NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 7, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Advance Financial Chief Executive and Chief Experience Officer Tina Hodges was recently named the recipient of a Gold Stevie® Award in the 17th Annual American Business Awards®. The Nashville-based financial services and Fintech company executive won the gold award for Woman of the Year in the highly contested Consumer Services category.
The Woman of the Year category recognizes achievements of women in the workplace in 2018. Under CEO Tina Hodges' leadership, 2018 proved to be an incredibly strong year for the company, as it hit multiple growth milestones and elevated its long tradition of giving back to the local communities it serves.
In 2018, the company opened 16 new stores, eclipsing 100 stores total, and welcomed hundreds of new employees, growing from 800 at the end of 2017 to more than 1,150 in 2018 – a growth rate of 62 percent. In five years, the company's total revenue grew from over $73 million to more than $300 million — 226% growth— landing it on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies for the seventh year in a row.
The charitable arm of Advance Financial, the Advance Financial Foundation, contributed $561,000 in donations, grants and scholarships to organizations and students across the state in 2018. Additionally, the company's Volunteer Paid Time Off policy provided an opportunity for employees give 11,188 hours of Volunteer Time Off last year.
"It is an honor to be recognized for this award, especially in a category with so many inspiring female leaders," said Hodges. "I would not be able to lead this company without the support from our entire Advance Financial community. It is a privilege to learn and lead alongside them each day."
The American Business Awards were created in 2002 to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide. More than 3,800 nominations from organizations of all sizes and industries were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, and more than 200 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year's Stevie Award winners.
"The nominations submitted to the 2019 American Business Awards were outstanding," said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. "They illustrate the continued vibrancy of innovation and high level of achievement across the American economic landscape."
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2019 Stevie winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.
About Advance Financial
Founded in 1996, Advance Financial is a leading fintech company based in Nashville, Tennessee. With more than 100 stores in Tennessee and online loan services in 13 states, Advance Financial provides fast lending decisions on line of credit loans and other financial services, 24/7/365. Recent recognition includes 2018 Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies (7 straight years); A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau; Nashville's 4th fastest growing company (2018, Nashville Business Journal); Forbes Best Employers for New Graduates (2018); and, Indeed Top-Ranked Workplace for Compensation/Benefits (2018). For more, visit http://www.af247.com.
About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
Sponsors of the 2019 American Business Awards include HCL America, John Hancock Financial Services, and SoftPro.
SOURCE Advance Financial
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