LOS ANGELES — The iconic Roosevelt Hollywood Hotel sparkled with excitement Saturday night as the adult retail community gathered for the highly anticipated XBIZ Honors awards ceremony.
Amid the grandeur of the historic venue, industry leaders, innovators and rising stars came together to celebrate the past year's achievements. Replete with heartfelt moments, roaring applause and a shared sense of camaraderie, the evening was a dazzling testament to the shared passion that drives the industry.
Attendees arriving at the glamorous event were greeted by a red-carpet photo op. With everyone decked out in their finest, attendees posed for photos and stopped to chat with Viben’s Jade Buchan and Like A Kitten’s Blanca Estrada-Gonzalez as the duo livestreamed the event on the P3 industry group Facebook page.
Following a welcome from the XBIZ team, with the lights dim and the buzz of anticipation filling the Roosevelt Hollywood ballroom, Josh Ortiz, who co-hosted last year’s XBIZ Honors, took the stage. With his signature charm, he warmly introduced the evening’s emcee: the incomparable Melanie Rose. Known for her wit, charisma, creativity and, of course, her British accent, Rose sauntered onto the stage to the strains of “A Spoonful of Sugar” from “Mary Poppins” as the crowd greeted her with applause.
“Welcome to the 2025 XBIZ Honors Awards!” she proclaimed. “Tonight, we gather to celebrate the creme de la creme of our one-of-a-kind industry. This event is more than just awards. It's a tribute to the creativity, ambition and resilience that define who we are as a community.
“Our industry is built on collaboration, inspiration and a touch of friendly rivalry,” she continued. “We push boundaries, embrace diversity and champion freedom of expression. Together, we create content and products that celebrate every niche and every fantasy.”
Ero-Tech General Manager Zondre Watson and Little Genie CEO Tiffany Lysene were called to the stage as the presenters of the night's first three awards categories.
The evening's first XBIZ Exec Award trophy, for Pleasure Product Account Exec of the Year, went to Nicole Talley of Wicked Sensual Care.
“Thank you for putting up with me!” Talley joked as the crowd roared with cheers and applause. “This is so amazing, thank you.”
Next, Watson and Lysene listed the nominees for Best Non-Powered Sex Toy. Cristal Collection by Our Erotic Journey was named the winner. As the OEJ team wasn’t present to accept the award, the presenters moved on to the next XMA category: Best Powered Sex Toy. Lysene announced Oly 2 by Honey Play Box as the winner.
Honey Play Box’s Vincent Renou thanked the crowd, telling colleagues and customers that he was grateful for their support. Joreail Armstrong also thanked the crowd.
“We're a relatively new team,” he said. “We've focused a lot on innovation with our products from the start. I'm glad we won this award!”
Before the next categories were presented, Rose returned to the stage and recounted a pivotal experience: shopping at Hustler Hollywood for a plug-in massager in order to save money on batteries, and discovering the Hitachi Magic Wand.
Aneros Director of Sales and Marketing Brent Aldon and Doxy Sales Director Leigh Dedhar were then called to the stage to present the next trio of trophies. The two colleagues and pals told the crowd they were switching personalities to read the nominees, with Dedhar speaking "American" and Aldon attempting a British accent.
Together, they read the nominees for Distributor Account Exec of the Year, then revealed the winner: Molly Romeo of Holiday.
Overcome with emotion, Romeo brought along her colleague Susanna Molina to help her with her acceptance speech.
“This is an unbelievable honor,” Molina read from Romeo’s notes. “I’m going to be overwhelmed. I knew I wouldn't be able to speak without crying, so I got some help! I want to thank the distribution accounting executives. We do it all! And I'm thrilled that my fellow nominees and I are being recognized in this fashion. I would also like to thank both Moe Levy, and Jane Liszewski for their mentorship. I think they are looking down from the heavens with pride.”
Romeo went on to thank the rest of the Holiday Products sales team and announced that she could finally retire her Susan Lucci profile picture.
