The Stevie Awards Blog

Winners in the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards Announced

May Hassan — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:00:01 GMT

Seventh Annual Awards Sponsored by RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry Recognize Innovation in 18 MENA Nations

Winners in the seventh annual Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards, the only awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace throughout 18 nations in the Middle East and North Africa, have been announced. The awards are sponsored by RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The list of Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners is available at http://MENA.StevieAwards.com.

The 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards have recognized organizations in 15 nations including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Türkiye and United Arab Emirates. More than 1,400 nominations in Arabic and English were evaluated in this year’s competition. Winners were determined by the average scores of 155 professionals worldwide, acting as judges on five juries to recognize innovative apps, achievements, entire organizations, public relations, customer service, human resources, individual professionals, live and virtual events, management, sustainability, technology, thought leadership, and more.

Winners of multiple Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie® Awards include Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, UAE; Abu Dhabi Housing Authority, UAE; ADNEC Services, UAE; ADNOC Drilling, UAE; Al Dhafra Region Municipality, UAE; Byrne Equipment Rental, UAE; Capital 360 Event Experiences, UAE; CarrefourSA, Türkiye; Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, UAE; Dubai Customs, UAE; Eastern Health Cluster, Saudi Arabia; Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE), UAE; Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, UAE; FLO Group, Türkiye; GSTC, Saudi Arabia; Hail Region Municipality, Saudi Arabia; IME Consulting, UAE; Le Chene, UAE; National Partnerships and Capacity Development Agency, Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia; NEOVA KATILIM SİGORTA, Türkiye; NMDC Energy, UAE; Ooredoo Kuwait, Kuwait; Qatar Foundation, Qatar; Qatar Vision Production Company, Qatar; QNET, Hong Kong; Quill Communications, UAE; Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), Saudi Arabia; Saudi German Health UAE, UAE; TCS Dubai, UAE; Tosyalı Holding, Türkiye; Türkiye Sigorta, Türkiye; Ülker Bisküvi Sanayi A.Ş., Türkiye; and VakıfBank, Türkiye, among others.

Stevie winners will be presented their awards at a gala banquet at the InterContinental Hotel, Istanbul, Türkiye on Friday, 11 September. Tickets for the event will be on sale this summer.

“We are delighted to recognize the achievements of such a diverse group of organizations across the MENA region in the 2026 edition of the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards,” said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller. “We look forward to celebrating Stevie winners during our gala event on 11 September in Istanbul, Türkiye. The quality of nominations received this year was exceptional. The program has grown considerably every year, showing the vast amount of innovation in the MENA region.”

Stevie® Award Winners Announced in The 24th Annual American Business Awards®

Maggie Gallagher — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:00:01 GMT

Winners to be celebrated during an event in New York City on June 9.

The Stevie® Awards, organizers of the world's premier business awards programs, today announced the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners in The 24th American Business Awards®.

All organizations operating in the USA - large and small, public and private, for-profit and non-profit - are eligible to submit nominations to the ABAs in a wide range of categories honoring achievement in every aspect of work life, from customer service and management to public relations and product development.

More than 3,700 nominations were considered in the judging process this year by more than 230 professionals worldwide, whose average scores determined the winners.

Winners of three or more Gold Stevie Awards include:

A-One Janitorial LLC, Newport Beach, CA (5), MikeWorldWide & American Dairy Queen, New York, NY (5), Cisco, San Francisco, CA and Jersey City, NJ (4), Delta Dental of Kansas, Wichita, KS (4), Invision, Walnut Creek, CA (4), VelocityEHS, Chicago, IL (4), VUMI Group, Miami, FL (4), Azul, Sunnyvale, CA (3), Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, Newtown, CT (3), Critical Mass, New York, NY (3), Deloitte Services LP, New York, NY (3), EBizCharge, Irvine, CA (3), Espresa, Palo Alto, CA (3), GigaCloud Technology, El Monte, CA (3), IBM, Armonk, NY, USA (3), Jenzabar, Boston, MA (3), London Computer Systems, Cincinnati, OH (3), Manulife John Hancock Retirement (3), MikeWorldWide, New York, NY (3), Origence, Irvine, CA (3), Proximity, Centerville, UT (3), SoftPro, Raleigh, NC (3), SynergySuite, Sandy, UT (3), The Holliday Collaborative Agency, Indianapolis, IN (3), and The Surplus Line Association of California, San Ramon, CA (3).

For a complete list of the Stevie Award winners announced today, visit https://aba.stevieawards.com.

