Great haul: First National’s top performers honoured at awards night at Parliament House

More than 500 of First National Real Estate’s agents were presented with their 2020 General Excellence and Marketing Awards at a ceremony at The Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra on Saturday night. 

First National Byron Bay (NSW) was announced as the Magnificent 7 – No 1 Sales Office of the Year; and First National Hedland (Port Hedland, Western Australia) was declared Magnificent 7 – No 1 Investor Relations Management Office of the Year.

Michael Bongiorno, from First National Framptons (Alice Springs, Northern Territory) was named Magnificent 7 – No 1 Investor Relations Manager of the Year; while Erin Kanisek of First National Mudgee (NSW) took home the prize for Magnificent 7 – No 1 Business Development Manager of the Year.

George Rafty of First National Newcastle City (The Junction, NSW) received the Magnificent 7 – No 1 Salesperson of the Year award

National Chairman David Lovell said he was thrilled to attend what was largest turnout for a First National convention in the network’s history.

“To see nearly 550 members celebrate their 2020 successes in The Great Hall of Parliament House, after the immense pressure of the COVID pandemic, is an absolute watershed moment for First National Real Estate,” Mr Lovell said.

He said he was proud to be able to recognise the extraordinary efforts made last year by individual agents, as well as principals throughout the country who supported each other “during the most trying COVID restrictions”.

“We truly have a uniquely supportive culture at First National and this is what enables people to be their best.”

On the night, the following First National sales offices attained the Magnificent 7 standard:

• First National Byron Bay (NSW) – Magnificent 7, No 1 Sales Office of the Year
• First National Newcastle City (The Junction, NSW)
• First National Cleveland (Qld)
• First National Surfers Paradise (Qld)
• First National Hedland (Port Hedland, WA)
• First National Daystar (Revesby, NSW)
• First National Collie & Tierney (Mildura, Vic)

First National sales offices attaining The ELITE standard were:

• First National Action Realty Ipswich (Ipswich, Qld)
• First National Charles L. King & Co (Echuca, Vic)
• First National Forster-Tuncurry (NSW)
• First National Hunters Hill, Gladesville, Ryde & North Ryde (NSW)
• First National King & Heath (Bairnsdale, Vic)
• First National Margaret River (WA)
• First National North Western (Stanhope Gardens, NSW)
• First National Tweed Sutherland (Bendigo, Vic)

Winners of Magnificent 7 Investor Relations Management Office awards were:

• First National Hedland (Port Hedland, WA) Magnificent 7, No 1 Investor Relations Management Office of the Year
• First National Druitt & Shead (Doubleview, WA)
• First National Hall & Partners (Dandenong, Vic)
• First National Tweed Sutherland (Bendigo, Vic)
• First National Kalgoorlie (WA)
• First National Framptons (Alice Springs, NT)
• First National Clayton (Vic)

Winners of The ELITE Investor Relations Management Office were:

• First National Cairns Central (Parramatta Park, Qld)
• First National Collie & Tierney (Mildura, Vic)
• First National Daystar (Revesby, NSW)
• First National Mudgee (NSW)
• First National On The Coast (Miami, Qld)
• First National Palm Beach (Qld)
• First National Springfield (Springfield Central, Qld)
• First National Toowoomba (Qld)

Individuals winning Magnificent 7 Investor Relations Manager awards were:

• Michael Bongiorno, First National Framptons (Alice Springs, NT) Magnificent 7, No 1 Investor Relations Manager of the Year
• Clare Briscoe, First National David Haggarty (Maitland, NSW)
• Kathryn State, First National Kalgoorlie (WA)
• Naomi Fletcher, First National Kalgoorlie (WA)
• Victoria Langfield, First National Kalgoorlie (WA)
• Roger Tebeck, First National Framptons (Alice Springs, NT)
• Mick Daniele, First National Westpoint (Horsley Park, NSW)

Individuals winning The ELITE Investor Relations Manager awards were:

• Jessica Conway, First National Latrobe (Traralgon, Vic)
• Jason Handreck, First National Rayner (Bacchus Marsh, Vic)
• Tracy Hynd, First National Hall & Partners (Dandenong, Vic)
• Serina Jaghuri, First National Hall & Partners (Dandenong)
• Jess Knight, First National Toowoomba (Qld) 
• Kiralee Orphin, First National Lake Macquarie (Edgeworth, NSW)
• Tamie Paroz, First National Toowoomba (Qld)
• Cindy Randell, First National Busselton (WA)

Winners of Magnificent 7 Business Development Manager awards were:

• Erin Kanisek, First National Mudgee (NSW) Magnificent 7, No 1 Business Development Manager of the Year
• Lisa Turner First National Cleveland (Qld)
• Terry Flannery, First National King & Heath (Bairnsdale, Vic)
• Amy Doran, First National Hedland (Port Hedland, WA)
• Kate Saunders, First National Druitt & Shead (Doubleview, WA) 
• Sheena Pascari, First National Hall & Partners (Dandenong)
• Melissa Starkey, First National Surfers Paradise (Qld)

Winners of The ELITE Business Development Manager awards were:

• Anthony Cachia, First National North Western (Stanhope Gardens, NSW) 
• Suzy Candappa, First National Candappa (Drouin, Vic)
• Venita Daw, First National Action Realty Ipswich (Ipswich, Qld)
• Katrina Gobbett, First National Cairns Central (Parramatta Park, Qld)
• Jai Grant, First National Westwood (Werribee, Vic)
• Dorothy Hamilton, First National Palm Beach (Qld)
• Rachel Hutchison, First National Coastside Shellharbour (Shellharbour, NSW)
• Jade Tweedie, First National David Haggarty (Maitland, NSW)

The winners of Magnificent 7 Salesperson awards were:

• George Rafty, First National Newcastle City (The Junction, NSW) – Magnificent 7, No 1 Salesperson of the Year
• Su Reynolds, First National Byron Bay (NSW)
• Michael Sleiman, First National Daystar (Revesby, NSW)
• Ryan McCann, First National Cleveland (Qld)
• Ruma Mundi, First National North Western (Stanhope Gardens (NSW)
• Tara Torkkola, First National Byron Bay (NSW)
• Robert Bagala, First National Hunters Hill, Gladesville, Ryde & North Ryde (NSW)

The winners of The ELITE Salesperson awards were:

• Mark Cheney, First National Moreton (Kallangur, Qld)
• Rick Hockey, First National Hedland (Port Hedland, WA)
• Danielle Mariu, First National Hedland (Port Hedland, WA)
• Allison Mifsud, First National Epping Central (Epping, NSW)
• Bob Rollington, First National Surfers Paradise (Qld)
• Rob Rollington, First National Surfers Paradise (Qld)
• Russell Rollington, First National Surfers Paradise (Qld)
• Robert Younis, First National West Ryde (NSW)

A range of specialist awards were also announced, including: 

• Auction Agent of the Year – Michael Sleiman, First National Daystar (Revesby, NSW)
• Administrator of the Year – Lisa Teale, First National Browns Plains (Qld)
• Receptionist of the Year – Zoe Agnew, First National Peoples’ Choice (Gawler, SA)
• Property Manager Rookie of the Year – Victoria Langfield, First National Kalgoorlie (WA)
• Sales Rookie of the Year – Jay Nicolaou, First National Broome (WA)
• Good Neighbour Award – Ryan McCann, First National Cleveland (Qld)
• Nitschke Scholarship Award – Patrice Hayton, First National Cairns Central (Parramatta Park, Qld)
• Kaye Heath Memorial Award – Mark Millington