During the 2018 Sonic National Convention, the restaurant presented 10 of its top franchisees with prestigious awards. The convention, which took place in Washington, D.C., celebrated the 3,600 franchises across the U.S. and the outstanding leadership skills, brand representation and brand growth that they performed. Cliff Hudson, the CEO of Sonic Corp. stated that he feels that “local business men and women like our award winners are paramount to SONIC’s success and advancement.” Hudson also stated that “each of the leaders recognized this year are integral, entrepreneurial members of the diverse SONIC family who inspire their teams, fellow franchisees, operators and all of us involved with the brand”. Kamal Singh, the CEO and President of Emerge! won the prestigious “Newcomer” award. The “Newcomer” award is given to an individual or franchise that is not only new to the Sonic family but also can provide a high amount of sales and profits. All while meeting and surpassing the Sonic Corp. standards. Under the leadership of Singh, Emerge! has managed to acquire 34 Sonic Drive-In restaurants in the Houston, TX area. Another prestigious award (the “Troy Smith Hall of Fame” award), was won by Rodney Warren. The “Troy Smith Hall of Fame” award is given to an individual who has been a long-standing member of the Sonic family. The individual also had to make an enormous contribution to the growth of the Sonic brand. Rodney Warren is the leader of The Warren Group, which currently operates 40 Sonic Drive-In restaurants in a number of states. With over 40 years of service to the Sonic brand, it is easy to see why Warren was given the “Troy Smith Hall of Fame” award. Senior director of operations and human resources, Mike Parker, was awarded the “Chain Leader” award. The “Chain Leader” award is given to an individual who shows leadership skills and represents the brand in an outstanding way. Parker joined the Sonic family as a cook when he was a teenager. Since then Parker has grown to become a valuable member of the Sonic family, being associated with 67 restaurants over numerous states. The “Great People” award is given to an individual who has improved the recruitment, training, development and retention process. Greg Rowden took home the “Great People” award thanks to his abilities to nurture and support the growth of his team. Rowden has grown from a carhop and cook to a valued member of the Sonic brand. Although it has humble roots, Sonic Corp. has grown into the biggest fast food chain in America. It is constantly growing and evolving thanks to its amazing team of valued innovators. This is why every year Sonic Corp. picks 10 new winners for their prestigious awards. It will be interesting to see who wins the awards at the 2019 Sonic National Convention. For more information on the Sonic National Convention, feel free to contact the experts at Emerge!.