Seventeen outstanding technology executives from across the United States have been named Finalists in four HCLTech Supercharging Progress categories in The 23rd Annual American Business Awards®, the top honors for achievement in the workplace in the USA.

A jury of technology professionals from around the world will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie® Award placements from among the Finalists. The placements will be revealed during The American Business Awards’ banquet at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Tuesday, June 10.

The Finalists are:

Adaptive Leadership in Technology
Finalists:
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island: Joe Friedrichsen, Chief Technology Officer
Corteva Agriscience: Larry Brandmeyer, Global Infrastructure, Operations, Cloud & Service Management Leader
Gallagher: Mark H. Bloom, Global Chief Information Officer Leader
GE Healthcare: Vipin Arora, Global Vice President - IT Operations
InterContinental Hotels Group: Scott Hughes, Vice President, Security Operations & Fusion Center

Digital Strategy Excellence
Finalists:
Biogen: Kumar Venugopal, VP, Enterprise Applications (Data, Digital, AI, Global Platforms)
Kroll: Sharon Dhall, Chief Information Officer
MRC Global: George Turanchik, Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Universal Destinations & Experiences, a division of NBCUniversal: Dang Ly, Senior VP and Chief Technology Officer

Excellence in Emerging Technology
Finalists:
CommonSpirit Health: Jason Richeson, Senior VP and CTO
InterContinental Hotels Group: Matthew Mason, Head of Service Desk & Workplace Experience
Quest Diagnostics Inc.: Ravi Nekkalapu, Chief Enterprise Architect, Head of Enterprise Technology
T-Mobile US, Inc.: Aravind Manchireddy, Senior Vice President, Tech Ops

Excellence in Transforming Business
Finalists:
Eaton Corporation: Balaji Ganesan, Vice President of IT and CTO
Experian: Kathy Tira, Global Senior VP, Digital Workplace & Corporate Systems
Kenvue Inc.: BK Shepard, Chief Technology Officer
Smurfit Westrock: Joseph Hinkle, Chief Information Security Officer

HCLTech is a long-time sponsor of The American Business Awards. HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 225,900 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering and cloud, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. They work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services. Visit hcltech.com to learn more.

Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller commented on the Finalists: “We’re privileged to have HCLTech continue as a sponsor of the ABAs and to have so many accomplished technology executives as Finalists for Stevie Awards. All of them will be recognized as Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie winners, and we look forward to welcoming them on stage to receive their due recognition on June 10.”

The American Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace, from customer service and marketing to management, new product development, and technology. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in other categories in the ABAs were announced in April. The full list of those winners is featured at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

Sponsors of The 2025 American Business Awards include HCLTech, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro.

Winners to be Recognized June 10 at an Awards Ceremony in NYC 

Winners have been announced in the 2025 People's Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite New Products, an annual feature of The American Business Awards®, the U.S.A.’s top business awards program, which is now in its 23rd year.

The worldwide public vote was conducted in April and May, with the highest number of votes determining the winners in more than 50 product and service categories. More than 11,000 votes were cast. To win, a category’s leading vote-getter had to have received at least 100 votes.

The winners of the crystal People’s Choice Stevie Awards will be recognized during the ABA’s awards ceremony on June 10 in New York City, along with the winners of the Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners announced in April and May.

All new products and services nominated in the new product awards categories of this year’s ABAs were eligible to be included in voting for the People’s Choice Stevie Awards.

The winners of the 2025 People’s Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite New Products are:

AI - Financial: Wolters Kluwer's CCH Tagetik Intelligent Platform
AI - Other: SuccessKPI's Invisible GenAI
Cloud Storage & Backup Solution: N-able Inc's Cove Data Protection
Computer Hardware: Solidigm D5-P5336
Consumer Products & Services: MYND360 Night Time
Cybersecurity Solution: AT&T Dynamic Defense
DevOps Solution: Elevance Health's Health Data Streaming from Wearables and Processing
Digital Process Automation Solution: Ispirer Toolkit 10
Education Technology Solution: Savvas Learning Company's PathMaker
Financial Management Solution: EBizCharge
Financial Services: The Q4 Platform
FinTech Solution: EBizCharge
Payments Solution: EBizCharge
Supply Chain Management Solution: TrueCommerce's ReplenishAI
Work Management Platform: IBM's Productivity Assessment Tool.

