Woodards Celebrates “Success With Heart” at First Gala Awards

Woodards has signaled the evolution of its brand with its inaugural Gala Awards Ball, recognizing winners for excellence in sales, property management and administration performance as well as delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Held at the luxurious Metropolis Events at Southbank on September 4, the evening marked a series of significant shifts for the group.

The move to a formal black-tie gala ball reflected Woodards’ growth and evolution, giving team members the stage they deserve to recognise their accomplishments and commitment to “success with heart”.

For the first time, awards were decided on metric-based data rather than subjective submission-based criteria, bringing greater rigor to the honours.

Most significantly, the introduction of Customer Excellence Awards redefined what success means at Woodards — recognising not only volume metrics but the quality of service and the nurturing of relationships that form the heart of the business.

Woodards Chief Executive Officer Nigel O’Neil said the inaugural Gala Awards Ball marked a significant step forward for the brand.

“Moving from cocktail evenings to a formal black-tie event reflects not just our growth in scale, but the way we value and celebrate our people,” he said.

“The gala elevates the way we acknowledge excellence across the group and matches the maturity of the brand we are building. For the first time, every award was judged on clear, metric-based criteria, including customer experience measured through Net Promoter Scores.

“These awards matter because they shine a light on what clients think of us — not just how many homes we sell or manage. Recognising excellence in customer service, for renters, rental providers, vendors and buyers, ensures we celebrate the people who deliver lasting value and genuine care.”

Mr O’Neil said along with traditional awards such as Sales Agent of the Year, Property Manager of the Year and Office of the Year, the awards also included categories that recognised the best open home experience, administrative excellence and Woodards’ values.

“At Woodards, we believe in celebrating success with heart, which means always doing the right thing by our clients,” Mr O’Neil said.

“The awards recognise not only strong business performance, but also the professionalism, integrity and humility that our people bring to their work every day.

“That is what builds trust, referrals and enduring relationships — and that is the foundation of our future.”

Woodards Sunbury named Office of the Year

Woodards Sunbury took out the biggest award of the night - Office of the Year (Woodards Group) -  which is awarded for outstanding business performance, delivering exemplary customer experiences and overall excellence.

Woodards Sunbury Managing Director Matthew Makin said the accolade was the result of a three-year strategy to build a culture of great people, clear roles and high standards.

“Everyone has worked hard to develop their craft, support each other, and create winning habits. You can only win awards like this if everyone plays their part,” he said.

“Three years ago we made a conscious decision to put the consumer at the centre of everything we do. For us, success isn’t focused on how many deals we do, it’s about giving clients the best service in town. The results follow when people feel valued, supported and looked after.”

Individual Achievements Recognised

In praising the entire Woodards Sunbury team, Mr Makin highlighted several team members who also took out awards.

Property Consultant and Auctioneer Jason Sheridan took out the awards for Sales Agent of the Year (Listings Sold) and Sales Agent of the Year (Gross Commission Income), while Property Consultant Hannah Monk won Sales Agent of the Year (Customer Excellence) and Property Manager of the Year (Woodards Group) went to Client Manager Sarah Hutchings.

"Our focus has always been on integrity, excellence and teamwork,” Mr Makin said.

“Rather than being purely transactional, we’ve worked to deliver a thoughtful, considered experience for every client. Going above and beyond is part of our culture, and seeing that recognised at the awards is a reward for doing things the right way."

Mr Sheridan said winning Sales Agent of the Year was an honour, but what mattered most was showing clients they could trust the team’s processes, results and service.

“At Woodards, we treat every buyer and seller like family, and this recognition highlights the credibility we’ve built in the marketplace,” he said.

"These awards are really a reflection of the whole Sunbury team. From sales and admin to property management, everyone plays a role in creating our success. I’m proud of the entire office for what we’ve achieved together – the recognition is just as much theirs as it is mine."

Ms Monk said winning the Sales Agent of the Year (Customer Excellence) award was especially meaningful as it was based directly on client feedback.

“It shows we’re not only achieving great results, but also delivering on our promise to guide people through the process with honesty, care and professionalism,” she said.

“Real estate can be a stressful journey, but when buyers and vendors feel happy and confident in the service we provide, that’s the real measure of success.”

Ms Hutchings said the Property Manager of the Year (Woodards Group) award was based on a blend of business metrics and customer experience results.

“For me, property management is about making life easier for both landlords and tenants,” Ms Hutchings said.

“If I can take something off their shoulders and find solutions quickly, that’s a win. It’s incredibly rewarding to know the award recognises not just numbers, but the genuine care and service we provide every day."

Essendon Office Celebrated

Woodards Essendon won Sales Office of the Year (Listings Sold) and Sales Office of the Year (Gross Commission Income), with Woodards Essendon Director Bruce Warburton highlighting that the win was a reflection of the depth and strength of the team.

“With more than 250 years of combined experience across the office – from seasoned agents to the next generation – we’ve built a cohesive culture that delivers consistently strong results for our clients,” he said.

“Success comes down to trust. We’ve been part of the Essendon community for decades, and clients continue to choose us because we do what we say we’re going to do. That reputation, backed by experience and transparency, is what drives our results year after year.”

Oakleigh Office Delivers on Service

Sales Office of the Year (Customer Experience) was awarded to Woodards Oakleigh and Director Frank Scalise said the award recognised the effort the team put in every day.

"Our business is built on customer service, repeat clients and referrals,” he said.

“For us, it’s about doing the simple things well — keeping promises, communicating clearly and always putting the customer first. This award confirms that approach is working."

Woodards 2025 Award Winners:

Woodards Values Award
Stilliani Athanasiadis, Ascot Vale

Administration Employee of the Year
Sarah Mazur, Blackburn

Property Management Rising Star
Sophie Taghi, Camberwell

Business Development Manager of the Year
Daniel O’Keeffe, Carlton

Property Manager of the Year (Customer Excellence – Renters)
Claire Van Dyk, Ascot Vale

Property Manager of the Year (Customer Excellence – Rental Provider)
Alessandra Knez, Coburg

Property Manager of the Year (Woodards Group)
Sarah Hutchings, Sunbury

Sales Rookie of the Year
Maggie Guo, Doncaster

Most Improved Sales Agent of the Year
Frank Scalise, Oakleigh

Novice Auctioneer of the Year
Cate Vesely, South Yarra

Sales Agent of the Year (Customer Excellence)
Hannah Monk, Sunbury

Sales Agent of the Year (Listings Sold)
Jason Sheridan, Sunbury

Sales Agent of the Year (Gross Commission Income)
Jason Sheridan, Sunbury

Service Award
Croydon Office

Property Management Office of the Year (Customer Excellence)
Ascot Vale Office

Sales Office of the Year (Best Open Home Experience)
Sunbury Office

Sales Office of the Year (Customer Experience)  
Oakleigh Office

Sales Office of the Year (Listings Sold)
Essendon Office

Sales Office of the Year (Gross Commission Income)
Essendon Office

Sales Office of the Year (Woodards Group)
Sunbury Office