Invisible Fence® Brand's 2009 Dealer Awards

Dealers across the United States and Canada have been named award winners by Invisible Fence^® Brand, the leader in pet safety for more than 35 years.

Knoxville, TN – Dealers across the United States and Canada have been named award winners by Invisible Fence® Brand, the leader in pet safety for more than 35 years. The firm recently announced its annual National Dealer Recognition Awards which acknowledge dealer achievements in a variety of small business disciplines including sales, marketing and customer service.

“The award winners excelled in a variety of crucial business areas such as sales growth, innovative marketing, streamlined operations and professionalism,” said Willie Wallace, Vice President of Sales and New Product Development. “These awards are truly meaningful when you consider the high caliber of professionals in the Invisible Fence® Brand Dealer Network.”

For the third year in a row, Tony Hettinger from the Invisible Fence of Upstate New York won the top dealer award. His positive attitude and continued focus on results made him the obvious choice as 2008’s National Dealer of the Year in the “Mega Dealer” division. “In his five years at the helm, the Upstate New York dealership has prospered as never before, setting new records in customer satisfaction, new business sales and most importantly dealer profitability,” said Wallace.

Hettinger edged out two outstanding finalists in the “Mega Dealer” division, Brad & Shelly Bennett from Central Indiana and Michael Moriarty of Moriarty Fence Company in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Hettinger was also recognized as the #1 Guerilla Marketer of the year for Invisible Fence® Brand.

In the “Super Dealer” division, Jennifer and Howard Bruns took home the top honor. First-time winners of the National Dealer of the Year award, the Bruns are based in Battle Creek, Michigan where they operate the Invisible Fence Dealership of Southwest Michigan. They achieved 10% growth over last year’s sales in a state with a particularly challenging economy. “For us, remaining flexible is the key, being able to create spontaneous or unusual solutions to get the guys out in the field generates pride and a positive flow,” said Harold Bruns.

For the second year in a row, Invisible Fence® Brand recognized smaller dealers in the “Sprinter” division. This category’s National Dealer of the Year award went to Chris Craig, owner of the Invisible Fence dealership in Southwestern Indiana. “Chris has done it the old fashioned way – word of mouth, referrals, and just pounding the pavement,” said Wallace.

The 2008 “Rookie of the Year” award went to Greg and Cynthia Deitz of Invisible Fence of Western Canada. Wallace said of the couple, “They were committed to growing sales and the numbers don’t lie. They increased sales of Invisible Fence® Brand products by 127%. That’s explosive.” Susan and Steve Fraley of the Invisible Fence® Brand dealership in Northwest Ohio were honored with the Richard Peck Award. The Fraleys were involved with the pet oxygen mask donation program, donating more than 75 of the masks to area fire departments. “They took this program to another level,” said Wallace. “They partnered with a local humane society, and helped pets used in the demonstrations get adopted.” Steve agreed with Sue’s assessment of the program when she said, “This is one of the most worthwhile projects we have ever done.”

To recognize outstanding Power Cap® sales growth, Invisible Fence® Brand honored two dealers for significant achievement. The “Power Dealer of the Year” Award went to Invisible Fence of Minnesota, with Mike Williams accepting the honor. The award was determined by the dealership with the best ratio of Power Caps purchased compared to receivers purchased in 2008. Austin’s Underground Fence in Yorktown Heights, owned by Anthony Austin was recognized as the other “Power Dealer of the Year” for the greatest sales growth in 2008. The Invisible Fence Brand Power Cap is the power source for the Invisible Fence® Brand Computer Collar® receiver.

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About Invisible Fence^® Brand

Invisible Fence pioneered the pet containment industry in 1973, making it their mission to provide safe boundaries inside and outside of the home. The Radio Systems Corporation® owned company predominantly sells pet containment, avoidance and access solutions across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to offering award-winning products like Boundary Plus® Technology, Authorized Dealers provide professional installation, Perfect Start™ Plus Training and integrated solutions that have protected more than three million pets to date. Invisible Fence also founded the Project Breathe™ Program in 2006, donating more than 32,000 pet oxygen masks to fire departments and first responders. For more information on Invisible Fence or to find a local dealer, visit InvisibleFence.com or follow the company on Facebook.