Sponsors of The 2025 American Business Awards include HCLTech, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro.

Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers, based in Burlingame, CA, is a leading provider of breastfeeding support services aimed at empowering mothers and supporting gender equity in the workplace.

The company offers a range of services, including lactation consulting, education, and workplace solutions to help new mothers balance their professional and personal lives. By partnering with businesses across various industries, including Fortune 500 companies, Healthy Horizons creates environments where working mothers have access to the resources they need to thrive, ultimately promoting a healthier and more equitable workplace culture. The company’s focus on supporting mothers through every stage of their breastfeeding journey has earned it recognition as a key player in maternal health advocacy.

In the 2024 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, COO Cassi Janakos and CEO Sheila Janakos each won a Silver Stevie Award for Social Change Maker of the Year - Gender.

Sheila Janakos: Visionary Leadership Driving Growth and Empowering Mothers
Under the leadership of Sheila Janakos, Healthy Horizons has achieved remarkable success, including being recognized on Inc. 5000’s prestigious list for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. This recognition highlights the company’s exceptional growth, including a 146% revenue increase in 2023 and an impressive 300%+ growth in 2024.


Sheila's commitment to empowering women extends far beyond Healthy Horizons, as she actively advocates for new mothers through various speaking engagements, webinars, and partnerships. She has also mentored aspiring lactation consultants, shaping the future of the industry.

Sheila is particularly known for her work in educating employers on legislation like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, helping companies implement more supportive practices for female employees. Through initiatives such as milk drives and collaborations with academic leaders from institutions like Stanford University and the University of California, Sheila is bridging the gap between scientific research and practical applications in maternal health care. Her dedication to community engagement and gender equity has positioned her as a transformative figure in the maternal health space.

Cassi Janakos: Championing Women in STEM and Workplace Equality
As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Healthy Horizons, Cassi Janakos plays a critical role in the company’s growth and strategic direction. With a background in engineering and business management, Cassi has led the company to expand its reach, supporting Fortune 500 clients like Ford, PayPal, and PG&E. She has impacted over 2 million employees, mothers, and children by creating equitable workplaces that provide essential support for working parents.

Beyond her work at Healthy Horizons, Cassi is deeply committed to empowering women in STEM. For over 18 years, she has mentored women in the Society of Women Engineers and worked with the TechWomen Initiative, a program of the U.S. Department of State. Her leadership also extends to her role in the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee, where she has worked on developing clear tools and policies around U.S. lactation laws to help employers implement inclusive practices.

In 2023, Cassi founded Workplace Lactation Week, a national platform that celebrates the contributions of nursing parents in the workplace. The event, which is now observed annually, aligns with Labor Day and serves to highlight the vital role that parents play in the workforce. Cassi’s exceptional dedication to fostering positive change for working parents, especially women in STEM, makes her a standout leader in both the maternal health and workplace equality sectors.

Through the efforts of both Sheila and Cassi Janakos, Healthy Horizons continues to lead the charge in providing transformative support for new mothers, driving systemic change in employment practices and empowering women in both the workplace and beyond.

Cassi and Sheila Janakos each won a Silver Stevie Award for Social Change Maker of the Year - Gender in the 2024 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for 2025?

Eight winners of a public vote for favorite organizations honored with crystal People’s Choice Stevie Award trophies.

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world’s premier business awards programs, announced winners of eight People’s Choice Stevie® Award trophies in the 12th annual Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards, the only awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The People’s Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite Companies, a long-time feature of several Stevie Awards programs, was introduced to the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards in 2023. All winning organizations and nominees in the Company/Organization categories in the 2025 competition were automatically included in voting for the People’s Choice Awards. Voting was conducted from 3 April through 2 May, with the highest number of votes determining the winners in several industry categories. More than 37,000 votes were cast this year by members of the general public worldwide.

Each People’s Choice winner received at least 100 votes, the minimum number required to be eligible to win.