In the category of Best Retail Education/Training Program, Virtual Elevation by Eldorado was announced as the winner.
“I wrote a speech, but I left it at the table,” Eldorado buyer Antonia Pappas admitted from the podium. “Eldorado turned 50 years old last year, and I am very excited to be part of this team. Thank you for honoring us!”
The Retail Merchandising Exec of the Year category was up next. Kathryn Guy of SBJ/TAF received the accolade.
“I didn't prepare anything because I thought there was no way that I could win!” Guy confessed. “Thank you all so much. I seriously love everyone that I work with. I want to do this job forever. I have to thank my mom and dad; I wouldn't be here without them. Thank you to my husband, with whom I also work. This is the best industry in the world.”
The next presenters were Paradise Marketing Sales Director Tori Titus-McCrobie and Honey’s Place buyer Loretta Goodling, who were tasked with presenting the trophy in a booming new category: Best Fantasy-Themed Sex Toy. Ellen the Alien Queen by Bad Dragon secured the award. A company rep took to the stage to accept the award and thank the brand’s supporters.
McCrobie and Goodling then presented the nominees for Best Sex Enhancement Product. DTF Sexual Chocolate by SOS Distribution took home the trophy. Next up, the Business Development Exec of the Year was announced. Lee Negri from National Distributors prevailed.
“This one is really personal to me,” Negri said. “I have to thank Scott Taylor. We've been working together for like 35 years so we're like a married couple. I just want to say thank you for the support over the years.”
During a pause between award presentations, Rose walked around the crowded sharing facts and history about sex toys, referring to it as "retailer education."
Svakom Sales Manager Alex Feynerol was called next to the stage to present more awards. For Best Sensual Accessory Product, Face Rider Queening Chair by XR Brands was chosen as the winner.
XR Brands’ Ortiz and Roxanna Mendoza came onstage next.
“It's tradition for our newest team member to accept the award,” Ortiz explained. “We are so excited to have Roxanna with us.”
Mendoza added, “I couldn't be happier with my XR family. Thank you, retailers and distributors, for supporting us and let's keep it going!”
Feynerol took a moment to credit all the evening's nominees for their valuable work in spreading the word about pleasure products, before presenting the award for Marketing Exec of the Year to Erik Vasquez of Sliquid.
“There's so many of you in this industry that I admire,” Vasquez said. “Everyone in the category is an amazing professional. I'm amongst great company. I want to thank everyone on our team.
“This is for Dean,” he added, honoring Sliquid founder Dean Elliott, who passed away toward the end of 2024.
Pinkcherry.com then won the title of Online Retailer of the Year.
“I'd like to thank all of our customers, this is an honor,” Pinkcherry’s Daniel Freedman said. “This is awesome. I appreciate it.”
Freedman, too, shared words of remembrance for Elliott.
“I really want to dedicate this Dean,” he said. “We lost a great guy, and it's tough on everybody.”
Before the next presenters came onstage, Rose joked with the audience that after hearing that one of the most searched niches was “real British MILF,” she thought she might have found a new calling.
Next up were NS Novelties Account Executive Luzoralia Corvera and Roger Houts of Cirilla's, who presented the XMA trophy for Best Male Pleasure Product to Lovense for the Solace Pro.
“I want to dedicate this to the people who work tirelessly every single day but don't get the recognition they deserve,” a company exec said. “So I would like to thank my team and everybody involved. Thank you so much!”
In the category of International Distributor of the Year, Creative Conceptions walked away with the XMA.
“This was completely unexpected,” the company's Sam Hadlow said. “We were really honored just to be nominated, so winning feels extra special. Thank you all so much. God bless America.”
For Community Figure of the Year, Efren Mendez Garcia was awarded the XBIZ Exec trophy.
“You have no idea what this means to me,” Mendez said. “Just being nominated made me feel like a winner. I love this industry; you guys are like my family. If there's anything I can ever do for any of you, just ask.”
