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Kansas Jeweler Wins 2025 ‘Wag’ Award
Edge Retail Academy honored Burnell’s Fine Jewelry in Wichita, Kansas, with its annual award for business excellence.
Burnell’s Fine Jewelry in Wichita, Kansas, won the Edge Retail Academy’s 2025 “Wag” Award. Seen here with the award, left to right, are owners Kristi and Nathan Regan, Sales Manager Sean Hamlin, and Shop Manager Erin Carson.
Wichita, Kan.—Jewelry business coaching firm Edge Retail Academy has announced the winner of its 2025 William (Wag) Wagner Business Excellence Award.
Burnell’s Fine Jewelry in Wichita, Kansas, has taken home the prize.
Now in its eighth year, the “Wag” award recognizes one Edge Retail Academy partner retailer annually.
The award honors jewelers that “consistently pair strong financial and operational performance with exemplary leadership, deep commitment, team engagement, and disciplined execution,” said Edge Retail Academy.
Founded by Jerry Burnell in 1979, Burnell’s Fine Jewelry is known for its award-winning custom jewelry, its craftsmanship, and its commitment to its customers, said Edge Retail Academy.
Burnell retired in 2014. The store is now owned by Nathan and Kristi Regan, with Sean Hamlin serving as sales manager and Erin Carson as shop manager.
“Burnell’s Fine Jewelry distinguished itself through consistent execution, thoughtful decision-making, and a clear commitment to continuous improvement across all areas of the business,” said Edge Retail Academy.
The store has also earned both state and national recognition for its decades of service to its community.
Over the past year, Burnell’s Fine Jewelry achieved gross sales growth of 64 percent, gross profit growth of 52 percent, and units sold growth of 18 percent.
“Winning the Wag award means a great deal to us because it reflects the hard work our entire team has put in everyday year after year,” said Nathan Regan.
“Through our partnership with Edge Retail Academy, we’ve gained clearer insight into our performance and made more confident decisions based on our numbers. That guidance and accountability have helped us execute better and build momentum.”
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Burnell’s Fine Jewelry in Wichita, Kansas, has taken home the prize.
Now in its eighth year, the “Wag” award recognizes one Edge Retail Academy partner retailer annually.
The award honors jewelers that “consistently pair strong financial and operational performance with exemplary leadership, deep commitment, team engagement, and disciplined execution,” said Edge Retail Academy.
Founded by Jerry Burnell in 1979, Burnell’s Fine Jewelry is known for its award-winning custom jewelry, its craftsmanship, and its commitment to its customers, said Edge Retail Academy.
Burnell retired in 2014. The store is now owned by Nathan and Kristi Regan, with Sean Hamlin serving as sales manager and Erin Carson as shop manager.
“Burnell’s Fine Jewelry distinguished itself through consistent execution, thoughtful decision-making, and a clear commitment to continuous improvement across all areas of the business,” said Edge Retail Academy.
The store has also earned both state and national recognition for its decades of service to its community.
Over the past year, Burnell’s Fine Jewelry achieved gross sales growth of 64 percent, gross profit growth of 52 percent, and units sold growth of 18 percent.
“Winning the Wag award means a great deal to us because it reflects the hard work our entire team has put in everyday year after year,” said Nathan Regan.
“Through our partnership with Edge Retail Academy, we’ve gained clearer insight into our performance and made more confident decisions based on our numbers. That guidance and accountability have helped us execute better and build momentum.”
The award also recognizes the day-to-day leadership and operation of the store and how a retailer has made measurable improvements across key performance indicators over time.
“I couldn’t be more excited for Burnell’s Fine Jewelry. This award is truly well deserved,” said Kevin Sweeney, business coach at Edge Retail Academy.
“Nathan, Kristi, and Sean consistently show up as a unified, engaged leadership team. They are open to feedback, committed to growth, and relentless about execution. When opportunities are identified, they take action and follow through. That discipline and leadership is what drives results like this.”
The coaching firm created the award in honor of longtime Edge Retail Academy business coach William “Wag” Wagner, who died in 2018.
“His influence continues to be felt in the businesses, teams, and leaders who embody the standards this award represents,” said Edge Retail Academy.
The company also gave out two additional awards to jewelry retailers.
Tyler Ross Jewelers in Franklinton, Louisiana, was given the “Overall Best Store Performance” award. The jeweler recorded the highest overall performance across key business metrics.
Lamina of Vail in Vail, Colorado, won the “Best Newcomer” award in honor of its “exceptional” early performance within the first nine months of the program.
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