Winners of five best-of-show prizes will be awarded Grand Stevie Award trophies, to be announced the week of May 4.

2026 Stevie winners will be celebrated during an awards banquet on Tuesday, June 9 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Tickets for the event are now on sale.

The categories that recognize outstanding new products and services introduced in the USA are among the most heavily subscribed to in the ABAs. Every new product or service nominated in the program will be included in voting for the People's Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite New Products, an annual feature of the ABAs in which the general public votes for their favorite new products. Voting opens on tomorrow, April 27 at https://aba.stevieawards.com/Awards/PeoplesChoiceVoting/ and will conclude on May 23. People's Choice Stevie winners will be announced the week of May 25 and will be honored during the June 9 awards presentations.

“We’re proud to recognize the breadth and quality of achievements demonstrated by organizations and individuals honored in The 2026 American Business Awards,” said Michael Gallagher, founder and Executive Chairman of the Stevie Awards. “This year’s nominations reflect the many ways organizations across the United States are driving progress, from advancements in artificial intelligence to excellence in communications and beyond. We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of the 2026 Stevie winners at our June 9 awards ceremony in New York City.”

Supporting sponsors of The 2026 American Business Awards include Golden Hour Veterinary Telemedicine, Melissa Sones Consulting, Persistent, and SoftPro.

How businesses can earn recognition that truly matters

Alyona Tolstova, ZONE3000 — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:17:56 GMT

Business awards can be easy to dismiss as vanity metrics. In practice, the right recognition can do much more: validate a company’s credibility, strengthen trust with clients and partners, support employer brand, and give internal teams proof that their work stands out beyond their own market. That is especially true when the judging process is structured and based on expert review.

In this article, I will share practical steps that can help businesses pursue credible international awards more strategically and effectively. It will be especially useful for PR managers, marketing leaders, founders, and business owners who want to turn real achievements into recognition that strengthens reputation, trust, and market positioning.

Awards: Vanity metrics or business impact?

Choosing the right awards program is just as important as preparing the entry itself. For business owners and PR managers, a good starting point is to look at credibility, relevance, and long-term value. Ask simple questions:

Is the award recognized in your industry or region?
Is the organizer a credible source?
Is the judging process transparent?
Are judges independent and experienced?
Does the program attract strong companies and meaningful competition?

It is also worth considering what happens after the announcement, including:

Feedback from the judges
Media coverage and visibility
Networking opportunities.

The best awards are those that align with your business goals, reflect real achievement, and earn recognition respected by clients, partners, and future talent.

This is one of the reasons Stevie ® Awards programs are widely respected in the business world. Founded in 2002, the Stevie® Awards now run multiple international competitions, receive thousands of nominations from more than 70 nations, and use judging panels made up of more than 1,000 professionals worldwide each year. Each entry is reviewed and rated by at least five judges, and entrants receive judges’ comments after results are announced.

At ZONE3000, we have experienced that firsthand. Our company received a Gold Stevie® Award in the 2025 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards for Innovative Achievement in Organization Recovery. We also received a Bronze Stevie® Award in the 2026 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service in Achievement in AI-Driven Sales Automation.

How to prepare an entry that deserves to win

From my perspective as a PR & Communications manager, a strong award is not only a logo for a website footer. It is a framework that helps you package achievements clearly, test whether your story is convincing to outside experts, and turn business results into a credible market narrative. A very important thing to remember is understanding how to prepare an entry that deserves to win. Below, I share tips based on my own experience that helped my company win credible business awards.

1. Start with business significance, not with self-praise

One of the most common mistakes in award submissions is trying to sound impressive instead of being specific. Judges do not need adjectives. They need evidence, context, and outcomes.

When we prepared ZONE3000’s organization recovery case, the story was not “we are resilient.” The real story was much more concrete. The majority of our team was based in Ukraine when the full-scale Russian invasion began. The challenge was to evacuate people, secure infrastructure, protect continuity, and keep client delivery stable under extraordinary pressure. The case became strong because it showed actions and results: safe workplaces, evacuation support, remote work readiness, cybersecurity enhancements, backup planning, stronger internal communications, and continuity of service.

The same principle worked in our AI-driven sales automation case. Instead of presenting AI as a trend, the entry focused on a real business problem: fragmented sales data, manual qualification, and limited visibility into opportunity readiness. The story became compelling when connected to the solution, technologies used, and business outcomes such as faster sales cycles, stronger forecasting, and better use of sales resources.

