The Stories Behind Excellence
1/11/2026
The VRMA Excellence Awards celebrate and recognize the incredible work, contributions, and impact that vacation rental professionals have made in the past year. Here we highlight each of 2025’s 10 award recipients.
Best Marketing Campaign Award – Property Manager: Seaside Vacation & Sales
A viral documentary, record-setting engagement, and a community newly inspired to share its story—Seaside Vacations & Sales’ 2025 campaign redefined what local marketing can achieve. Marking the company’s 10th anniversary alongside the 100th anniversary of Chincoteague Island’s iconic Pony Swim, the team used storytelling to celebrate the people and traditions that make their island home unforgettable.
The centerpiece, Tides of Tradition: The Story of Chincoteague, was written, filmed, and edited entirely in-house by Seaside’s three-person marketing team. The film wove together the voices of local historians, saltwater cowboys, and artisans to capture a century of heritage. Its premiere drew hundreds from the community, earned more than 4,000 views within a day of its YouTube release, and was selected by both a regional theater and a film festival.
Beyond the film, Seaside produced more than 350 pieces of original content—videos, blogs, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes features—that extended the story across every platform. The results were remarkable: Meta reach grew 208%, video interactions surged 645%, and bookings increased by double digits, all while ad spend decreased. By turning its anniversary into a community celebration, Seaside Vacations & Sales demonstrated how authentic storytelling can drive engagement, strengthen local pride, and transform marketing into a movement.
Best Marketing Campaign Award – Supplier: Vacation Rental Formula Business School
When the Vacation Rental Formula Business School launched SSTIR Crazy 2025, it didn’t just market a program—it reimagined how the short-term rental industry learns. The five-week, gamified experience turned complex operational topics into an interactive adventure, following a fictional property management company, StayWise Rentals, as it navigated the challenges of Safety, Sustainability, Trust, Insurance, and Regulations (SSTIR).
Led by Heather and Mike Bayer, the campaign combined storytelling, education, and community engagement in a way the industry hadn’t seen before. Each week featured expert insights from leaders like Chris Maughan, Dana Lubner, and Justin Ford, alongside live panels, interactive polls, and hands-on challenges. Participants earned badges, solved clues, and climbed a leaderboard—learning how to strengthen their businesses while having fun.
The results spoke volumes: More than 6,800 participants from 12 countries joined the five-week journey, doubling the reach of the previous year’s campaign. Podcast downloads surged past 5,000 with a 42% increase in listen time, and social media buzz grew organically as participants shared their progress and insights.
By transforming education into an experience, SSTIR Crazy 2025 bridged the gap between marketing and learning. It energized a global community, proving that even the industry’s most technical topics can inspire creativity, collaboration, and real-world change.
Community Impact Award: Salty Dog Vacations
At Salty Dog Vacations, community impact is built into the company’s DNA. Based in the Daytona Beach area, Salty Dog Vacations has redefined what it means to operate as a responsible, communityminded property management company. Beyond managing more than 100 homes, the team views every booking as an opportunity to drive local economic growth, revitalize neighborhoods, and strengthen the social fabric of their region.
The company’s initiatives reach far beyond hospitality. Salty Dog Vacations has become a consistent voice for balanced short-term rental legislation, working with local and state leaders to ensure policies protect neighborhoods while encouraging investment and responsible tourism. The company also partners closely with schools, small businesses, and nonprofits to keep economic benefits circulating locally—from hiring area contractors and artists to offering teacher incentives and promoting pet-friendly travel that supports humane society initiatives.
Salty Dog Vacations’ leadership team takes community engagement personally, lending time and expertise to boards and volunteer programs that make a measurable difference, including the Daytona Beachside Redevelopment Board, the American Red Cross, and the Special Olympics. Their involvement helped earn Daytona’s first A-rating for its school district in 16 years, a milestone that underscores the connection between education, tourism, and community prosperity.
Salty Dog Vacations proves that thriving local communities and a thriving vacation rental industry can—and should—go hand in hand.
Rising Star Award: Becca Madigan, PriceLabs
In an industry defined by constant change, Becca Madigan has quickly become one of vacation rental management’s most dynamic and trusted voices. Drawing on her experience managing 250 units for a major Charleston firm, she brings a rare mix of operational know-how and technical fluency to her leadership role at PriceLabs, where she heads the US solutions consultants team.
