Business Networking At Its Best: Alignable Announces The Top 50 Local Business Leaders Of 2024

NEWS RELEASE | SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS | BOSTON, MA: March 26, 2024 -- Alignable’s 2024 Local Business Person Of The Year Contest reached unparalleled participation levels this year, logging a whopping 309,000+ votes, 64,000+ recommendations, and 5,171 local winners across the U.S. and Canada. 

The largest online networking platform for business owners, Alignable.com invited its 8.7 million+ members to shout-out local business leaders who’ve gone above and beyond guiding peers and supporting entire communities, amid challenging economic conditions. 

The 2024 contest is the most popular competition Alignable has hosted in over five years, marking a 40% jump in participation over 2023, and a 30% increase in the number of winners.  To see your local winner, go here. 

Alignable's 2024 Top 50 List Of Business Leaders 

Among the thousands of  local winners, 50+ North American superstars emerged based on the overwhelming support they generated in this friendly, yet competitive contest. 

Here’s the Top 50 list, which includes many of the very best networkers on the platform. 

1. JB Beckett, Beckett Financial Group, W. Columbia, SC – 469 votes
2. Brian Gregory, The YES Test, Phoenix, AZ  – 312 votes
3. Kimberly Wallace, Southern Magnolia Media, Cornelius, NC – 270 votes
4. Michael Keller, Service Finance Company, Boca Raton, FL – 267 votes
5. Helena Smolock, Velocity Athletic Training, Blaine, WA – 258 votes
6. Jill Cone, AZ Metals, Mesa, AZ – 222 votes 
7. Shane Hicks, RebootVA, New Braunfels, TX – 219 votes
8. Paul L. Odendahl, Destination4Education, Port St. Lucie, FL & Tony Ransdell, GBE Packaging, Elgin, IL – 218 votes
9. Anton Burnette, Webive Digital Marketing, Cleveland, TN  – 209 votes
10. Steve Levinson, Better Business Web, Boynton Beach, FL  – 186 votes
11. LaToya Germaine, Germane Learning, New City, NY – 182 votes
12. Cherri Pedrioli, Cheri Pedrioli Relationship Marketing, Santa Rosa, CA & Dr. Mary Welsh, Susie Q’s Kids, Warren, MI –  168 votes
13. Dr. Karen Fiorillo, Modern Nature, Collegeville, PA – 162 votes 
14. Amberly Shreve, Business Communication Specialist, Clarksville, MD  – 157 votes
15. Paul Finkelstein, OMGTalk.com, Delray Beach, FL  – 150 votes
16. James Clemens, Mica Specialties, Panama Beach City, FL & Maria Wirth, Business Owners Trade Alliance, Allentown, PA – 145 votes
17. Jason Integrity, IntegrityGO, Charlotte, NC – 142 votes
18. Lesly Jean-Baptiste, Team Genius Marketing, Lawrenceville, GA – 141 votes
19. Dr. Thomas Hill, Thomas Mallory Hill & Associates, Naperville, IL – 131 votes
20. Sam Rafoss, Coach Engage, Calgary, AB – 126 votes (No. 1 in Canada)
21. Tracee T. Holloway, The Way Up Creative Group, Mansfield, TX – 124 votes 
22. Andrew Murkens, 828 Biz, Hendersonville, NC  – 123 votes
23. Susan M. Husa, Animate Life Coaching, Fall City, WA & Angie Carlson, Carlson Financial Coaching, Dubuque, IA – 120 votes
24. Paul Kirch, Boss Academy, Ft. Worth, TX – 116 votes
25. Kelsey Dunbar, Complete Health And Fitness, Oswego, IL – 112 votes 
26. Kat Sloan, KST Business Solutions, Abbotsford, BC – 111 votes (No. 2 in Canada)
27. Gunther Kramer, Gecko Websites, Waterloo, ON  – 109 votes (No. 3 in Canada)
28. Dr. Jamica Nadina Love, Higher Dimensions Consulting, Roanoke, VA – 106 votes
29. Colette Martin, Business In Pearls, Mansfield, TX (Second Place), Harold Bowser, Simple2Clean, Wichita, KS & Wanda Cooper Digital And 3 Free, Atlanta, GA (Buckhead) – 105 votes
30. Sheron Mingo Y (Book Writing & Publishing Coach), New York, NY (Arverne) & Angie Card, Edward Jones, Detroit, MI – 104 votes 
31. Todd Mitchell, Cybersecurity4biz, Alamogordo, NM – 103 votes
32. Mark Robbins, AllTexasMedia, Flower Mound, TX – 102 votes