Mid-way through the ceremony, the Sliquid team paid a touching tribute to company founder, Dean Elliott, who passed away on Nov. 30. Rose invited to the stage Sliquid Senior Vice President Colin Roy, Vice President of Sales and Merchandising Michelle Marcus, and Vice President of Marketing Erik Vasquez, who would like to say a few words.
“I want to say thank you to our friends at XBIZ for allowing us time during this award show to pay tribute to our legendary leader, Dean Elliott. We feel this absence every moment of every day. It's impossible not to. His voice alone could command the attention of every person in almost every room. Dean's love and deep commitment to the people he cares about in this industry, which you lovingly refer to as his brothers and sisters, is shared by many people here tonight. His dedication to the Sliquid brand, to his employees and to our customers inspires us all to push the boundaries of innovation and excellence. Dean was a true leader. He fostered an environment where creativity thrives and encouraged each of us to share our ideas and pursue our passions.”
Marcus added, “As we move forward, we carry Dean's legacy in our hearts, striving to embody his spirit of perseverance and compassion in every endeavor. Let us honor his memory by celebrating the bond we all share.”
Marcus then introduced new CEO and founding partner of Sliquid, Cynthia Elliott.
“I am really overwhelmed and grateful to be here,” she said. “Thank you for this wonderful tribute. Seeing the impact that he has had on all of you and the industry that he loved truly means so much. I am excited for a very, very bright future for Sliquid, I'm excited for our team. And I look forward to working with all of you. Our entire family truly appreciates this tribute. It honestly means so much.”
Rose returned to the stage to continue with the In Memoriam segment. After a moment honoring fallen pleasure industry execs, the show continued.
Janet Reynolds, senior sales exec for M.D. Science was joined onstage by Kelsey Harris of Nalpac to present the next three categories.
For Best Fetish Product, Nocturnal Collection Bed Restraints by CalExotics was selected as the winner.
“We want to thank XBIZ for putting this together,” CalExotics’ Lupe Martinez said. “Thank you so much for coming to L.A. and supporting us during this trying time with the fires. On a lighter note, we are really excited and honored to receive an award for our Nocturnal Collection. Thank you to all who voted. And most importantly, thank you to our customers for continuously supporting us. We appreciate all of you.”
For the XMA title of Best Product Packaging, Satisfyer was honored. Melody Cazarin kept it short and sweet, thanking the crowd and wishing everyone a happy 2025.
Malay Vannouvong took home the Progressive Leadership Award and took a similar approach of sharing her appreciation for the title and thanking her Aneros family.
Doc Johnson’s Kerin DeFrancis and Krystal Silva hit the stage to announce the nominees for Sexpert of the Year, and revealed Kasha Johnson as the winner. Although she wasn’t immediately available to accept her award, she returned to give her acceptance speech.
“Of course, they call my name while I'm putting on my body suit,” she joked. “Thank you to everyone who voted. Quite frankly, I'm really excited to continue saving lives one orgasm at a time.”
While presenting Retailer of the Year (1-2 Stores) XMA category, Silva credited the nominees for representing the pinnacle of excellence in customer service and innovation. Cupid's Closet was recognized as the winner. Store owners and married couple Brittany and Daniel Greenberg went on stage to accept their award.
“Oh my God, winning this award means everything to us,” Brittany Greenberg said. “We are a married couple with two kids. Our first store opened 11 years ago, and now we have two. I am so proud of how far we've come, and where we are right now, and I love you.”
Daniel Greenberg also thanked the crowd and credited his wife for her effort in growing Cupid’s Closet.
Cailyn Miller from Metro Distributors and Cam Jennings from Humanity Brands were the next presenters. They presented the nominees for Best Couples Sex Toy, and We-Vibe Chorus by Lovehoney Group was declared the winner. Next, the Jimmyjane Hello Touch Pro by Pipedream was called out as the winner for Best Innovative Sex Toy. Thanking their customers and team members, the winning manufacturers promised more innovation in the future.