Madigan’s mission is simple but powerful: Help property managers feel capable, not intimidated, by data. Under her mentorship, her 10-person team guides operators of every size in turning pricing tools into practical strategies that drive results. Her approachable teaching style and empathy for real-world challenges have made her a go-to speaker at events such as VRMA, DARM, and VRNation.
Her impact extends far beyond PriceLabs. As a board member of RevProf, the nonprofit advancing revenue-management education and certification, Madigan has helped design mentorship frameworks that connect seasoned experts with newcomers—strengthening the profession’s foundation for the future. She also co-hosts RevLabs by PriceLabs, an educational podcast that turns complex pricing concepts into clear, actionable insights.
Since Becca joined PriceLabs in 2021, the platform’s listings priced daily have grown tenfold to more than 500,000, and its user base has expanded twelvefold to over 60,000. Her drive, clarity, and leadership embody what the Rising Star Award celebrates: talent that lifts an entire industry higher.
DEI Impact Award: Casiola
For Casiola, diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t initiatives—they’re the foundation of its hospitality philosophy. The company believes that true hospitality uplifts every identity and every story, extending its commitment to inclusivity across its properties, staff, and guest experiences. From hiring practices that value diverse perspectives to marketing that reflects real communities, Casiola ensures that every traveler feels not only welcome but genuinely seen.
One of the most visible expressions of that commitment is Casiola Proud, a year-round platform dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Through the initiative, the company publishes travel guides, event spotlights, and allyship resources that encourage safe, inclusive, and authentic travel experiences. Whether highlighting St. Pete Pride—the largest LGBTQ+ celebration in the Southeast— or curating local tips for Dunedin Pride Week,
Casiola uses its platform to amplify queer voices and support locally owned businesses. That same spirit of inclusion extends to other cultural moments, such as its coverage of Juneteenth events in Houston and Wynwood Pride in Miami, each piece reflecting the company’s dedication to storytelling that honors resilience, creativity, and identity.
Internally, Casiola’s culture mirrors the values it promotes externally: Team members are empowered to bring their full selves to work, engage in community service, and participate in ongoing learning about equity and belonging. Casiola’s commitment to “extraordinary hospitality” proves that inclusion isn’t just good business—it’s the heart of hospitality itself, where everyone, everywhere, can feel at home.
Advocate of the Year Award: Scott Leggat, Inhabit Q
Few people embody the spirit of advocacy in the short-term vacation rental industry quite like Scott Leggat, whose tireless work on behalf of property managers and homeowners has helped safeguard short-term rental rights in communities across the United States. Spending nearly 70% of his year on the road, Leggat, the director of government affairs and advocacy at Inhabit IQ, works directly with local markets to organize, educate, and unify managers around fair and sustainable vacation rental legislation. His dedication has preserved countless livelihoods and helped ensure that responsible operators continue to thrive amid an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
What sets Leggat apart is his ability to bring people together. In an industry often defined by competition, he has built bridges among rival companies by focusing on shared values and common goals. His positivity and collaborative approach have turned local challenges into opportunities for collective action. Leggat’s leadership has been instrumental in forming advocacy networks that amplify the industry’s voice in city halls and statehouses across the country.
The results speak for themselves: Thanks to the efforts of Leggat and his collaborator Brian Olsen of Beachcomber Vacation Homes, Oregon’s coastal markets remain open to vacation rentals today. Their success underscores what’s possible when advocacy is driven by persistence, partnership, and a deep belief in the value of the vacation rental community.
Vacation Rental Management Company of the Year Award: Coastal Carolina Vacations
In just three years, Coastal Carolina Vacations has grown from a single home to a 200-property portfolio across North Carolina’s Outer Banks—an extraordinary rise built not on scale alone, but on substance. The company’s philosophy is simple: Deliver exceptional hospitality through genuine relationships, hands-on service, and a deep respect for the community it calls home.
Every detail of Coastal Carolina’s operation reflects that belief. Nearly half of its homes underwent renovations this past year, part of a proactive initiative to elevate the guest experience while strengthening homeowner partnerships.
The effort involved 279 coordinated projects—many completed in-house—resulting in refreshed properties, record guest satisfaction, and a 22% profit margin that reinvested directly into local vendors and tradespeople.
