At Brandon, culture is not something we talk about once a year. It is something we prove every day through the way we work, lead, and show up for each other.
2025 was a year of momentum. We pushed harder. Thought smarter. Delivered work that moved brands forward and strengthened our agency from the inside out.
The Annual Brandon Awards exist to honor more than performance. They recognize the behaviors, mindset, and values that define what it means to be Brandon. These awards tell the story of who we are when we are operating at our highest level.
This is a celebration of the people who defined 2025 and the standard they set for 2026.
The Cecil Brandon Award: Brandon’s Highest Honor
Cecil Brandon Award Winner: Kirby Altman
The Cecil Brandon Award is the most meaningful recognition at Brandon. Named after our founder, it honors the person who best represents leadership, courage, integrity, innovation, and lasting impact.
This award is not about a single win or role. It reflects influence built over time and recognizes someone whose actions shape the agency, elevate others, and leave Brandon stronger than they found it. It is not given lightly. It honors leadership that compounds and impact that endures.
Kirby Altman embodies that legacy in every sense.
Her leadership sets the standard. She is relentlessly dedicated, consistently dependable, and always willing to step up, no matter the moment. Her commitment, character, and genuine care for this team make her someone people trust and choose to follow.
This award represents legacy, and Kirby is actively building one.
Annual Value Awards: Living What We Stand For
Each value award recognizes a specific behavior that defines Brandon at its core.
True Grit Award: Amanda Stanley
The True Grit Award honors perseverance, resilience, and determination in the face of challenge.
Amanda Stanley embodies grit through action. She stays focused when things get tough and pushes forward when others slow down. Her commitment, work ethic, and refusal to quit drive results and inspire those around her to do the same.
Eureka Award: Josh Kennon
The Eureka Award celebrates curiosity, growth, and a relentless pursuit of improvement.
Josh Kennon leads with questions, exploration, and a hunger to learn. He challenges old ways of thinking and pushes the agency to evolve. His curiosity fuels innovation and keeps Brandon moving forward.
Champion Award: Anabella Ortiz
The Champion Award recognizes competitive drive and a commitment to winning the right way.
Anabella Ortiz sets ambitious goals and follows through with focus and intensity. She turns challenges into opportunities and brings teams together around shared success. Her drive raises expectations and delivers results.
Navigator Award: Haley Brandon
The Navigator Award honors creative problem-solving and the ability to find solutions when the path forward is unclear.
Haley Brandon thrives in complexity. She brings clarity, creativity, and calm to difficult situations. Her ability to navigate challenges ensures progress continues, even when conditions are tough.
Annette Shepherd Integrity Award: Sunny Manning
The Annette Shepherd Integrity Award recognizes unwavering honesty, positivity, and doing what is right.
Sunny Manning leads with fairness, kindness, and purpose. Her consistency builds trust across the agency. She uplifts others while staying grounded in integrity, reflecting the spirit of this award in everything she does.
Rising Talent, Early Impact
Rising Star Award: Jason Garvale
The Rising Star Award celebrates early excellence and cultural alignment.
In just over six months, Jason Garvale made a meaningful impact through hard work, adaptability, and commitment. He embraced the culture, delivered results, and showed what early-stage excellence looks like at Brandon.
The Moments That Defined 2025
Brandon Bam! of the Year: Elizabeth McKnight
The Brandon Bam! Award celebrates those moments when work stops us in our tracks. It recognizes excellence delivered with energy, creativity, and undeniable impact.
Elizabeth McKnight created those moments throughout 2025.
Her work consistently raised the bar. Her attention to detail, creative instincts, and drive to exceed expectations brought momentum to teams and pride to the agency. When something landed hard this year, Elizabeth helped make it happen.
Team Awards: The Strength Behind the Wins
These awards recognize the people whose expertise and execution power the agency every day.
Game Plan Award: Kelsey Dixon
Honors strategic insight and forward-thinking planning that helps shape the agency’s direction.
Masterpiece Award: Ben Cantrell
Celebrates creative work that delivers both impact and results.
Client Whisperer Award: Davis Smith
Recognizes exceptional client relationships built on trust, communication, and follow-through.
Alchemist Award: Sherry Moats
Honors media expertise that transforms strategy into performance.
Code Wizard Award: Cassidy Moore
Celebrates technical innovation, efficiency, and problem-solving excellence.
Backbone Award: Lisa Capparella
Recognizes reliability, organization, and the support that keeps everything running smoothly.
Rainmaker Award: Mackenzie Livernois
Honors growth-driving leadership through new business, relationships, and opportunity creation.
Why These Awards Matter
These awards recognize the behaviors that move Brandon forward and the standards we protect. Grit, curiosity, integrity, creativity, and a drive to perform at the highest level. In 2025, this team showed what’s possible when those values show up every day.
“These awards recognize the people who consistently raise the bar and make everyone around them better,” said Scott Brandon, CEO of Brandon. “That’s how this agency was built, and that’s how we keep moving forward.”
To our winners, thank you for setting the standard. To the entire Brandon team, let this be fuel for what’s next.
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