My first recommendation is simple: do not think like, “How do we make this sound award-worthy?” Emphasize, “What changed in the business, why did it matter, and what can we prove?”

2. Choose the category as carefully as you write the entry

A great story placed in the wrong category can easily become an average entry.

This is where many PR teams lose points. The temptation is to choose the broadest or most prestigious-sounding category. In reality, awards are won by relevance. The closer the fit between your case and the category criteria, the easier it is for judges to understand why the nomination belongs there.

In my experience, category selection is a strategic step. You need to study the category, compare it to your actual achievement, and decide on the strongest angle. Is your case about innovation, leadership, customer impact, technology implementation, team performance, or market growth?

If you are not fully sure which category fits best for your story, it is absolutely fine to contact the organizers and ask for guidance. A short clarification can help you avoid a mismatch and significantly improve the chances of placing your case in the category where it has the strongest potential.

3. Treat communication with organizers as part of the process

One thing I value in awards programs is the quality of communication with organizers. Good organizational communication reduces uncertainty and helps applicants navigate categories, deadlines, and practical requirements with more confidence.

With Stevie® Awards, the process is structured and transparent, supported by entry kits, category descriptions, FAQs, and competition-specific materials. They also regularly run free live webinars for entrants on topics such as choosing categories, understanding the judging process, and crafting stronger nominations. In my own experience, attending these webinars was genuinely helpful: they made it easier to see that we already had strong stories worth submitting and helped me understand how to shape them into award-ready entries.

My advice is to approach organizers’ materials the same way you would approach a media brief: read carefully, use the available resources, and take advantage of webinars and Q&A opportunities to strengthen your submission before you enter.

4. Write for judges, not for your website

Award entries are not marketing brochures. They are evidence-based narratives. A strong submission usually has three qualities.

It gives enough context for an outside reviewer to understand the scale of the challenge.
It explains the solution in plain business language, not only internal terminology.
It proves outcomes with facts, metrics, or credible indicators.
It includes strong supporting materials that back up the claims made in the nomination, through links, visuals, case examples, testimonials, or other relevant evidence.

This is also where PR expertise becomes especially valuable. A communications professional knows how to structure a story so that technical, operational, and business details become readable without losing precision. In many companies, the achievement already exists, but the narrative does not. Building that narrative is the real work.

5. Respect the judging process and use the feedback

What makes awards especially useful is that the process does not end when results are announced. In the Stevie® Awards, entrants receive judges’ anonymous comments, which also function as a valuable external review mechanism. Based on my experience with other awards programs, receiving judges’ comments is not always typical, which makes this a real advantage of the Stevie® Awards process.

That is valuable for two reasons. First, feedback helps you understand how your story was perceived by external reviewers. Second, it can make future submissions stronger. Sometimes, comments show that the case itself was strong but presented too broadly. In other cases, they highlight that the business impact was compelling, but the evidence was not supported clearly enough, for example, through stronger supporting materials, external links, or proof points.

The smartest way to approach awards is not to submit once and simply hope for the best. It is to learn from the process, refine your approach, and build a stronger recognition strategy over time.

6. Do not underestimate the ceremony and networking value

Awards ceremonies are often viewed as symbolic, but they can also be highly practical. Stevie® Awards ceremonies bring together winners, judges, executives, and guests from multiple industries, and official ceremony information highlights networking, on-stage recognition, photography, and interviews as part of the experience.

For communications teams, this creates additional value around the award itself. The ceremony can become an opportunity for content, establishing relationships, and visibility.

7. Plan your post-award communication before the result arrives

Winning is not the end of the story. It is the start of a communications cycle. If you wait until the award is announced to decide what to do with it, you lose momentum.

Prepare a post-award plan in advance:

internal communications
LinkedIn content
media outreach
leadership commentary
website updates
case-study repackaging
award page integration
partner-facing materials.

The goal is not to overpromote. The goal is to translate recognition into trust.

Final thoughts: Turn recognition into business assets

If I had to sum it up in one principle, it would be this: business awards are won through strong achievements, clear storytelling, solid evidence, and professional communication.

At ZONE3000, our strongest award results have come not only from the recognition itself, but also from how we turned that recognition into a credible business narrative. Our awards and recognitions also support marketing and sales efforts by helping demonstrate trust, credibility, and proven expertise when approaching new leads. Referring to winning cases allows us to show the business community tangible results, strengthen our market positioning, and attract new partners and clients.

