Celebrating Leadership and Success for Interns
From January 17th to 19th, the 2025 Global Leadership Summit (GLS) brought together over 450 college students and leaders at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville. This annual event celebrated achievements, provided professional training, and inspired Southwestern Advantage recruiters and team members to continue pushing towards their life goals.
Recognition and Major Milestones
Friday evening set the stage with special announcements and recognition ceremonies. A standout moment was the presentation of jackets to the 10,000 Unit Producers, honoring the highest-achieving participants. Congratulations to the 2024 winners: Sindija Loze, Bosten Lorenz, Martine Cao, Joshua Hamilton, Jeremy Barrios, Jordan Pierre, Lukasz Biskup, Martin Krizan, Pavel Fedorenko, Lauris Krasovskis, and Kaur Heinloo.
Attendees also celebrated Host Family News and Milestones, recognizing the invaluable contributions of families supporting the Southwestern Advantage program with the “Warm Fuzzy” awards. A preview of the innovative Skwids app added excitement to the evening, which concluded with welcome meetings led by director groups.
Recruiting Workshops: Building Leadership Skills
Saturday offered a diverse lineup of workshops in six categories, with 18 sessions designed to meet participants’ unique needs. The morning workshops emphasized goal setting, prospecting, and reconnecting with potential clients, equipping attendees with actionable strategies.
The afternoon workshops shifted focus to mastering the interviewing process, training first-year participants, and crafting a successful summer plan. David Stuart, Founder and President of Southwestern Insurance Group, closed the day with an inspiring keynote on how Southwestern Advantage shaped his personal and professional journey.
Personal Development and Service Recognition
Sunday’s agenda focused on life skills and personal growth, featuring sessions on investing, creating generational impact, and “Life 101.” These workshops empowered attendees to excel in all facets of life. The session concluded by recognizing a couple of employees for their service, celebrating these leaders’ dedication and achievements. Then District Sales Leaders met with their own groups for organizational training.
First-Year Participants: Exclusive Training Opportunities
Over 95 selected first-year students joined GLS, gaining access to exclusive training sessions tailored to help them succeed. Topics included self-talk, product information, “How to Make Money in Our Program,” and advice from top 2024 rookies. Dave Brown, a seven-summer alumnus, founding partner of Southwestern Consulting, and author of Servant Selling, delivered a memorable presentation. First-year participants were also invited to the iconic Freddies ceremony.
The Freddies: Celebrating Excellence at the 26th Annual Awards
The Freddies is the pinnacle of the Global Leadership Summit, a prestigious ceremony honoring outstanding achievements within the Southwestern Advantage community. Named after J. Fred Landers, the 26th Annual Freddies Awards brought together first-year participants, current students, alumni, parents, host families, and leaders from The Southwestern Family of Companies. The Freddies was a celebration of excellence, collaboration, and the enduring impact of the Southwestern Advantage Internship Program.
Service Awards:
3 Years of Service: Harlie Stafford, Lisa Riportella, Ricardo Garcia-Patlan
5 Years of Service: Charlotte Hartman, Eden Daney, Elizabeth Mendoza, Lukasz Biskup, Noelle Sporer, Sam Gleason
15 Years of Service: Pavel Aleabov
20 Years of Service: Matt Menis, Travis Rader
25 Years of Service: Trey Campbell
30 Years of Service: Geoff Kidney, Virgie Sandford
35 Years of Service: Dee Dee Taylor
Freddies Awards:
Top Campus – Worldwide:
TalTech – 153,726 Units
Top in Sales – First Year:
Jacob Goodkind – 5,966 Units
Top in Sales – First Year Honorary:
Erica Lande – 6,000 Units
Top B Leader:
Caden Cook – 6,766 Units
Top in Sales – Experienced:
Pavel Fedorenko – 12,272 Units
Top in Sales – Experienced Honorary:
Sindija Loze – 18,959 Units
Most New LEAD Revenue – First Year:
Jacob Goodkind – $5,346
Most New LEAD Revenue – Experienced:
Mariliis Kalinina – $11,484
Top Online Subscribers: Global Academy – First Year:
Emory Ontko – 55
Top Online Subscribers: Global Academy – Experienced:
Sindija Loze – 101
Top Team – In-School:
The Hooligans led by Luke Larkin – 8,840 Units
Top Team – Full-Timer:
Winged+ led by Ranol Kasevali – 9,714 Units
Student Excellence Award:
Thai Tran, Highlanders
