Tommy Garnett, president and CEO of Garnett Component Sales (GCS), along with his team, has been awarded the George Hayward Commercial Agent of the Year Award by the Internationally United Commercial Agents and Brokers (IUCAB).

Standing from left: Artie Smith, Tommy Garnett, Tom Diamond. Seated: Angela Garnett (left) and Addison Garnett. Not pictured: Mark Snyder and Cameron Alimi.

The award was presented during the IUCAB Annual Delegates’ meeting in Vienna, Austria, and accepted on Garnett’s behalf by Charles Cohon, CEO and president of the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association (MANA).

Garnett was nominated by MANA, one of the 20 members of the Europe-based IUCAB, which serves as an umbrella association for manufacturers’ representatives globally. The award is presented annually to an exceptional representative firm that exemplifies the quality and performance of its commercial agents. Garnett was selected for his outstanding leadership, deep involvement with MANA, and the professional integrity and profitability of the company he has built over the past 32 years.

Since its founding in 1992 as a one-person, one-line agency, GCS has grown to include nine key personnel and represents principals providing custom-engineered electro-mechanical components for original equipment manufacturers in aerospace, medical, military, automotive, industrial, and defense, just to name a few. The company serves the Southeast region, including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Kentucky.

“Tommy has dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort in supporting this industry and making the independent rep profession better for us all,” said Cohon. Garnett, a MANA member since 2006, currently serves as Board chair and has been instrumental in shaping the future of the profession.

Reflecting on the achievement, Garnett emphasized the collective effort behind the recognition: “Winning this award was a team effort. One of the best decisions we’ve made over the years is to invest in our people. We work closely as a team to stay focused and meet our company goals.”

The GCS team includes Vice President Artie Smith; Operations Manager Angela Garnett; Technical Sales Consultants Mark Snyder, Mike Mosher and Ricardo Malacara; Inside Sales Cameron Alimi; Marketing Director Tom Diamond; and Administrative Assistant Addison Garnett. Garnett credits the team’s dedication and the support of world-class manufacturers for making such accolades possible.

Garnett’s journey began at North Carolina State University. Before transitioning into the manufacturers’ representative business, he served as a golf professional and member of the PGA of America, Carolinas Section.

To learn more about GCS, visit www.gcsrep.com. For more information about the IUCAB award, go to www.iucab.com/services/george-hayward-award.