My advice: Identify what is truly meaningful inside the business, shape it into a credible narrative, and present it in a way the market can trust. That is how awards become more than recognition. They become business assets

Sheetcast: Turning Spreadsheets Into Scalable Web Applications

amanda@stevieawards.com (Amanda Del Signore) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:58:50 GMT

Launched in 2021, Sheetcast is a cloud-based business technology solution that helps organizations convert Excel spreadsheets into secure, fully functional web applications.

Built as an Excel add-in, the platform enables users to transform familiar spreadsheet models into interactive apps in minutes, without writing code. The approach addresses a common operational challenge: modernizing spreadsheet-driven workflows without rebuilding them from scratch.
Sheetcast is positioned primarily for non-technical users. Rather than relying on developers, teams can build and publish applications directly within Excel using tools they already understand. This makes it possible to streamline internal processes, replace fragmented spreadsheet systems, and centralize data collection across multiple users simultaneously. The result is improved efficiency while preserving the flexibility that has long made Excel a workplace standard.

The platform supports a broad range of functionality. Applications built with Sheetcast can include custom data-entry forms, automated workflows, interactive dashboards, file attachments, signature capture, and integrations with external data sources such as web APIs, media files, and GPS inputs. Outputs can range from structured datasets and charts to PDFs, automated email notifications, and API calls to other systems. In effect, the technology converts static spreadsheets into dynamic, database-driven web tools.

Security and governance are central components of the system. Administrators can assign user-specific access permissions, lock or hide formulas, enforce validation rules, and maintain audit trails.

By shifting users from editing raw spreadsheets to interacting through controlled forms and reports, organizations reduce the risks of formula errors, accidental overwrites, and data leaks. At the same time, intellectual property embedded within Excel models remains protected.

Sheetcast won a Silver Stevie® Award for Best Cloud Application/Service Business Technology Solution in The 2025 International Business Awards®.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Who’s Coming to the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards® on Friday?

Michael Gallagher — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:57:28 GMT

This Friday, April 17 we’ll stage the 13^th annual Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards at the Venetian Hotel in Macao, China. More than 250 executives from across the region will gather to celebrate the recent achievements of organizations and individuals.

This Stevie Awards program celebrates the innovative achievements of working professionals across a wide variety of categories. The 2026 Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners in the competition were announced in early March. As in all Stevie Awards programs, winners were invited to attend the event to be celebrated on stage and to make an acceptance speech, but attendance isn’t required to win.

Download the digital version of the program book for the awards evening.

Here is the list of organizations that will be represented at Friday’s event in Macao.

2GO Group, Inc.

Aboitiz Construction, Inc.

ACCIONA

Adobo Magazine

Angel One

Arcadyan Technology Corporation

Bank For Investment And Development Of Vietnam

Bases Conversion And Development Authority

BDMS Wellness Clinic

Big Picture Asia Incorporated

B'yond Platforms

Bytedance - TikTok

CleverTap

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.

Delivery Hero Philippines Inc.

Dermorepubliq

DITO Telecommunity

DocuWare

Dynamic Insurance Services

Earthlab Inc.

Eastern Communications

Floridablanca Enviro Corp

GARASI TRAVEL (PT GARA INDONESIA GROUP)

Generali Hong Kong

Gosoft (Thailand) Co.,Ltd.

Guild Solutions

G-Xchange Inc. (GCash)

HGC Global Communications Philippines Inc.

HSBC

Hylove Business Inc.

IBM

IBM India

IBM Institute For Business Value

ID8, Inc.

Inclusive Mamas Club

JingAn Kerry Centre, Kerry Properties Limited

Johnson&Johnson

Junior Achievement of the Philippines

Junior Chamber International Manila

Just Right Parking

MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY (MERALCO)

Mason Korea

Massive Act Inc.

Max's Restaurant

MedAsian

MediaOne

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls

Metro Manila Persons With Disability Vendors’ Association, Inc.

Metro Pacific Iloilo Water

Metro Pacific Investments Corporation

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank)

Million Advertising & Silk-Screen Pte Ltd

Mission Ready HQ Ltd

MR. DIY Philippines

MRANTI Corp.

NeuroLead

New Aim

New Image International

OHIO Myanmar International Co.

ONEBPO

Palo Alto Networks

Pertamina Gas Negara

PLDT And Smart and PLDT Global

PRN Asia

Pru Life UK

Prudence Foundation

PT ABM INVESTAMA Tbk

PT Petrokimia Gresik

PUNX

Q Media 360 Advertising Corp.

