09 Jun 2023 Ron and Fran Mawaka Employee of the Year Award
Earlier this week, Fleet Response employees nationwide gathered for the 2023 Ron and Fran Mawaka Employee of the Year Awards, a momentous occasion to honor and appreciate individuals who exceed expectations in embodying Fleet Response’s core values.
Established in 2015 by Ron and Fran Mawaka, this annual accolade aims to commend exceptional individual accomplishments, contributions, and performance of Fleet Response employees. Nominations are peer-driven, with the final selection made by the Fleet Response Executive team. Each of the seven finalists represents a specific department within the organization. To show appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the company, finalists receive a $1,000 check, while the overall award recipient receives a $5,000 check.
While the Employee of the Year ceremony was held at our main office in Hudson, Ohio, we also had the opportunity to celebrate with our remote employees and our California-based employees at our office in Chatsworth, California.
CEO Scott Mawaka (left) and his father, Fleet Response Founder Ron Mawaka (right), delivered the opening remarks at the ceremony
The awards ceremony started with opening remarks from CEO Scott Mawaka and Fleet Response founder, Ron Mawaka Sr. Both Mawakas expressed gratitude for each and every employee, acknowledging their role in the company’s growth while maintaining a great workplace culture. “If you’ve been here even for one day, you’ve helped us in being successful,” said Scott Mawaka.
After the opening remarks, President Allison Lanzilotta spoke about the company and reaffirmed what Mawaka said about our employees and culture. “The culture we have here, where we care about one another and transcends into caring for our clients, is the reason why we are successful and why we have over 350 employees and growing.” Lanzilotta then proudly named Kelly Long as the 2023 Ron and Fran Mawaka Employee of the Year.
President Allison Lanzilotta and Founder Ron Mawaka pose with Kelly Long, the winner of the Employee of the Year Award
Kelly Long has been with Fleet Response for five years and currently works in the Claims Department. Long started her career with the company in the call center. “I am overjoyed to receive the Employee of Year Award and I do the best I can every day to deliver the best work to our clients and that hard work has paid off. I owe all of my knowledge to my management team and coworkers who have been such an encouragement to me over the years.” She went on to say, “I am so grateful to be a part of the Fleet Response family as it has been such a big part of my life for the past five years. The company has provided me with so much guidance, knowledge and opportunities that I am forever thankful for. Fleet Response is truly a great company to work for with great people!”
Coworkers have described Kelly as someone who “always has a smile on her face” and a “genuinely good person who truly cares about the work they do”.
In addition to Long being named as the 2023 Ron and Fran Mawaka Employee of the Year, the 2023 finalists included Byron Evans (Adjusters & Maintenance), David Peters (IT), Devin Wiles (Call Center), Ian Adams (Business Development), Jeff Butler (Subrogation), and Jennifer Chott (Subrogation)
The unwavering commitment of these seven individuals to their roles and our organization never fails to amaze us. Our values serve as a true reflection of our company, and these awards symbolize the embodiment of those values. As an organization, we take immense pride in having this year’s finalists and winner as part of our team.
Congratulations to this year’s winners and thank you for the hard work and dedication you have provided. Your contributions make us who we are and help us deliver the best-in-class service to our clients every day.