Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the privilege of travelling around the country representing Village Guru at the Property Council of Australia Retirement Living Awards — presenting this year’s state honours for excellence in retirement living.

Everywhere I’ve gone, one thing has stood out.

Passion.

Village managers and sales professionals care deeply about their residents and their teams. They don’t simply oversee operations — they create communities. They support residents through important life transitions, nurture staff culture, and take real pride in the villages they lead.

I was especially proud to see several award recipients from Levande — villages that offer the Village Guru Report to support transparency and informed decision-making.

Here are some of this year’s state winners:

Queensland — Village Manager of the Year
Tarmar Christensen — The Verge at Burleigh, RetireAustralia

Victoria / Tasmania — Village Manager of the Year
John Smrk — Applewood Residential Development

South Australia — Village Manager of the Year
Daniel Kunzel — Salford, Unity & Walnut Grove, Levande

Victoria / Tasmania — Salesperson of the Year
Danae Konstantakopoulos — Levande

Each of these professionals has been recognised not only for performance, but for exceptional service — for the way they support residents, guide families, and build positive, engaged communities.

These state winners are now vying for the ultimate honour — the national award — which will be announced at the National Retirement Living Summit in Brisbane this June.

Retirement living is about more than contracts and costs — it’s about people. And when village teams truly care about the wellbeing of their residents, it shows.

If you would like to see some of the winners’ acceptance speeches, they are available on our Village Guru LinkedIn page.