Quezon City Business Permits and Licensing Department

Rebel Manila Brand Marketing Services

SAGAEVENTS, INC.

Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation

San Miguel Global Power

SANAME - Multi-Collagens, Bone Broths & Soups

Schweigen

Seattle's Best Coffee

Shanghai XuanKe Technology Co., Ltd.

Shell companies in the Philippines

Siam Kubota Corporation

SM Supermalls (China)

Strategic Public Relations Group

Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc

Tata Consultancy Services

TTEC

UnionDigital Bank

Uniquecorn Strategies

Vivant Corporation

Wells Fargo

Women Impact Studio

YES GLOBAL MARKETING SDN BHD

Zoho Corporation

The 2027 edition of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards will begin accepting nominations this October. Join the mailing list to be sent the entry kit as soon as it’s available.

Freelancer.com: Scaling Human Intelligence Through an AI-Driven Platform Pivot

amanda@stevieawards.com (Amanda Del Signore) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:03:49 GMT

Freelancer.com has evolved from a traditional freelancing marketplace into a platform designed to coordinate complex, enterprise-level innovation in the AI era. With more than 80 million users globally, the company’s recent transformation reflects a broader shift in how organizations access and deploy specialized talent at scale.

As AI adoption accelerates, organizations are encountering a growing challenge: while automation reduces the need for routine work, it simultaneously increases demand for highly specialized human expertise. Projects involving AI development, validation, and multilingual data training require niche skills that are globally distributed and difficult to source through traditional hiring models.

A Platform Built for Coordination, Not Replacement
Freelancer’s response was to rethink the role of its platform. Rather than positioning AI as a substitute for human work, the company developed systems that use AI to coordinate human expertise more effectively.

This shift is reflected in several key developments:

Intelligent Talent Orchestration: AI-driven systems that match and coordinate teams across disciplines, languages, and geographies—demonstrated through large-scale projects spanning more than 50 languages.

Enterprise-Grade Infrastructure: Financial and technical systems capable of supporting high-value, complex engagements, including transactions reaching tens of millions of dollars.

Moonshot Innovation Program: A framework for tackling large-scale, multi-phase challenges by coordinating distributed teams, managing intellectual property, and structuring collaborative research.

Together, these capabilities move the platform beyond task-based freelancing into coordinated innovation delivery.

Positioning for Emerging Technologies
Freelancer’s model is increasingly aligned with emerging fields such as quantum computing and advanced AI, where expertise is scarce and globally dispersed. By enabling organizations to access and coordinate that expertise, the platform is positioning itself as infrastructure for a new category of innovation work.

Rather than replacing human input, the company’s approach reinforces the role of human judgment, creativity, and problem-solving—supported by systems that enable large-scale collaboration.

Freelancer.com earned a Gold Stevie® Award for Best Business Technology Pivot in The 2025 International Business Awards®.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Virgin Voyages: Redefining Modern Cruise Experiences Through Innovation and Guest-Centered Design

amanda@stevieawards.com (Amanda Del Signore) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:00:16 GMT

Virgin Voyages is an adults-only luxury cruise line reshaping the hospitality and leisure industry with a modern, experience-driven approach to ocean travel. Founded in 2014 by Richard Branson, the company launched its first voyage in 2021 and has since established itself as a distinct alternative to traditional cruise models.

With a fleet of “Lady Ships” and a focus on inclusive, no-surprise pricing, Virgin Voyages delivers a streamlined, elevated travel experience across destinations in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and beyond.
The global cruise industry has long been defined by legacy operators, standardized offerings, and incremental innovation. Virgin Voyages entered this space with a fundamentally different model—targeting adult travelers seeking a more contemporary, flexible, and design-forward experience.

By eliminating common industry practices such as surcharge-heavy pricing and gratuity-dependent service structures, the company addressed long-standing friction points in customer experience while aligning more closely with modern hospitality expectations.

A Distinctive and Technology-Forward Approach
Virgin Voyages has introduced a range of innovations across both onboard experience and operational strategy. Its ships feature award-winning dining, entertainment, and wellness offerings included in the base fare, reducing complexity for travelers. The brand has also invested in advanced connectivity, offering high-speed internet capabilities that rival land-based environments, supporting both leisure and remote work needs at sea.

Beyond onboard features, the company has expanded rapidly, introducing 19 new destinations and 27 itineraries through April 2025, with routes spanning Europe, the Caribbean, and additional global markets. Strategic initiatives, including new market entries and experiential partnerships, position the brand as both a travel provider and a broader lifestyle offering.

