Richardson and Clients Take Gold, Silver, and Bronze; Recognized for Sales Excellence with Nine Stevie Awards

PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Richardson, a leading global sales training and strategy execution company, and its clients took Gold, Silver, and Bronze — a total of nine awards – at the Seventh Annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Winners of this international competition, which recognizes sales excellence in disciplines vital to business success, were announced Monday, February 25, at a gala ceremony at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130306/PH72204 )

Richardson and its clients were honored in the following categories:

Gold Stevie Awards

• Sales Operations Professional of the Year, Ken Powell, Vice President, Global Sales Enablement & Learning, SunGard
• Sales Consulting Practice of the Year, Richardson's Sales Enablement Practice

Silver Stevie Awards

• Sales Training Practice of the Year, Richardson
• Sales Training or Education Leader of the Year, Nomination: Ken Powell, Vice President, Global Sales Enablement & Learning, SunGard

Bronze Stevie Awards

• Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year, Cox Media: Sales Performance System
• Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year, Charter Media
• Sales Training or Education Leader of the Year, First Data Corp: David Kuhl, Senior Vice President & Chief Learning Officer
• Sales Training or Coaching Program of the Year, Bank of America Merchant Services
• Sales Training or Education Leader of the Year, Diane Johnson, Director of Talent & Organizational Effectiveness, Kennametal

"I want to personally congratulate the teams at SunGard, First Data, Cox Media, Charter Media, BAMS, and Kennametal for their outstanding accomplishments and well-deserved recognition from the Stevie Awards," says David DiStefano, President and CEO of Richardson. "It's an honor to be able to work with such a distinguished group of innovators and agents of change. We look forward to continuing the respective partnership, as well as helping these organizations surpass their strategic goals and objectives."

"From our perspective, this was the most successful Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service yet," said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. "Not just because of the increase in the number and variety of entries, but in the extraordinary quality of the entries. Judges have told me how impressed they were with the success stories they reviewed this year. All of this year's Stevie Award winners are truly deserving."

The name Stevie is taken from the name Stephen, which is derived from the Greek for "crowned." More than 1,100 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted to this year's competition — an increase of 10% over 2012. More than 140 members of eight specialized judging committees determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements during final judging.

About Richardson

Richardson (www.richardson.com) helps leaders prepare their organizations to execute sales strategies and achieve business objectives. Richardson has the expertise and resources to help clients scale their initiatives quickly and confidently across their entire sales force and supporting functions. Working together, Richardson identifies sales best practices, evaluates talent, builds capability and consistency through world-class sales training, and sustains necessary change. Richardson ensures that each solution reflects the unique culture and values of its client, driving rapid adoption and lasting results.

About The Stevie Awards

The Stevie Awards, billed as the world's premier business award competitions, are conferred in four programs: the American Business Awards, the International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Details about the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service and the list of Stevie winners in all categories are available at www.StevieAwards.com/sales.

SOURCE Richardson