Champion Real Estate Services, a fully-integrated, multi-family investment firm, has been named the fifth-place winner of the 2013 Columbus Business First Fast 50 award. This is the second consecutive year the company has made the Fast 50 list, ranking No. 3 in 2012. This award recognizes year-over-year growth in private companies based in Central Ohio.

“We are truly honored and humbled to receive our second consecutive Fast 50 award. Our continued growth truly reflects the commitment and dedication of our team members,” Brian Yeager, Champion president and CEO, said.

“We have been on a major growth path which can present challenges and be difficult to sustain,” Yeager added. “We are very fortunate to have a team of employees that work hard every day to support our growth. From our corporate office, to our leasing staff, to our maintenance personnel, we have a solid team in place that is the key ingredient to our success.”

The Fast 50 award is given based on three years of revenue growth with honorees’ financial results verified by accounting firm GBQ. Nominees had to have at least $1 million in annual sales for the three most recent fiscal years. As the only multi-family real estate company to make this year’s list, Champion’s average sales growth in the previous three years landed in the 200 to 499 percent range.

Co-founder and COO, Michelle R. Yeager-Thornton, agrees that Champion’s success can be attributed to its employees. “It is very exciting to make the Fast 50 list two years in a row,” she said. “We have experienced tremendous growth in the last year. We have added more than 1,100 apartments and five communities to our portfolio, as well as hired 28 employees so far this year.”

“We would not be where we are today without our team members,” she added. “We have been awarded with this recognition thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Champion team.”

In addition to the company’s headquarters in Westerville, Ohio, Champion manages more than 3,600 multi-family apartments, with 15 communities in the well-respected neighborhoods of Lewis Center, Delaware, Powell, Hilliard, Grove City, Canal Winchester, Gahanna, Westerville and New Albany.

Other 2013 Fast 50 winners include (in alphabetical order), 3 Pillar Homes LLC, Advanced Engineering, Consultants Ltd., Air Force One Inc., Alliance Hospitality Inc., American Business Solutions Inc., Arcos Inc., Axia Consulting LLC, Big Red Rooster LLC, Call Copy Inc., Compass Homes Inc., ComResource Inc., CoverMyMeds LLC, Data Systems Integration Group Inc., DataCenter.bz LLC, Davenport Aviation Inc., Dawson Resources, Donaldson Plastic Surgery LLC, E-Cycle LLC, ERP Analysts Inc., Everhart Advisors, Fast Switch Ltd., FCx Performance Inc., Flexicom LLC/Wireless, Happy Crafter LLC/Simon Says Stamp, HMB Information System Developers, Health Care Dataworks Inc., Irth Solutions LLC, Lancaster Pollard Mortgage Co., Leading EDJE LLC, Marketing & Engineering Solutions, Inc./MES Inc., Medical Staffing Options Inc., Navigator Management Partners LLC, Ohio Power Tool Inc., Oxford Consulting Group Inc., Pet Palace Enterprises LLC, Phantom Technical Services Inc., Pillar Technology LLC, Portfolio Creative LLC, Prism Marketing Communications Inc., Residential Finance Corp., Revlocal Inc., Revolution Group Inc., Scioto Energy LLC, Skreened Ltd., Strategic Systems Inc., Switchbox Inc., Weber Associates, Worthington Jewelers Ltd. and Zipline Logistics LLC.

About Champion Real Estate Services

Founded in 2009, Champion Real Estate Services is a privately-held, fully-integrated, multi-family investment firm. Champion is family-owned and operated and specializes in acquiring and managing apartment communities in Central Ohio.