Delivering Measurable Growth and Industry Recognition
Since 2023, Virgin Voyages has achieved significant industry recognition across multiple independent platforms. The company was named the #1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line by Travel + Leisure and earned top rankings in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. It also received multiple honors from Cruise Critic, including Best Overall Cruise Line, Best Dining, and Best Service.

Operationally, the company has supported its growth with a capital raise to accelerate international expansion and enhance customer experience. At the same time, it has maintained a strong focus on workforce practices, implementing policies that ensure crew members receive living wages independent of gratuities—an approach that contributes to employee satisfaction and service quality.

What distinguishes Virgin Voyages is its integrated approach to innovation, employee experience, and brand positioning. Rather than adapting existing cruise frameworks, the company has built a model centered on transparency, design, and cultural relevance. Its adults-only positioning, emphasis on inclusivity, and continued investment in both technology and global expansion reflect a broader shift toward experiential travel.

Virgin Voyages earned a Gold Stevie® Award for Company of the Year – Hospitality & Leisure – Large and a Gold Stevie Award for Most Innovative Instagram Feed in the 2025 International Business Awards®.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey’s Expansion of Community-Based Behavioral Health Services

amanda@stevieawards.com (Amanda Del Signore) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:54:03 GMT

Founded in 1985, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ) is a peer-led nonprofit organization that provides community-based services promoting recovery, wellness, and independence for individuals with lived experience of behavioral health conditions. Over four decades, CSPNJ has grown from three drop-in centers into a statewide network offering community wellness centers, supportive housing, advocacy, and outreach services.

Today, CSPNJ serves more than 16,000 community wellness center members and 600+ supportive housing residents across New Jersey. The organization employs over 360 staff, many of whom bring lived experience to their roles, reflecting CSPNJ’s commitment to peer-led service delivery.

Expanding Housing, Outreach, and Crisis Services
CSPNJ has expanded significantly in recent years, particularly in homelessness outreach and crisis response services. Through partnerships with state agencies and community organizations, the organization provides preventative services, street outreach, and warming centers across multiple counties. Since 2023, CSPNJ has launched several new statewide and county-specific programs, including initiatives supporting veterans and individuals experiencing homelessness.

The organization has also strengthened its crisis response capabilities. Its Peer Wellness Respite programs, which serve as alternatives to hospitalization, increased occupancy rates from 72.2% to 92.6% between 2023 and 2024. In 2025, CSPNJ introduced Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams (MCORT), providing rapid, community-based mental health support through peer specialists and behavioral health professionals.

Growing Impact and Community Reach
Since October 2023, CSPNJ has grown by 28%, reflecting the addition of new programs and increased demand for services. Over the past year alone, the organization has reached more than 12,000 individuals through homelessness outreach and related services.

The organization is also seeing increased engagement from younger populations. Across its statewide network, CSPNJ has welcomed hundreds of new members aged 18–30, reflecting shifting community needs and the ongoing impact of mental health challenges following the pandemic.

Internally, CSPNJ has focused on workforce development and organizational culture. The organization has been recognized as a Top Workplace in both 2024 and 2025, with 90% of employees reporting that their work is meaningful.

Strengthening Visibility and Communications
Alongside program expansion, CSPNJ has increased its public visibility and communications efforts. Historically operating with a limited external presence, the organization has expanded its reach across digital platforms, media outlets, and community partnerships, increasing awareness of its services and mission.

These efforts have supported greater accessibility to services and strengthened CSPNJ’s role as a resource for individuals and communities across New Jersey.

Supporting Communications Leadership
This work has been supported in part by Chelsea Triano, CSPNJ’s Marketing Coordinator, who was also recognized in The 2025 International Business Awards®. As a one-person communications team, Triano has led efforts to expand CSPNJ’s digital presence, increasing social media engagement and building stronger connections with community partners.

Her initiatives include developing accessible communications tools, expanding partnerships, and leading events that support community engagement and awareness. These efforts have contributed to increased visibility and improved access to CSPNJ’s services across the state.

Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey won a Silver Stevie® Award for Organization of the Year – Non-Profit or Government Organizations – Large, and Chelsea Triano won a Silver Stevie Award for Communications Professional of the Year in The 2025 International Business Awards.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Advancing AI-Driven Talent Acquisition in a Competitive Hiring Market

amanda@stevieawards.com (Amanda Del Signore) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:29:52 GMT

Apexon is a technology services firm that works with organizations across industries, including financial services, retail, and automotive. The company focuses on digital engineering, technology solutions, and transformation initiatives that help clients modernize systems, improve operations, and support long-term business growth.