33. Evan Raoof, Fit Living Academy, Canton, MI – 101 votes
34. Steve Kent, Financial Literacy Educator, Great Neck, NY – 100 votes
35. Amy Brandon, Texas Tax Chicks, Addison, TX & Yvette B. Eldridge, LegalShield, North Conway, NH– 99 votes
36. Yolanda Bennett, Yolanda’s Pet Sitting & Boarding, North Las Vegas, NV – 98 votes
37. Stacy Mueller, Certified Life Coach, Welland, ON (No. 4 in Canada) & Jannery Michelle, StrongFoundation Marketing, Tampa, FL – 96 votes
38. Diane Steen, Designz By Diane, Bloomington, TX – 95 votes
39. Kerilie McDowall, Canadian Online Guitar Lessons, Nanaimo, BC (No. 5 in Canada), Lauren Doll, Dream Co. Weddings & Events, Santa Clarita, CA,  & Char Ross, iBrand and Design, Tucker, GA – 94 votes 
40. Jeannine Warrick, JL Administrative Services, Snellville, GA  – 91 votes
41. Clayton Ivey, XBS Express Business Solutions, Atlanta, GA (Buckhead – Second Place), Jeremie Watson, The Watson Agency, Scottsdale, AZ & Crystal Groves, Misfit Interactive, Gettysburg, PA – 90 votes
42. Phyllis Arnstein, Health To Wealth, Spring Hill, FL,  Tracey Lee Davis, ZingPop Social Media, San Jose, CA, Tom Kavanaugh, New Coaching Strategies, Ventura, CA, & Debbie Smith, Revive Ur Biz, Glenmoore, PA – 89 votes
43. Oleg Moskalensky, Productive Computer Systems, Redwood, WA & Dan Hughes, Send Out Text, Knoxville, TN – 88 votes
44. Paula Roberts, Aqua Community Relations Group, San Diego, CA & Kathy Lowrey, The Harbor Center, Slidewell, LA – 87 votes
45. Steve Liebroder, SEO727.COM, GEO727.COM, Palm Harbor, FL & Victor Felix, Award-Winning Brand Strategist, Lockhart, FL – 85 votes
46. Natalie DeLeo, Mortgage Resource Plus, Southfield, MI,  Joe Moore, DigitalCowboy.io, Aberdeen, SD, & Jill Cone, New Mexico Metals, Albuquerque, NM – 81 votes
47. Carol Witt, Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, St. Petersburg, FL – 84 votes
48. Justin Korn, Watchdog Studio, Oakland, CA, & Dr. Jo, TulaSoul, Plymouth, MN – 79 votes
49. Lindsay Pettinicchi, Lindsay Pettinicchi Photography, Hilton Head Island, SC  – 77 votes
50. Len Marshall, Quite City Design, Toronto, ON (No. 6 in Canada) & Victoria Toth, Clayton NC Web Design, Clayton, NC – 76 votes

These leaders were commended for helping peers grow their networks and expand their businesses during a year with many economic challenges. 

All local champions received special badges on their Alignable profiles, recognizing their wins. The awareness generated through similar contests has spurred expanded connections, referrals, and new business for many winners.  

“Our members can't stop raving about how this contest supercharged the relationships within their networks, which have sparked referrals, ignited fresh business opportunities, and fueled a massive wave of mutual support," said Alignable’s CEO Eric Groves. “Business owners are the vibrant heartbeat of their communities, and it's high time they got the recognition they deserve. With over 64,000 recommendations pouring in from this year's contest, it's crystal clear: when small business owners unite, they become an unstoppable force."  

To arrange interviews with any of these winners,  or to find out more about your local champions, please contact Chuck Casto at chuck@alignable.com. He also can offer JPEGs and other visuals, as well as local winner details and testimonials.  

About Alignable 

Alignable.com is the largest online business networking platform for business owners in the U.S. and Canada. With 8.7 million members across 35,000+ communities, Alignable is the network where business owners come together. Whether you’re connecting locally, meeting peers in your industry, or finding a catalyst who will introduce you to their network, Alignable is where businesses connect and change their business trajectory.