Meet the Winners of the Rebate Strategist Awards 2025

At Enable, we believe true success goes beyond metrics—it's about visionary leadership, unwavering values, and making a real difference. Today, we're absolutely thrilled to unveil this year's Rebate Strategists Award winners who are revolutionizing rebate management and delivering extraordinary results!

Meet our 2025 Rebate Strategist Award Winners:

Congratulations to all six winners who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication in the field of rebate management. Each of these individuals has made a remarkable impact on their organizations by leveraging Enable’s platform to optimize processes, drive revenue growth, and foster strong industry relationships. Through their strategic vision and execution, they are redefining how businesses manage rebates and unlock new opportunities. Their achievements reflect the future of rebate strategy, setting a high standard for industry excellence.

• Pete Schwalbach - Werner Electric Supply

Pete played a critical role in transforming rebate management by optimizing rebate tracking and ensuring the company maximized profitability. By leveraging Enable’s platform, he significantly reduced manual processes, improved data accuracy, and streamlined rebate claims. His deep understanding of rebate structures allowed Werner Electric to strengthen supplier negotiations and make more informed financial decisions.  

The result? A more efficient, transparent, and profitable rebate process that continues to drive bottom-line success.

• Jon Soloy - Scandinavian Home Products

As CEO, Jon led Scandinavian Home Products through a strategic shift toward a data-driven rebate management approach. By utilizing Enable’s forecasting and reporting capabilities, he helped the company better anticipate rebate earnings and optimize supplier agreements. His forward-thinking leadership ensured the business could adapt to changing market dynamics, increasing overall profitability.  

• Stewart Hansen - Five Star Franchising

Stewart championed a centralized rebate framework that revolutionized how Five Star Franchising manages its rebate programs. His initiative ensured that franchisees could fully capitalize on available rebates, increasing overall revenue while maintaining consistency across locations.  

By refining rebate structures through Enable, Stewart enabled franchisees to make smarter financial decisions and negotiate more favorable agreements with suppliers. His leadership has positioned Five Star Franchising as an industry leader in rebate optimization.

• Rik Pepper - MKM Building Supplies

Rik has been instrumental in refining rebate strategies at MKM Building Supplies, using Enable’s capabilities to enhance rebate forecasting and supplier negotiations. By structuring incentive bands and analyzing rebate data in greater detail, he has driven significant cost savings for the company. His strategic approach has allowed MKM to take a more proactive stance in supplier engagements, ensuring that rebate agreements are optimized for both short-term gains and long-term business growth.  Rik’s expertise continues to have a lasting impact on the company’s financial success.

• Yoshaka Fain, Largest Distributor of Truck and Trailer Parts

By leveraging Enable, Yoshaka successfully estimated upcoming rebate earnings with greater accuracy, leading to improved accrual forecasting. A key component of this effort was designing a custom accrual report to integrate with the legacy ERP system. This shift from a homegrown system with limitations to a more flexible platform has led to enhanced rebate accounting accuracy and more informed, focused vendor negotiations.

• Kristen Snyder – The Home Depot

Kristen led a complete overhaul of rebate management at her organization, streamlining processes and drastically improving efficiency. By leveraging Enable’s platform, she reduced the time required for rebate processing from months to weeks. Her ability to foster collaboration between internal teams and external suppliers resulted in stronger relationships and increased rebate earnings. Her commitment to innovation and process improvement has ensured that rebate strategies at her company are not just reactive but proactive, leading to sustained business growth.

Meet our Honorable Mentions:  

We also want to take a moment to recognize the outstanding contributions of the following customers:  

• Colleen Kennedy - STEMCO  

• Brian Simpson - Henderson Group

• Danielle DeGerolamo - Specified Technologies

• Lorah Gray - K-Flex USA

What Makes a Winning Rebate Strategist?

Nominations were reviewed by a select panel of Enable committee members using the following nomination criteria:

• Recognized as a Visionary: We celebrate companies and individuals who think outside the box, anticipate industry trends and lead their teams into the future of rebate management.

• Results-Driven Excellence: Our awardees are those who have consistently delivered exceptional results, driving their organizations to new heights of success.

• Collaborative Leadership: Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, and we honor organizations who foster teamwork, cooperation and shared success.

• Strategic Thinkers: We appreciate those who approach rebate management with a strategic mindset, driving innovation and efficiency.

• Commitment to Ethics: We hold ethics and integrity in the highest regard, and our awardees reflect these values in their business practices.

• Customer Satisfaction: Happy customers are at the core of our business, and we celebrate those who prioritize customer satisfaction and loyalty.  

We appreciate everyone who submitted nominations for these awards. Stay tuned to our website for announcements about 2026 nominations opening later this year!