Because that work depends on specialized technical talent, recruitment plays an important role in the company’s ability to deliver for clients. Finding candidates with expertise in cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI/ML, and full-stack development has become increasingly important as technology needs continue to evolve.

Apexon Talent Acquisition Manager Mischelle S Martis has developed a structured and forward-looking approach to technical recruitment, combining over eight years of experience with evolving technologies and market insights.

Working across industries including automotive, banking and financial services, and retail, Mischelle has focused on aligning hiring strategies with business priorities. Her work emphasizes efficiency, scalability, and responsiveness to changing technical skill demands—particularly in high-growth areas such as AI/ML, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and full-stack development.

A key aspect of her approach has been integrating AI-powered tools into recruitment workflows. By automating sourcing, screening, and candidate engagement, she has helped streamline processes and improve the speed and consistency of hiring outcomes.

Strengthening Recruitment Operations Through Process Innovation
Since early 2023, Mischelle has led the implementation of GenAI-driven recruitment solutions across the hiring lifecycle. These tools have enabled more targeted candidate matching, reduced manual workloads, and improved overall efficiency.

In addition, Mischelle introduced enhanced technical assessment processes and developed an Interview Training Program for hiring managers. These efforts resulted in a 20% improvement in quality of hire, reflecting stronger alignment between candidate capabilities and organizational needs.

Mischelle has also prioritized integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into recruitment strategies. Her work has focused on building more inclusive talent pipelines across technical disciplines.

One of her key initiatives was the launch of a DEI-focused Employee Referral Bonus Program, designed to encourage internal advocacy and broaden access to underrepresented talent. By collaborating with external partners and supplier networks, she has supported the development of more diverse candidate pools and strengthened inclusive hiring practices throughout the recruitment lifecycle.

Beyond sourcing and hiring, Martis has contributed to operational improvements within talent acquisition. She led a Reporting Optimization Initiative that standardized recruitment dashboards and key performance metrics, improving data accuracy and enabling more informed decision-making.

Her experience in areas such as vendor management, zero-based budgeting, and margin optimization has also supported cost efficiency and scalability across recruitment functions. These efforts have helped position talent acquisition as a more strategic contributor to business performance.

Mischelle was recognized with a Silver Stevie® Award for Recruiting Professional of the Year in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Great Employers.

Interested in entering for 2026?

German Stevie® Awards 2026 nehmen Bewerbungen entgegen

Jana Novatscheck — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:01 GMT

Erste Teilnahmefrist läuft bis zum 13. Mai 2026

Spannende neue Kategorien für 2026

Die Stevie® Awards verkünden den Start der Nominierungsphase für die German Stevie Awards 2026. Damit geht der Wirtschaftspreis für das deutschsprachige Europa in die zwölfte Runde seines Bestehens. Interessierte Unternehmen und Organisationen aus Belgien, Deutschland, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Österreich und der Schweiz können sich ab sofort mit ihren Unternehmensleistungen und Projekten in zahlreichen Kategorien bewerben.

Bis zum 13. Mai 2026 profitieren die Teilnehmenden von der vergünstigten Preisträgergebühr. Teilnahmeberechtigt sind Unternehmen und Organisationen jeder Größe, öffentliche und private Organisationen, gewinnorientiert oder gemeinnützig, aber auch Einzelpersonen aus der Wirtschaft dürfen teilnehmen. Umfassende Informationen über die Awards und die Teilnahmeunterlagen erhalten Sie unter GSA.StevieAwards.com.

Den Teilnehmenden steht eine Vielzahl an Kategorien zur Verfügung. Unter anderem:

Awards im Bereich Künstliche Intelligenz (neu in 2026)
Awards für Unternehmen/Institutionen
Awards für Unternehmer*innen
Marketing-Awards
PR-Awards
Human Resources-Awards
Kundenservice-Awards
Awards für Produktentwicklung
Awards für App-Entwicklung und Webseiten
Thought Leadership-Awards
Podcast-Awards
u.v.m.

