Have you ever been so moved by a special person that you become so grateful that there are people like them in this world. People whose generosity of spirit and caring for others shines brightly on everyone they touch and come in contact with.
This year at the Edible Arrangements Annual Convention I was so proud to give the award for the North American Franchisee of the Year, and along with it our own soon to be fabled blue jacket, to one of the most amazing franchisees we have in our system, Reva Gartzke of Austin, Texas. What makes Reva so special is not just her business acumen and razor-sharp intellect, but her generosity and caring for others. I’ve always believed that the true mark of person, how that person will be viewed by others and the world, is determined by their unselfish willingness to sacrifice and care for, assist and lead others. I believe Reva embodies these attributes and makes her a giant in our franchise system and in her community.
In the past 6 or so years I have known Reva, she has opened three very successful stores, two in Austin and one in Round Rock, with a fourth coming soon in Cedar Park. More importantly, she has been instrumentally involved with helping us improve operational efficiencies throughout the system. I, and all of my colleagues at Edible Arrangements and the other franchisees, value her opinion highly. What struck me even more at the convention was a video shown just before the award was given to Reva where three of her employees passionately described what Reva means to them. Their heartfelt testimonials proved to all of us the impact Reva has on their lives, the impact she has on many people’s lives. All of them described her compassion and caring for them and others, interest in their well-being and leadership in helping them build successful lives and careers. She shows the same caring for her guests as she does her employees, friends and strangers. To Reva, it’s not just about business, it’s about people.
In addition, Reva, like many of our franchisees, is active in her community. But I feel her involvement and total commitment in one cause sets her apart. Reva is heavily involved in Big Brothers Big sisters and has been for many years. She is so involved and appreciated that in 2010 she was named the Texas Big sister of the Year. Please watch a video of Reva and her little sister, Nacaya, by clicking Here.
All of us at Edible Arrangements feel privileged to have the opportunity to know Reva, and grateful for having her as franchisee. She is a friend and leader to so many. For Reva understands that when you gave back you get so much more in return.
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