WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Last night, XBIZ announced the winners of the 2017 XBIZ Exec Awards during an elegant dinner reception honoring the leaders of the retail industry.
Sex educator Reid Mihalko served as the event’s host, who entertained the crowd of 200-plus attendees.
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 2017 XBIZ Executive Award winners are:
Business Development Executive of the Year
Brent Aldon, Aneros
Marketing Executive of the Year
Erica Braverman, Doc Johnson
Progressive Leadership Award
Chad Braverman, Doc Johnson
Tech Leadership Award
Toon Timmermans, Kiiroo
Community Figure of the Year
Megan Swartz, Deja Vu Love Boutique
Brand Ambassador of the Year
Chaney Cox, The Rabbit Company
Senior Leadership Award
Steve Sav, Pipedream Products
Chief Executive of the Year
Susan Colvin, CalExotics
Businesswoman of the Year
Alicia Sinclair, b-Vibe
Businessman of the Year
Brian Herbstman, East Coast News
WIA Woman of the Year
Nicole McCree, Classic Erotica
Business Development Executive of the Year Aneros’ Brent Aldon said, “Thank you to XBIZ for being such a valuable resource for the industry. Thank you to all of our partners, wholesalers and retailers. Thank you to all of my co-workers, who couldn’t be here — especially Malay, who has contributed so much to my success.”
“I really am honored to receive this award and to be in the same category with so many great people that I admire,” Doc Johnson’s Erica Braverman, who won Marketing Executive of the Year, said, “I’m also very lucky to work with such a great team that feels more like a family. I’d like to thank XBIZ for putting together this event and giving us all a chance to pause and celebrate the industry’s accomplishments.”
After winning the Progressive Leadership Award Chad Braverman, also of Doc Johnson, said, “With so many great nominees in this category I don’t feel like I deserve this. Thank you to XBIZ — this is for my team at Doc Johnson.”
“I’m a third-year nominee in this category and I didn’t expect to win,” Kiroo’s Toon Timmermans said of his Tech Leadership Award win. “This is definitely a team effort — thank you to them and thanks everybody.”
Community Figure of the Year Megan Swartz of Deja Vu Love Boutique said, “Thank you to XBIZ! I don’t know how I got community figure since I’m so bad at public speaking but I love all of you guys and I’m so proud to be a part of this community.”
“Thank you guys for this award,” said The Rabbit Company’s Chaney Cox, who won Brand Ambassador of the Year. “I want to thank all of the retailers that carry our products and for having me in their stores. I’m super honored!”
Chief Executive of the Year Susan Colvin of CalExotics said, “Thank you to XBIZ for putting on these awards. Thank you everybody, this is the most fantastic industry of any business in the world. It’s filled with great people, friends and customers.
Businesswoman of the Year, b-Vibe’s Alicia Sinclair said, “Wow, thank you! This is really awesome; I love what I do. It’s an honor to be a part of this industry and I really appreciate everybody’s support.”
Fun Factory’s April Lampert, who last year won the first-ever WIA Woman of the Year award, passed on the torch with a touching speech to commemorate this year’s honoree, Classic Erotica’s Nicole McCree.
“I am more than humbled to receive this award,” McCree said. “There are so many women in this industry that are so inspiring, strong and driven that just being in the same industry with them feels like an accomplishment. This award is the icing on the cake.”