Neu in diesem Jahr

Für die 12. German Stevie Awards 2026 gibt es eine ganze Reihe neuer Kategorien. Ein besonderes Highlight ist der neue Fachbereich Künstliche Intelligenz, der Innovationen, Anwendungen und spezifische Branchenlösungen würdigt. Auch in den bestehenden Kategorien gibt es Zuwachs: So wurden im Bereich Klimaschutz & Nachhaltigkeit Kategorien für Green-Tech-Lösungen und Climate-Tech-Startups ergänzt, während im Bereich Unternehmen & Unternehmensleistungen nun auch das 'Business-Netzwerk des Jahres' ausgezeichnet wird.

„Wir freuen uns, den führenden Unternehmen im deutschsprachigen Europa nicht nur unsere bewährten, langjährigen Award-Kategorien zu präsentieren, sondern – so hoffen wir – auch einige spannende neue Ergänzungen im diesjährigen Wettbewerb“, sagt Maggie Miller, Präsidentin der Stevie Awards. „Unser Team bei den Stevie Awards ist schon jetzt gespannt auf die Beiträge, die uns in diesem Jahr erreichen werden.“

Wieder dabei: People’s Choice Stevie Awards für die beliebtesten Unternehmen

Wer die Stevie Awards kennt, weiß: Die Gewinnerinnen und Gewinner werden mit einer Stevie® Award-Trophäe in Gold oder einer Medaille in Silber oder Bronze ausgezeichnet. Auch in diesem Jahr erwartet die Teilnehmenden der German Stevie Awards eine zusätzliche Auszeichnung: die People’s Choice Stevie® Awards für die beliebtesten Unternehmen.

Alle Organisationen, die bei den German Stevie Awards 2026 mit einem Gold, Silber oder Bronze Stevie® Award ausgezeichnet werden, haben die Chance, einen People’s Choice Stevie® Award zu gewinnen. Hierfür findet von Ende August bis Ende September 2026 eine öffentliche Online-Abstimmung statt, bei der jede*r für seine Favoriten abstimmen kann. Die Unternehmen mit den meisten Stimmen in den jeweiligen Kategorien werden mit einer Kristalltrophäe ausgezeichnet.

Teilnahmefristen und Termine

Alle Unternehmen und Organisationen dürfen kostenfrei beliebig viele Nominierungen einreichen. Erst bei erfolgreicher Nominierung - die mit einem Gold, Silber und Bronze Stevie Award ausgezeichnet wird - fällt eine Preisträgergebühr an. Teilnehmende, die ihre Bewerbungen bis zur ersten Teilnahmefrist, dem 13. Mai 2026, abgeben, profitieren von einem Rabatt auf diese Preisträgergebühren. Wer die Teilnahmefrist am 13. Mai verpasst, darf seine Bewerbungen noch bis zum 18. Juni 2026 einreichen.

Mehrere Fachgremien werden dann die Gold, Silber und Bronze Preisträgerinnen und Preisträger ermitteln. Die Gold-, Silber- und Bronze-Gewinner*innen werde im Rahmen des Stevie Awards Super Events am 28. Oktober in Paris gemeinsam mit den Gewinnern der International Business Awards, der Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence und der Stevie Awards for Great Employers geehrt.

Zu den Preisträgerinnen und Preisträgern der German Stevie Awards 2025 zählen unter anderem BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH (Sindelfingen, Deutschland), boneArtis AG (München, Deutschland), EuroTube Foundation (Dübendorf, Schweiz), Globus Handelshof St. Wendel GmbH & Co. KG (Koblenz, Deutschland), HASE & IGEL GmbH (Oldenburg, Deutschland), Mamer (Mamer, Luxemburg), PALFINGER AG & Tchitii Communication (Salzburg, Österreich), Raiffeisen Bank International (Wien, Österreich), Werner Schmid GmbH (Fulda, Deutschland), ZDF (Mainz, Deutschland) und ZF (Bielefeld, Deutschland).

Eine Übersicht über alle Preistragenden der German Stevie Awards 2025 finden Sie unter https://gsa.stevieawards.com/Auszeichnungen/Stevie-Award-Gewinner/.

Die German Stevie Awards sind Teil der Stevie® Awards, welche die renommierten International Business Awards® ausrichten und in insgesamt neun Wettbewerbsprogrammen jedes Jahr mehr als 12.000 Einreichungen aus über 70 Ländern erhalten.

Pressefotos der Stevie Awards Trophäen und das German Stevie Awards Logo finden Sie unter https://gsa.stevieawards.com/Die-Presse/Fotos-und-Logos. Weitere Pressefotos stellen wir Ihnen auf Wunsch gerne zur Verfügung.