor, as well as Nick Orlandino and all of my amazing Pipedream colleagues — I couldn’t do what I do without their continuous love, encouragement, and support. Thank you!”
Community Figure of the Year Sunny Rodgers of Doc Johnson said, “This is so surreal. Thank you XBIZ and thank you everyone who has helped me along the way. I’m just really honored to be in same category as so many incredible people. I especially want to thank my Doc Johnson family because without your support I wouldn’t be anywhere.”
Fleshlight’s Brian Shubin, who won the Progressive Leadership Award said, “Winning progressive leadership because that is what we are all striving for — to progress and improve. The one thanks I want to give out is to my dad, who invented the Fleshlight.”
The Screaming O’s Conde Aumann, the winner of Brand Ambassador of the Year for two years in a row, said, “I’m literally speechless because I thought there was no way I could win two years in a row. I love this industry and I think it’s great to be recognized for doing something that you love.”
Businessman of the Year Dean Elliott said, “I look around and I see I’m surrounded by people I adore. This is an incredibly amazing honor and I thank you all.”
Accepting the Businesswoman of the Year on behalf of his sister Julie Stewart, Sportsheets founder Tom Stewart said, “Julie has always had a knack for business that I never had. She has absolutely been the strong partner that every company needs. That’s why we’ve been successful all these years.”
Ohmibod’s Brian Dunham said, “Almost a decade ago I met a woman who was amazing and she’s the reason why I’m in this industry. Her name is Coyote Days. We met at a little café on Delores Street. I had this little product and an idea and she endorsed it for me anyway, and gave me the encouragement to go with it. Also, thank you to my amazing wife Suki.”
“I’m truly surprised to win this award because of the excellent group of nominees,” Castle Megastore’s Mark Franks said. “I’ve been doing this for about three decades and will continue to do this because it’s what I love. I’m very honored to receive this award.”
Fun Factory’s April Lampert said, “Thank you so much for this beautiful award and thanks all of you. The people of this industry make me love what I do. Thank you to my Fun Factory family.”
In her FSC Award acceptance speech for Woman of the Year, Susan Colvin said, “Thank you to the Free Speech Coalition and thank you to everybody in this industry. I’ve enjoyed the last many years and appreciate everyone’s support through the years.”
