News & Announcements
Dress Attire
We want you to look and feel your best while in town. Here’s the dress attire for each event:
Monday Night Welcome Reception - Casual
We know most will be getting into town that afternoon, so join us for a fun and casual reception at the Belmont Ballroom at the Renaissance Hotel to chat with colleagues you haven’t seen in a while.
Tuesday General Session - Business Casual
Come dressed business casual and be ready to hear updates on our business and spend the day with your fellow SMS Holdings colleagues.
Tuesday Horizons Award Dinner - Cocktail/Business Attire
This event celebrates the cream of our crop, so come dressed to impress! Cocktail or Business Attire is preferred. You will also have an opportunity to take a headshot if you’d like, so think about what you want to wear in your close-up.
Wednesday Leadership Development Session - Business Casual
Come dressed business casual while you learn ways to sharpen your leadership skills.
Dietary Restrictions
If you have dietary restrictions, please email swinn@smsholdings.com.
Fun and Games
Want to participate in some fun activities on our breaks? Want to get a cool prize? If you are interested, email swinn@smsholdings.com and let her know you want to volunteer to play!
Highlights from 2022 Summit
Agenda
Monday, April 8th Renaissance Hotel
Registration
Welcome Reception/Dinner
Bredesen Room & Prefunction
Tuesday, April 9th Renaissance Hotel
CSC Registration
Ryman Tea Room
Kick-off Breakfast
General Session
Keynote Speaker - Todd Davis
Lunch
CSC Connections
1:10 – 1:40 Session 1
1:45 – 2:15 Session 2
2:20 – 2:50 Session 3
2:55 – 3:25 Session 4
3:30 – 4:00 Session 5
Tuesday Night, April 9th The Bell Tower
Meet in the lobby of the hotel to shuttle to the Horizons Award Dinner
Horizons Award Dinner
Wednesday, April 10th Renaissance Hotel
Breakfast
Leadership Development Session
Leadership Summit Closing
Operating Companies Meetings
Keynote Speaker
Todd Davis - FranklinCovey
Todd Davis is Senior Consultant and Thought Leader at FranklinCovey. During a 27-year career at the consulting firm, he has held other positions including Chief People Officer and Director for FranklinCovey’s Innovation Group.
Prior to FranlinCovey, Todd worked in the medical industry for nine years where he recruited physicians and medical executives along with marketing physician services to hospitals and clinics throughout the country.
Todd’s topics of expertise include leadership, personal and interpersonal effectiveness, employee engagement, talent management, change management, and building winning cultures. He believes that to become a true leader you must first “be the change.”
He is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Get Better: 15 Proven Practices to Build Effective Relationships at Work and Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Tuesday Keynote Presentation - Leading at the Speed of Trust
Trust is today’s currency – and everything a leader says and does affects the level of trust on their team.
When trust is high, people become confident and communication, creativity, and engagement improve. As a result, productivity speeds up, and costs decrease.
When trust is low, people become suspicious, guard communication, speculate, and disengage. As a result, productivity grinds to a crawl, and costs increase.
Wednesday Leadership Development Session
Trust is a tangible and measurable performance multiplier. Todd Davis will dive deeper into the Speed of Trust in a Leadership Development Session where he will detail The Case for Trust; how to Be a High-Trust Leader; how to Extend, Restore, and Develop Trust; and how to Be a High-Trust Team.
CSC Connections
Tuesday Afternoon is dedicated to providing the opportunity for field leaders to mingle and connect with their colleagues at the Customer Support Center (CSC).
All CSC Departments will have their own breakout rooms with the chance to roll out new ideas, answer questions, and connect and strengthen the relationships between CSC department team members and the field leaders they support. These departments are:
- • Accounting/Billing
- • HR
- • Payroll
- • IT/IS
- • Finance, Risk, Legal, & Contracting
Small groups of field leaders will rotate from room to room every 30 minutes, providing the chance to engage with all CSC Department heads and staff.
Attendees
- Scott Born
- Ashley Shultis
- Bruce Hoffmaster Jr.
