Patrick’s authenticity makes him an award winner

Those who have heard Patrick Chester speaking about the struggle he faced with gambling cannot fail to be blown away by the authenticity of his story – something that has led to him becoming an award winner within our organization.

This year, for the first time, EPIC Global Solutions has awarded five special accolades to members of its team for contributions that match the values of the company, with a quintet of winners being highlighted as the stars of 2024 for their authenticity, excellence, people, integrity and collaboration skills.

The EPIC Values Awards winner in the ‘Authenticity’ category for 2024, Patrick Chester, is the first team member we’re putting under the spotlight in a special series running throughout the holiday season, where we’ll look at why each winner has become such a valued colleague for the values they espouse.

A native of Seattle, WA, Chester has recently marked two years with EPIC and primarily delivers to NCAA audiences regarding his lived experience of gambling-related harm, in his role as a consultant. He very quickly became an internal leader for everyone with lived experience within our team – especially when it comes to mentoring and up-skilling new additions to the roster – and his approachable, calm and friendly demeanour has won him admirers from our workforce on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Since I have been with EPIC, Patrick has shone through as the most incredibly authentic and inspiring individual,” wrote one anonymous colleague who nominated him for the award.

“Not only does this shine through in every interaction we have as his teammates, but his presentations are so emotionally powerful and impactful because of his how authentic, passionate and vulnerable he comes across. I feel lucky to call him my teammate – Patrick is a total pleasure to work with.”

This was a sentiment echoed further by another team member, who added:

“[Patrick] always represents himself and EPIC in a great light, showing vulnerability, knowledge and relatability in video content and live sessions.”

Giving the final word to the man himself as to what the accolade means to him, Patrick responded:

“I’m of the belief that to do what we do, you must be your true self because that is what carries the weight when we go out and deliver our sessions. Whatever audience I’m presenting to, they will pick up right away on this and if I’m not being authentic, the message will not land.

“To win the award for authenticity was a thrill, and to know that is was voted on by my colleagues made it that much more meaningful. Some of us come from a dark place, having lost the respect of those around us. To know that I’m respected for my work and who I am as a person is hard to put into words.”

If you’ve got Patrick booked to come and speak with your institution in 2025, we trust you’ll feel the same warmth and empathy that has shone through from audiences that have heard one of the hundreds of talks he has delivered over the past two years, as they respect the open and authentic way in which he speaks about his experience, taking full accountability for how his story unfolded.

Over the coming days, we’ll find out more about the four other winners whose values are a shining example of what this company stands for. Stay tuned…