That focus on quality has translated into measurable results. The company maintains one of the highest Google ratings in the market, boasts 80% five-star guest survey responses, and continues to earn national recognition, including multiple People’s Choice Awards and the Outer Banks Chamber’s 2024 Small Business of the Year honor. But beyond the metrics lies the heart of Coastal Carolina’s success: a team of dedicated professionals who treat every reservation as more than a transaction. Whether supporting local scholarship programs, responding to a late-night repair, or celebrating a guest’s milestone moment, they lead with integrity, empathy, and pride in place—proving that great property management is built on trust above all.
Supplier of the Year Award: InterCoastal Net Designs
For more than 26 years, InterCoastal Net Designs (ICND) has been a driving force behind the digital evolution of the vacation rental industry. Independently owned and powered by a team of over 50 professionals, the company partners with more than 500 clients worldwide—delivering not just technology, but long-term strategic growth.
ICND’s distinction lies in its approach: Every project is a collaboration. The company acts as an extension of its clients’ marketing and technology teams, offering personalized service and handson guidance that builds lasting trust. Whether developing high-performing direct-booking websites or implementing targeted digital campaigns, ICND consistently helps property managers stay ahead of shifting market trends and guest expectations.
A major breakthrough came with the launch of Axis, ICND’s next-generation website platform. Designed to elevate both the guest and admin experience, Axis blends data-driven design with speed, accessibility, and conversion optimization. Features such as “Suggested Searches” have directly boosted bookings—responsible for nearly 17% of one client’s total revenue in 2025. Across ICND’s portfolio, clients have reported a 22% increase in total revenue, 41% higher conversion rates, and significant organic traffic gains, proving the platform’s measurable impact.
Through constant innovation, reliability, and genuine partnership, ICND has earned a reputation as more than a supplier—it’s a catalyst for sustainable success. In an increasingly complex digital landscape, its steady guidance continues to empower vacation rental companies to grow, adapt, and thrive.
VRHP Housekeeping Team of the Year Award: Myrtle Beach Destinations
When Myrtle Beach Destinations made the bold decision to bring its housekeeping operation fully in-house at the start of 2025, there was no blueprint— no staff, no systems, no facility. Just determination. In the 14 weeks that followed, the newly formed housekeeping team built an entire department from the ground up, launching a fully functional operation that now services more than 140 properties with 95% five-star cleanliness ratings.
The team’s achievement is as much about heart as it is about hard work. They hired and trained more than 25 new employees, constructed a full linen and laundry facility in less than two months, and established new systems for supply tracking, accountability, and quality assurance—all during peak turnover season. Despite the scale of change, they maintained flawless continuity: not a single scheduled turnover was missed.
Their precision and pride have elevated the company’s entire operation. Myrtle Beach Destinations now holds the top national rating on Comparent.com—a distinction driven in large part by this team’s consistency, communication, and care. The department is also projected to save the company more than $200,000 annually in third-party cleaning costs while improving overall quality.
Beyond the numbers, this team embodies unity and purpose. They show up early, stay late, and lift each other up. In an industry built on first impressions, Myrtle Beach Destinations’ housekeeping department has set a new benchmark for what excellence looks like behind the scenes.
President’s Award – In Honor of Pedro Mandoki: Ben Edwards
Few names are as synonymous with dedication to the vacation rental industry as Ben Edwards. Over a 25-year career, he has built and led some of the most respected companies in the business, mentored countless professionals, and helped shape the modern VRMA into what it is today.
After graduating from the University of Mississippi in 2000, Edwards’ journey began at ResortQuest, where his attention to detail and financial acumen quickly set him apart. In 2005, he founded Waterstone, managing more than 1,100 homes across Florida, followed by Weatherby Consulting in 2013, through which he has guided more than 250 buy-sell transactions across the industry. Today, as managing director of Towne Vacations, he oversees nearly 4,000 properties—an achievement grounded in hard work, integrity, and a deep respect for the people behind every home and stay.
Ben’s legacy with VRMA spans 14 years of board service, including three as president. Colleagues describe him as a steady hand, a thoughtful leader, and a tireless advocate for members—someone who rebuilt reserves, strengthened operations, and ensured VRMA’s continued growth and stability. Former executive director Mike Copps calls him “an incredible judge of character” who “truly cared” and “never got enough credit for everything he did.”
Respected for his wisdom, humility, and generosity of spirit, Edwards has become a trusted mentor and friend to so many in this industry—an icon whose leadership continues to elevate the standard of hospitality for all.
