Partners
Antoni Louw
Toni Louw is the CEO and founder of Louws Group, a firm that specializes in business training, coaching & consulting.
Toni is a true visionary, innovator and entrepreneur who arrived from South Africa in 1979.
Rather than borrowing or copying the training, coaching, and consulting services of others, Toni pioneered techniques and skill sets that have led Louws to become a ubiquitous leader in its field of corporate training and consulting.
Uniquely, the New Business and Discovery Selling training is based on an extensive database of 40,000+ interviews (accumulated since 1987 and ongoing through to the present) with the buyer side of the corporate world to understand why they buy, why they don’t and why they fire.
His 4+ decade long career has culminated in some 150,000+ students trained, in 26 countries, 100 cities on 5 continents.
This included 500+ advertising, promotion, direct marketing, digital and interactive, media and public relations agencies worldwide. And, 50 of the Fortune 150 international brands including some 100 additional brands.
Result: 100,000+ documents of training methodologies, skill sets, techniques, tools and templates culminating in 13 Business Training Programs, each available in three deliverable formats.
In-person, Virtual & On-Demand.
On a personal note:
He is the oldest and youngest in the Louw family, born in Lusaka Zambia (previously called Northern Rhodesia), raised in South Africa, with several years abroad in Europe.
He is married to his incredible wife of over 3 decades, the father of two daughters and grandfather of 6.
Former rugby player in South Africa, registered NAUI scuba diver, captained multiple boats ranging from 14’ - 50’, Kayaker, house designer and builder (5 in total), and now avid outdoorsman, kart racer, horse whisperer, gardener, and still has the time to pursue ecclesiastical studies and charitable community participation.
Favorite Quote: “The one thing we all have in common is that we are all different” – Robert Zend
Virginia Louw
Chief Operating officer & Partner of Louws Group, Gini has been with the company from the beginning.
As COO, she oversees the operations of Louws, the welfare of all employees and financial viability.
She has been the stalwart keeper of Louws’ administrative management policy compliance, the safeguarding of Louws’ copyrighted materials, while covering every aspect of client scheduling and service.
If you need anything done, or have a question about anything, just ask her.
Before Louws:
In 1978 she started her career in the legal field specializing in real estate closings in Daytona Beach Florida.
After moving back to New York, she worked for the largest franchise owner of Elaine Powers Figure Salons in both managerial and training roles.
For the next 10 years, she served as a Board Member of Danker Laboratories, the first developer of semi-soft contact lenses, a breakthrough in the comfort and convenience for contact lens wearers around the world.
She was then recruited to the premier Executive Search firm in NYC, Nordeman Grimm, where she worked with the firm’s owner, Jacques Nordeman, for several years before leaving to help Toni start up Louws.
On a personal note:
Gini was born in New York and raised on Long Island. She attended Uniondale High School and following that SUNY.
She is the oldest of 8, born in New York, married to her incredible husband of over 3 decades, the mother of 2 daughters and grandmother of 6.
She loves skiing, swimming and tennis, and eagerly awaits cooler weather during Arizona summers so she can get back on the tennis courts.
She is an avid reader, is a registered NAUI scuba diver and has co-piloted multiple boats ranging from 14’ – 50’.
She has spent the last 2 decades as a volunteer for Criminon©, a non-profit organization, conducting rehabilitation programs for those incarcerated.
Favorite Quote: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction”. – Ronald Reagan
Lou Digiusto III
He is a fully certified Executive Trainer & Coach and Senior Partner specializing in New Business Acquisition training and coaching, Meeting and Presentation skills, Selling Creative, Consultative Selling, Strategic Planning, Moderating and Senior Management Leadership training and coaching.
Lou joined the Louws team in 1999 through its Clearwater Florida office.
When asked what makes Louws different?
“Results.” That’s the business Louws is in. $6.8 Billion in agency new billings wins in the past two years.
Some of the wins Lou has trained and coached include GSK, Global Visa, Global HP, Global Intel, Discovery Channel, Global P&G, AT&T, Dial Brands, Unilever, Knorr Foods, J&J, Time-Warner, Humana, Verizon, Target, Walmart and Florida Citrus Commission.
The portfolio of Louws clients Lou has managed, includes some 75 agencies and corporate brands.
Paige Thompson the former Chairman of todays #1 Agency global network of media brands - OMG, (Hearts and Science - OMD - PHD) , once confided when asked if he would be ok with us training and counseling competitive agency networks. “Absolutely not - Louws is our secret sauce!”
Over the years Lou did eventually go on to train other networks (amassing the largest Social, Digital and Media buying Agencies portfolio of any training company) working on a first come first served basis when coaching new business sales teams who’s primary audiences are CPG brand and marketing Directors and the C-Suite.
Before Louws:
VP with the WCA Group in Florida in Business Development and Group Account Management.
Marketing Director for American Forests, responsible for developing and managing a strategic alliance between Scotts Company and Wal-Mart.
Film Producer/Director/Writer and has worked with many celebrities in sports, show business and politics. These include; Coach Steve Spurrier (Florida), Bobby Bowden (Florida State), Don Shula (Miami Dolphins), Lindy Infante (USFL), Senators Bob Dole, Elizabeth Dole, Paul Laxalt, Bob Graham, Governor Lawton Chiles, Speaker Dennis Hastert, Secretary of the Treasury John Snow, Hollywood & TV Stars; Bob Hope, Steve Allen, Charlton Heston, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughn, Dr. Billy Taylor, James Whitmore and Dr. Bob Ballard.
On a personal note:
Born and raised in the Midwest to an air force helicopter test pilot.
Part of his schooling was at Uniondale High, coincidentally, the same school attended by Gini Louw, COO of Louws.
Lou then attended Hofstra University, University of Florida and Jacksonville University and holds an MBA.
From an early age he was smitten with anything that could fly. It’s not unusual to find Lou at every air show event he can find, either in person or on the net and if you are fortunate enough to be with him get the education of a lifetime.
When not looking to the air, you will find him sailing the sound or participating in his most earth bound passion – Italian food, unsurprising with a sirname like DiGiusto.
He currently serves as CT President of the Navy League of the United States and Captain on the National Staff of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Lou resides in Wilmington, North Carolina and Naples, Florida.
He is married, has 2 children, one in the United States Navy and one who has spent her life in and around marketing and proud grandfather of a golfing prodigy.
Favorite Quote: “Don’t do things people will remember. Do things people will never forget” - David Oakley