Brand Ambassador of the Year was the next XBIZ Exec Award trophy to be presented, with Lucy D'Olimpio taking home the title. Noting that she's been with Evolved for 15 years, D'Olimpio thanked her team, and told the crowd about how much she loves her job.
Next, to present the nominees for Team Manager of the Year were Like A Kitten Blanca Estrada-Gonzalez and Kate McGregor from Adam & Eve Greenfield, Massachusetts. Dan Holman was given the honor.
“My grandpa always told me that hard work would pay off, but it didn't always come with prizes,” Holman said. “I'm looking at the nominees list, and you all are incredible. Congratulations to all of you. Thank you to my team. I wouldn't be here without you. So they are making me look good. Thank you, especially to Justin Ross. He couldn't be here today. But I want to say that he inspired me to lead the way he does through quiet confidence and inspiring greatness without having to demand it and always reminding us that you have to have some fun to be able to sell.”
Estrada-Gonzalez and McGregor next presented the nominees for Executive Leadership Award - Pleasure Products. Steve Orenstein was named the winner.
“Thank you to all our retailers and distributors, as well as our team,” Orenstein said. “You don't win an award like this without a strong team.”
The next presenters were Oxballs Brand Manager Kimberly Hinds and Pipedream Products Sales Specialist Chuy Ruiz. The duo wore matching sequined mini dresses, with Ruiz donning a long-haired wig as part of his cross-dressing skit to present the award. They asked the crowd to clap for who wore the look best.
They revealed Ken Sahn as the winner in the Executive Leadership Award – Retail category. Holiday Products’ Chris Armstrong took the stage to accept on his behalf.
“Working for Kenny for the last six years, I know he's very high on his team,” he said. “I know that if he were here tonight, he would be really grateful.”
The XMA for Retailer of the Year (10+ Stores) went to Adam & Eve. Kraig McGee III and Kathryn Guy went onstage to offer a quick thank you to supporters.
ECN’s Crystal Bell took the stage next to present the Businessperson of the Year award. Kraig McGee was recognized as the victor.
“Like a lot of other people said: everyone nominated I respect, and I really appreciate everybody in the audience and everybody in this industry,” he said. “We couldn't do this without you. Thank you.”
The XMA award for Pleasure Brand of the Year was then presented to Doc Johnson.
The Doc Johnson team went onstage with Kerin DeFrancis, giving thanks for the support of Doc’s customers and colleagues.
“It's been a tough year,” said Scott Watkins. “2024 was fucked up for all of us, but we're blessed because we have each other.”
Last year’s WIA Woman of the Year winner, Cheri Curry was on hand to pass the torch, pointing out to the crowd that this marked the 10th year of the WIA Woman of the Year award. The last trophy of the night went to Liz Flynt.
“I'm shocked, honored and humbled,” Flynt said.” It's been a challenging year in the industry, but my late husband, Larry Flynt, mentored me. People never saw me; they always saw Larry. But now I'm a trustee of FMG. I didn't get here by not working hard; I’ve been very loyal, and dedicated. I just want to tell everybody here to have a dream and follow it. That's how Larry Flynt started his company.
“Never give up,” she continued. “It's so important. In today's world, it's getting harder to start a business. Everybody knows how big we are. We're not just retail. We're gaining from publishing and broadcasts. I can go on and on. I have 2,200 employees, national and international. But I can't do this alone. I'm very thankful that I have a great CEO.
“I'm looking forward to 2025,” she concluded. “I wrote a book this year, coming out in May of 2025 and I'm going on a national tour.”
Rose returned to close out the XBIZ Honors ceremony, congratulating all the winners.
As the evening drew to a close, the XBIZ Honors ceremony concluded on a high note with a group photo of all the winners on stage. Though the awards had been handed out, the celebration continued. Guests mingled and toasted to the night’s successes, filling the iconic Roosevelt Hollywood Hotel with laughter, gratitude, and anticipation for the year ahead.