The winners of the 2025 People’s Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite Companies are:

• Business Product & Service Industries: ExtendMax Vietnam Company Limited, Hanoi, Vietnam
• Consumer Product & Service Industries: Dream Culture, Sydney, NSW, Australia
• Financial Industries: Palawan Group of Companies, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Government: Social Security System, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Health Care Industries: Staying Independent Pty Ltd, Zetland, NSW, Australia
• Non-Profit Organizations or NGOs: Megaworld Foundation, Inc., Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Social Impact Companies: Social Security System, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Startup: Eminence Finance Group, Wollert, VIC, Australia

These honorees will receive crystal People’s Choice Stevie Award trophies.

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards have recognized organizations in 23 markets including
Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Republic of Korea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam. More than 1,000 nominations about innovative achievements were considered by the judges this year.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners in various categories were announced on 3 April. Those awards were determined by the average scores of more than 120 executives worldwide acting as judges. Five Grand (“best of show”) Stevie Award winners were announced on 16 April.

Winners in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards will be celebrated during an awards banquet on 13 May at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

The 2026 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards will begin accepting nominations this October. Sign up to get the entry kit at https://Asia.StevieAwards.com.

PR Newswire Asia is the official news release distribution partner of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

adobo magazine is the official Creative Media Partner of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

AT&T Wins Organization of the Year for the Third Time

The Stevie® Awards announced today the Grand Stevie Award winners in The 23^rd Annual American Business Awards^® competition. Winners will be honored during the ABA awards banquet on June 10, 2025 in New York City. Registration for the event is now open.

All organizations operating in the U.S.A. - 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.

This year more than 3,600 nominations were considered in the judging process by more than 250 professionals on 12 juries.  Their average ratings determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners announced earlier this month. For complete lists of those Stevie Award winners, visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

The Grand Stevie Awards are best-of-competition prizes awarded to the organizations that submit the best body of work to the competition, in their own name or in the names of one or more clients. Grand Stevie Awards cannot be applied for directly.

2025 Grand Stevie winners in The American Business Awards are as follows:

Organization of the Year: 

AT&T, the multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Dallas, Texas is the most honored organization in the 23^rd ABAs. The firm earned 33 award points through six Gold, three Silver, and six Bronze Stevie wins by its AT&T Business and AT&T Multimedia Services units. This is the seventh Grand Stevie won by the firm in the ABAs, including Organization of the Year wins in 2022 and 2023. 

Highest-rated New Product or Service of the Year:

With an average score from the judges of 9.14 out of a possible 10, EBizCharge, Irvine, California wins for its eponymous solution, Gold Stevie winner for Best New Payments Solution. 

Highest-rated Nomination of the Year:

There is a tie this year for this honor, both nominations having received final average scores of 9.67 / 10.  The winners are the nomination of the human resources department at Everise, Plantation, Florida, winner of a Gold Stevie for Human Resources Department of the Year, and the customer service department at One Step GPS, San Fernando, California, winner of a Gold Stevie for Customer Service Department of the Year. 

Most Honored Marketing Agency of the Year: 

Three Rings Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts is this year’s most honored marketing agency in the ABAs, with 23 award points earned on behalf of nominations submitted for clients BillingPlatform, Boost Payment Solutions, Constructor, CYPHER Learning, Q4 Inc., and TrueCommerce. This is the first Grand Stevie win for the agency, which focuses on integrated marketing and communications for B2B tech companies.

Most Honored Public Relations Agency of the Year:  

MikeWorldWide, New York, New York wins the honor this year with 24.5 award points earned on behalf of itself and clients Nikon, Red Lobster, and the 150^th Kentucky Derby.  MikeWorldWide is among the world’s leading independent, integrated PR agencies with five offices across the United States, Latin America, and the United Kingdom.  Formerly known as MWW, the agency won Grand Stevies in the ABAs in 2013-2016.

The 2026 edition of The American Business Awards will begin accepting nominations this October.  Learn more and get the entry kit at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA. 

Sponsors of The 2025 American Business Awards include HCLTech, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro.