Independence, OH – June 4, 2026 – The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), the world’s largest professional trade association for Business Brokers, proudly announced the recipients of its top individual performance awards during the 2026 IBBA Annual Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“These awards recognize the exceptional accomplishments of Business Brokers who helped business owners successfully transition their companies during 2025,” said Emily Bowler, Executive Director of the IBBA. “The collective impact of these transactions extends far beyond the deal table, preserving jobs, supporting entrepreneurship, strengthening local economies, and helping business owners achieve their goals. We are honored to recognize these outstanding professionals and congratulate them on their remarkable achievements.”
IBBA individual awards are presented annually based on qualified business transactions completed during the previous calendar year. The association is proud to recognize the following exceptional professionals for their achievements in 2025:
Top Individual Deal Maker of the Year
Awarded to the individual who completed the greatest number of qualified business transactions in 2025.
George Antonaklas – Realtec Business Brokers (FL)
Top Individual Global Producer of the Year
Awarded to the individual with the highest total purchase price from all deals combined in 2025.
Faraaz Ali, CBI – The Raivax Group (VA)
Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) of the Year
Awarded to the CBI who closed the single largest qualified business deal in 2025.
Faraaz Ali, CBI – The Raivax Group (VA)
Rising Star Award
Awarded to an emerging business broker who has made an impressive early impact through strong performance, professionalism, and community engagement.
Tony Pompeo – Sunbelt Business Brokers (MA)
Deal of the Year Award
Awarded for a standout deal where ingenuity and perseverance delivered exceptional outcomes for both buyer and seller.
Andrew Brown, CBI – Pacific Mergers & Acquisitions Inc. (BC)
IBBA Outstanding Producer Award
Given to those individuals who closed one or more qualified business deals totaling at least $1 million in total purchase price during the 2025 calendar year. The IBBA is pleased to congratulate:
Molly Adames
Tommy Alligood
Lauren Altschuler, CBI
Edward Bell
Jim Beno, CBI
Guillermo Birmingham
Philip Brzytwa
Nivedita Buzzetta, CBI
Frank Campoamor
Yu Jie Chen
Lyndsey Davino, CBI
Dave DeCamella, CBI
Nick DiFrancesco
Darrell Doust
Lauren Drummond Dale, MCBI
Manny Fernandez, CBI
Todd Furbee
Steve Fylypchuk, CBI
Patrick Gagliardi
Eric Gagnon, CBI
Fatima M. Grady, CBI
David Greeley
Patricia Griswold
Blair Grossman
Arlene C. Guerrero
Baris Guler, CBI
James Haidet
Philip Handke
Peter Harrison
Chris Hays
Katie Holditch, CBI
Take Iga, CBI
Paul Ihrig, CBI
Mark Irion
Marcelo Jo, CBI
Joshua Jones, CBI
Anthony Keane
Ashley Kelsey, CBI
Joseph Khoury
Izad Kitabi
Tim Kleman
Evgeniy Krasowski
Tetyana Kuzmyna
Doug Lewiskin
Vince Liuzzi, CBI
Dominique Maddox, CBI
Mike May
Bill McDonald
Mark McLean
Carlos M. Mejia
Charles Mullins III, CBI
Shiva Nambiar, CBI
Garrison Niles
Penny Papaioannou
Dana Park
Thierry Pauquet de Villejust
Valquiria Pidgeon
Don Pippin Jr, MCBI
Scott Pool
Tanya Popov, MCBI
Colleen Pushor
Jeannie Randolph, CBI
Brea Bateson Reger
Anthony Rigney, CBI
Lisa Riley LMCBI
Richard Schammel
Andy Schwandt, CBI
Ana Serrat
Steve Sharp, CBI
Carey Sobel, CBI
Kyoung Sun Karen Suh, CBI
Kenneth Tallmadge, CBI
Paul Turano
Ulisses Vales
Mitchell Weinberger, CBI
Stephanie Willis
Steve Zimmerman, LCBI
IBBA Chairman’s Circle Award
Given to those individuals who closed one or more qualified business deals amounting to $3 million and above in total purchase price during the 2025 calendar year. The IBBA is pleased to congratulate:
Dr. Fernando Acosta, CBI
Rolando Aldabert II
Ryan Armstrong, CBI
Khaled Baranbo, MCBI
Adam Bauer, CBI
Rocko Bell, CBI
Carol Lynn Bennett
Hank Beresin
Vishal Bharucha, MCBI
Dusty Block
Randy Bring, LCBI
Andrew Brown, CBI
Deborah Byon
Anthony Caliendo
Sam Campanella
Roberta Caputo
Mark Cardoza
Buddy Carp
Jim Carroll
Andrew Cavanaugh, CBI
Aamer Chaudhary
Delon Cheung
Bobbi Coffey, MCBI
Amy Cole, CBI
Dana P. Cole, CBI
Matt Coletta, LCBI
Frank Costa
Teri Craft
Don DiSpaltro
Nolan Duck, CBI
Carrie Duvall
Jeffrey Elder, LCBI
Dr. Leilani Felix-Acosta
Lester Fernandes
Clinton Fiore, CBI
Robin Gagnon, CBI
Chris Gordon, CBI
Daniel Greig
Kyle Griffith, MCBI
Justin Grolley, CBI
Steven Hanson, CBI
Ian Harding
David Heinz
Ryan Hemmert
Jackie Hirsch
Denise S. Houghtaling, CBI
Laurent Isorez
Tim Johnson
Mike Keen
Brian Labonte
Christina Lazuric, CBI
Jean Guy Leclerc
Steve Van Leeuwen
Mike Lenz, MCBI
Katrina Loftin, CBI
Dan Long, CBI
Jeff MacAdam, LCBI
Renato Mariani
John Marsh
James J. McNeela, CBI
Alan Mehrez
Fernando Mello, CBI
John Mendozza
Gregory Michail
Thomas R. Milana, MCBI
Sasa Milosevic
Tom Morse, CBI
Sylvia Mullen
Kevin F. Murray, CBI
Meili Myles, CBI
Kevin Nery, LCBI
Danny Nguyen
Rob Norris
Ken Oppeltz, LCBI
Lee Ossin
James Parker, MCBI
Leora Poplawsky
Pete Prados
Adam Pratt
Wasim Rahman
Phil Reese, LMCBI
Aileen Rodriguez
Jon Roman
George Rosen
Shaun Rudgear, MCBI
Darren Ruel, CBI
Justin Sandridge, MCBI
Joseph Shemansky, MCBI
Harry Sidhu, CBI
Mani Singh, CBI
Debbie Small
Michael Snider
Charles P. Spickert, LCBI
Chris Springfield, CBI
Terri Stallworth, CBI
Justin Staub, CBI
Roy Stephens
Roger Struthers
Giovanni Tanzi
Tanner Targowski, CBI
Jill TenHaken
Valerie Vaughn, MCBI
Katherine Vriner
DJ Waddell
Jason Ward, CBI
Philip Webb
Ryan Wenrich, CBI
Craig White, MCBI
Bill White Jr.
Jake Whitta, CBI
Michael Wildeveld, CBI
Bradley Williams
Troy Wolfe
Anthony Wright
Wayne Wright, MCBI
Bil Zarch
Dustin Zeher, CBI
Austin Zhao, CBI
Brian Zoberg
IBBA Platinum Chairman’s Circle Award
Given to those individuals who closed one or more qualified business deals amounting to $10 million and above in total purchase price during the 2025 calendar year. The IBBA is pleased to congratulate:
Faraaz Ali, CBI
Joe Alter
George Antonaklas
Nick Arnheim
Rupesh Bharad, CBI
Haroon Bhatti
Timothy Blais, CBI
Wayne Blease, CBI
Sean Brelsford, CBI
B. Lane Carrick, CBI
David Carson, CBI
Ryan Cave, CBI
Aniss Cherkaoui
Russell Cohen, CBI
James Covian
Erin Crawford, MCBI
Rebecca Davis, MCBI
Cress V. Diglio, LMCBI
Todd Eichman
Brent Engelbrekt, CBI
Bianca Evans, LCBI
Kevin Everts
Nick Fares, CBI
Aaron Fox, CBI
Eric J. Gall, CBI
Vasilis Georgiou, LCBI
Daryl Gloyns
Jason Godwin
Antoinette Gonzales, CBI
Sarah Grossman, CBI
Shailendra Gupta
Molly Hanson
Bob Harris, CBI
Randy Hendershot
Rich Hubschman, CBI
Tony Khoury, CBI
Fred Koenig
Gregg Kunz, MCBI
Jay Kvasnicka
Trent Lee, MCBI
Pam Ludwinski
Steve Merritt, MCBI
Lisa Meyer, CBI
Crystal Misenheimer, CBI
Joseph Moorman
Steve Niehaus, CBI
Kurt Okraski
Houmehr ‘Mike’ Panoussi
Adam Petricoff, CBI
Mark Quinn
Vinil Ramchandran, CBI
Trevin Rasmussen
Steve Santens, CBI
Edward Sklar
Matt Sobieski
Dan Tomlin, CBI
Todd Topliff
Gene Townley
Steve Wain, LCBI
Bob Wolter
Christopher Wozniak
IBBA Deal Maker Award
Given to those individuals who sold at least 10 qualified businesses during the 2025 calendar year. The IBBA is pleased to congratulate:
Dr. Fernando Acosta, CBI
Rolando Aldabert II
Faraaz Ali, CBI
George Antonaklas
Ryan Armstrong, CBI
Khaled Baranbo, MCBI
Rupesh Bharad, CBI
Timothy Blais, CBI
David Carson, CBI
Yu Jie Chen
Russell Cohen, CBI
Teri Craft
Dave DeCamella, CBI
Bianca Evans, LCBI
Kevin Everts
Dr. Leilani Felix-Acosta
Aaron Fox, CBI
Robin Gagnon, CBI
Daryl Gloyns
Antoinette Gonzales, CBI
Chris Gordon, CBI
Peter Harrison
Denise S. Houghtaling, CBI
Trent Lee, MCBI
Steve Van Leeuwen
Sasa Milosevic
Crystal Misenheimer, CBI
Joseph Moorman
Lee Ossin
Houmehr ‘Mike’ Panoussi
Shaun Rudgear, MCBI
Ana Serrat
Harry Sidhu, CBI
Matt Sobieski
Chris Springfield, CBI
Kyoung Sun Karen Suh, CBI
Tanner Targowski, CBI
Dan Tomlin, CBI
Gene Townley
Jason Ward, CBI
Michael Wildeveld, CBI
Troy Wolfe
Anthony Wright
Brian Zoberg
Media Contact
Emily Bowler
Executive Director, IBBA
[email protected]
IBBA Magazine
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