Early this year David Rowlands, local Berwick businessman and proud member of the Berwick BNI Chapter, walked away with the “BNI Member of the Year” for the fourth year in a row.
BNI is a referral based business networking group that focuses on the ideal of “Givers Gain”, where those who give out referrals, will generally receive in return, and David in this respect was certainly a giver; bagging the prestigious award in a hail of modesty.
“I am truly grateful to receive this award for the fourth year running, and to be acknowledged by my peers for my endeavours”, he said, “I’d also like to share my award with the other BNI Chapter nominees who have also worked tirelessly to bring in work for their respective members to make it a profitable exchange.”
Awards
→ 2010 BNI Melbourne South Member of the Year
→ 2011 BNI Melbourne South Member of the Year
→ 2012 BNI Melbourne South Member of the Year
→ 2013 BNI Melbourne South Member of the Year
→ 2009 BNI Melbourne South Gold Member Status
→ 2010 BNI Berwick Member of the Year
→ 2011 BNI Berwick Member of the Year
→ 2012 BNI Berwick Member of the Year
→ 2013 BNI Berwick Member of the Year
→ 2014 BNI Berwick Member of the Year
The Berwick BNI group of 21 members generated over $750,000 of closed business last year, and have already reached $218,000 worth by May of this year. The BNI model goes far beyond their recorded figures, however, as there are still things that can’t be tracked, such as members who have come and gone who the chapter still does business with.
“BNI is something that anyone can benefit from,” David says, “A business, large or small, can use the power of word of mouth networking. Especially in a structured environment like BNI.”
After walking into the chapter in 2005, he soon came out with a number of referrals, valuing in the thousands. Since then, David has become one of the biggest contributors in the region.
Apart from his three-year streak, he has won other numerous awards for himself and his chapter as the oldest member since Berwick BNI’s inception.
In closing, David jokes that the “BNI Member of the Year Ceremony” isn’t too dissimilar to the Academy Awards for BNI, “Instead of making movies for people we’re making money for people.”
David Rowlands is the owner and founder of Digital Developments, which was founded in 2004.