Chico Lockhart

Chico Lockhart joined Block by Block in November 2007 and serves as our Director of Outreach. Having specialized in case management and street outreach for over 20 years, Chico possesses a remarkable ability to connect personally with individuals regardless of their socioeconomic background, status, or position. His role requires an encompassing reach across all BBB sites nationally - from Boston to Hawaii, and extends far beyond the conventional boundaries of outreach coordination, making him a cornerstone of the team's success in navigating the complex landscape of all projects. Much of Chico's time is devoted to exploring potential outreach opportunities in urban areas that many might find challenging or unpleasant.

One significant byproduct deriving from his comprehensive outreach assessments is that they often lead us to acquire new clean and safe accounts. Although this is not necessarily Chico’s intent, through his efforts, we frequently end up adding additional offerings that align seamlessly with our outreach services. His influence has fostered an environment where collaborative efforts thrive and innovative solutions to complex problems are developed. Chico's expertise and empathetic approach to outreach is why he's worthy of the prestigious Horizons Award.

Kellie Leptien

Kellie Leptien has been an integral part of the SMS Holdings family since she joined the marketing team in 2008. Her exceptional talent and dependability quickly made her stand out from the rest of the team. Over the past 15 years, Kellie has worked tirelessly on marketing projects for our operating companies, and her creative design skills have left an indelible impression on all. She has been instrumental in designing sales and marketing collateral, logos, web pages, newsletters, announcements, operational flyers, job fair flyers, restaurant signage, and much more. Kellie's exceptional design skills have played an essential role in making our companies look professional and cutting-edge.

Kellie works behind the scenes, paying close attention to details others might miss. She is a remarkable team player who consistently delivers top-quality work on time, regardless of the project length or deadline. Never one to seek attention or credit for her achievements, Kellie’s commitment to our Core Values and the "Whatever It Takes" attitude inspires all. Her contributions have significantly impacted the success of our companies, and we are proud to have her as a part of the SMS Holdings family of companies. Kellie's outstanding qualities make her a worthy recipient of the Horizons Award for the Customer Support Center.

Shayla Stevens

Shayla started with Service Management Systems in 2017 and currently oversees The Battery, a large complex mixed-use property for the Braves Development Company. With over 2 million square feet of mixed-use space, this is a bustling nonstop destination 365 days a year for those attending the Atlanta Braves Baseball Games, Concerts at the Coca-Cola Roxy, and the seemingly never-ending dining and entertainment venues. 2023 was very successful for SMS and The Battery due to Shayla's leadership. She sought out and welcomed feedback, whether positive or critical and took our services to a new level.

Shayla understands that the foundation of her success is being authentic and genuine about who she is and inspiring others around her. She's been recognized for displaying our Core Values and representing everything that SMS stands for. She is a leader who instills unity within the department to achieve one common goal: to provide the best possible customer and guest satisfaction while making the job fun for the staff. Shayla is the exact type of success story on which SMS has built its foundation. Her dedication and perseverance have led her to thrive as a manager and enabled SMS to grow at The Battery Atlanta. Because of this, Shayla is a very deserving recipient of the Horizons Award.

Mathew Staub

Mat began his career with Wendy's as a crew member in 1997. As Facilities Supervisor, he is invaluable in keeping our restaurants running smoothly while providing insight and guidance to the local maintenance teams. He responds promptly to urgent situations and sees tasks through to completion, utilizing his team and vendor partners. He is committed to delivering comprehensive work accurately and the first time, every time.

Mat does an excellent job communicating with the store and the District Managers in all situations and will help them with necessary arrangements until repairs are completed. He is swift to lend a hand to complete the job and provide coaching and training to our maintenance techs. When Matt is in a store fixing an issue, he will teach the team how to prevent the same problem from happening while coaching them to be better. He maintains a professional demeanor when interacting, prioritizing building solid relationships, and is highly regarded in all stores. He is also focused on saving the company money and getting the best value for our investment. Mat's depth of knowledge and eagerness to assist and lend expertise make him deserving of the Horizons Award.

Block by Block

Nominees:

• Chico Lockhart
• Deidra Johnson
• Hallah Harmon
• Kori Parvin
• Michael Chou
• Wayne Alexis

SMS Holdings

Nominees:

• Adrian Crosby
• Angela Taylor
• Bonny Singleton
• Jami Ashworth
• Jenna Cargile
• Jennifer Andrews
• Joe Sepanek
• Kellie Leptien
• Lori Williams
• Raylene Metivier
• Robert Sells
• Ruth Dyke
• Sandra Premo
• Sheli Dile
• Silvia Wylie
• Vicki Marsh

Service Management Systems
Total Maintenance Management

Nominees:

• George Moats
• Patricia Hansen
• Shayla Stevens
• Stephen Valentine

WTC Ventures

Nominees:

• Adrianna Lanz
• Glenn Domingo
• Griselda Salgado
• Gurpreet Dhaliwal
• Kavneet Kaur
• Mandeep Brar
• Mat Staub
• Michael Sneed
• Patty Jensen
• Vipan Navneet Kaur