- Cecil Sloley
- Charles “Phil” White
- Chris Scott
- Dan Morse
- David Shultis
- Kevin Gleason
- Kylee Looney
- Mark Kibby
- Peter Martinowich
- Blair McBride
- Angela Grether
- Anna Schmoll
- Anthony Boone
- Carin Cardone
- Clayton Ratledge
- David Aguilar
- Hanna Woods
- John Koch
- Kori Parvin
- Michael Curreri
- Nick Haines
- Semu One Bear
- Stephen Stewart
- Richard Reeves
- Vasch Stringer
- Tommy White
- Jay McRee
- Hannah Drane
- Pat Allen
- Jim Evans
- David Antis
- Paramjit Bains
- Kulvir Gill
- Shaleeni Raj
- Holly Grycan
- Angie Ariyan
- Tara Woods
- Renuka Kumar
- Ken Seed
- Reuben Gounder
- Donna Smith
- Matt Massart
- Salina Luna
- Tanya Kimmel
- Mark Lanz
- Megan Welch
- Kelly Pratt
- Dan Brubaker
- Hans Rasmussen
- Angie Dean
- Beverley Lawrence
- Bill Stejskal
- Bridget Brownlee
- Dan Rakestraw
- Doug Smithhisler
- Greg Lorenzi
- Hiram Cox
- James Crawford
- Janet Henderson
- Jarian Hall Jones
- Jay McRee
- Jeff Knipmeyer
- Jenna Cargile
- Jennifer Andrews
- Jim Burnett
- Keith Wolken
- Kellie Leptien
- Kim Coakley
- Lindsey DeJesus
- Lori Williams
- Lorraine Brooks
- Manny Singh
- Martha Harding
- Michelle Scheible
- Mike MacNeill
- Nick Schimmel
- Phillip Englehart Says hello!
- Rebecca Elzarad
- Rickie Hall
- Russ Wade
- Sandra Premo
- Scott Bryant
- Stacy Winn
- Tom Buysse
- Vicki Marsh
2023 Horizons Award Winners
SMS Holdings is pleased to recognize our top performers of 2023 with the prestigious Horizons Award. As in years past, the leadership teams from each company nominated employees who exemplify our core values, provide extraordinary customer service, and demonstrate a positive attitude. A selection committee then made the tough decision of choosing one winner from each operating company and the CSC. This year’s winners have made a substantial impact through their “whatever it takes” attitudes. Congratulations to all of our Horizons Award winners and nominees.
CHICO LOCKHART
Block by Block
Director of Outreach, Cincinnati, OH
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
Corporate Support Center
Associate Creative Director, Nashville, TN
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
Service Management Systems/Total Maintenance Management
Facility Manager, The Battery, Atlanta, GA
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
WTC Ventures
Facilities Supervisor, Seattle, WA
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.
Parking & Transportation
Ride App to and from the Airport
Uber and Lyft are the two primary Ride App companies that will pickup and drop off at Nashville International Airport (BNA). After you have claimed your baggage, please proceed to the Ground Transportation Center, Level 1 of Terminal Garage 2. Click here for a diagram showing pick up locations
- Lyft – Picks up in Ride App Zone A
- Uber – Picks up in Ride App Zones B & C
Directions to the Ground Transportation Center at Nashville International Airport (BNA)
- 1) Exit the Main Terminal on Level 1 and turn right.
- 2) Follow the sidewalk and pedestrian canopy to Terminal Garage 2. Overhead signs will direct you.
- 3) The Ground Transportation Center is on Level 1.
Renaissance Hotel Downtown Nashville Parking
The Renaissance Hotel is located at 611 Commerce Street.
If you are local and driving to the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Nashville, please park at the Nashville Public Library Parking Garage, located at 151 6th Avenue North (immediately south and across Commerce Street from the Renaissance Hotel).
There are Library Garage Public Parking Entrances on both 6th Avenue North and 7th Avenue North, and both are between Commerce Street and Church Street.
Park on the Fourth Floor of the Garage and look for signs that allow you to connect directly from the interior Garage to the Bridge Bar on the Third Floor of the Renaissance Hotel.
Horizons Award Dinner Transportation and Parking
Transportation from the Renaissance Hotel to the Bell Tower and return afterward for the Horizons Award Dinner Tuesday Night will be provided by our Block By Block shuttles.
Please be in the Renaissance Hotel Lobby at 5:30 pm, as our shuttle vans will be picking up all invited guests at 5:45 sharp. For those missing the shuttle, it’s a 10-block, ¾ mile trip.
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