In March 2018, Beth Suereth, Founder and CEO of Caregiving Pathways and a veteran of health care marketing, left a corporate job to launch the only company in the United States devoted to helping family caregivers understand how to manage a family member’s hospital stay and the final stages of life.

Those who know Suereth know her to be kind; her voice is so soothing you’ll want to stay on the phone with her as long as possible. As she cared for her father for five years, Suereth discovered a huge need: “My dad had one hospital stay after another after another. I searched for information about managing the hospital experience, but there was nothing out there. It was all trial and error.” 

Suereth’s first step was to provide the resources sorely needed by family caregivers to give them the information they need all in one place. “If you don’t know the ins and outs of the hospital environment and culture,” explains Suereth, “you can’t know the right questions to ask, and you can end up being overtreated or undertreated. The number of hospital errors resulting in death is staggering.”

The resources at Caregiving Pathways — available to all free of charge on the company website — are groundbreaking. They focus on everything from handling the hospital stay to end-of-life planning, financial considerations around caregiving, and the many questions family caregivers need to ask, “up front.”

This revolutionary business reached profitability in 2018, and Suereth was on her way to becoming a “superstar” on the growing family caregiving speaking circuit.

Caregiving Pathways has never been as important as it has during COVID-19, with hundreds of thousands of people dying in the United States, many of them older adults with family caregivers who are more stressed than ever. As Suereth states, “People in hospitals and nursing homes have so little communication with their loved ones that they are often declining physically and mentally from loneliness.”

An educated family caregiver can mean significantly improved health outcomes.

Until Suereth, those 53 million U.S. family caregivers (the number according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP) faced so much with so little in hand. Most are women. “And women shoulder a much greater degree of day-to-day hands-on care. As a result, they often leave the workforce with reduced lifetime earnings and retirement savings — which can affect families for generations.”

The comprehensive guides Suereth created for Caregiving Pathways include How to Help Your Loved One in the Hospital (track what happens and ask questions until everything makes sense); End-of-Life Planning Guide (ask how someone wants to spend the time that remains); an End-of-Life Plan (create and share one before you need it); and Complement Your Client’s Financial Plan with a Personal End-of-Life Plan (for financial planners; align financial resources with final wishes).

Suereth provides consulting services for hospitals, financial services companies, and a business that offers trainings for family caregivers and certifications for those who support them. For employers, the company offers strategies that support family caregivers and help businesses manage absenteeism, presenteeism, and retention.

Pharmacists are yet another Suereth focus. As she explains, family caregivers represent two customers in one because they purchase medications for themselves and the person they’re caring for. For family caregivers, a good relationship with a pharmacist can be crucial in helping someone afford medications, keep to a schedule and, notably, look out for duplications — the same medication prescribed by two different physicians.

Suereth also supports and coaches individual caregivers, all overwhelmed as COVID-19 spreads. She provides emotional support and helps them gain insights and perspective, often when they are affected by “visitor” restrictions in the hospital or are excluded from accompanying a family member to a doctor appointment. “During COVID, the key is to understand how communication in these settings took place pre-COVID, how it’s different now, and how to navigate all of that. It can be done.” 

It’s no surprise, then, that Suereth has become in two-plus short years a “name” on the speaking/panel circuit, from the National Caregiving Conference on “When the Care Plan Becomes an End-of-Life Plan” to an invitation to speak to family caregivers in the Virgin Islands and a “Beginning Again Virtual Retreat” for caregivers adjusting to life after a family member’s death during COVID-19. Suereth’s primary talk is titled “How to Help Your Loved One in the Hospital,” an expanded version of her easy-to-read guidebook of the same name.

And AARP, the 38 million-member nonprofit organization, sought out Suereth to join the AARP Public Policy Institute team writing its first-ever series of publications for health care leaders: Supporting Family Caregivers Providing Complex Care. The series includes eight research papers published in 2020, with more to come, and a 2020 webinar series. The publications are available at https://www.aarp.org/ppi/initiatives/supporting-family-caregivers-providing-complex-care/.

The institute also asked Suereth to join the team writing a 2019 research report titled Home Alone Revisited: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Care.

It’s rare indeed that an organization of AARP’s size and power reaches out to such a small company — and a start-up to boot — to tap what is clearly vast knowledge.

Then again, Beth Suereth is a unique combination of entrepreneur, expert marketer, and compassionate family caregiver.

Her time has come, and with the COVID pandemic, thank goodness that time is now.

To learn more about Caregiving Pathways, please visit www.caregivingpathways.com.

Caregiving Pathways won Gold for Most Innovative Company of the Year and the Bronze Stevie for Most Innovative Woman of the Year in the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. 

Interested in entering the 2021 Stevie Awards for Women in Business?

• Bug Bite Thing is a safe, chemical-free, reusable product that provides relief for bug bites and bee stings
• The product received offers from all Sharks on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank
• Bug Bite Thing improves quality of life of millions of people worldwide 

About Bug Bite Thing

Bug Bite Thing is a 'Shark Tank' product and Amazon’s #1 selling product for insect bite relief. In October 2019, Bug Bite Thing's founder and CEO Kelley Higney and President Ellen McAlister appeared on ABC's hit show 'Shark Tank.' After receiving offers from all of the Sharks, they accepted an offer from Lori Greiner. 

When Kelley moved to South Florida in 2017, both she and her daughter were constantly suffering from mosquito bites. After trying every remedy on the market to alleviate her daughter’s discomfort, Kelley began researching how other countries combat insect bites. As a mother, Kelley was baffled to see how many of the available insect bite relief products contained harsh chemicals and how many unregulated products were being used on children in the United States. Kelley became passionate about finding a solution.

Kelley discovered a little-known tool that uses suction to eliminate the irritant that was also chemical-free, reusable, and safe to use on children and adults. 

Knowing it was a life-saving product, Kelley created the Bug Bite Thing and in October 2019, Kelley and Ellen appeared on ABC’s hit show ‘Shark Tank.’ After receiving offers from all of the Sharks, they accepted an offer from Lori Greiner. 

Bug Bite Thing is completely chemical-free, reusable, and suitable for use by all ages. It has also been recommended by doctors for their cancer patients as it is non-toxic. Unlike other products, which only work on insect bites, the product also works on bee stings.

Bug Bite Thing won the Silver Stevie for Fastest Growing Company of the Year, a Bronze Stevie for Female Entrepreneur of the Year - Consumer Products, and a Bronze Stevie for Company of the Year - Consumer Products in the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business®.

Interested in entering the 2021 program?

• Heather Havenwood helps people break the mold of traditional media by capitalizing on the impact of social media and driving in income
• Her innovative work helps influencers make the market work for them, rather than having to fit into outdated standards 

About Heather Ann Havenwood

Heather Ann Havenwood started Haven Media, which is an education, media, and agency company dedicated to mentoring, guiding and assisting Influencers, Leaders, and Content Creators to dynamically monetize and promote their products and services through social media and online advertising.

In her dynamic rise to the top, Heather has been interviewed on over 450 podcasts, sharing new ways for entrepreneurs to move the market to meet their demands. She grew her own podcast - Like a Boss: Insights with Influencers - into national syndication within the first twelve months of launch. With daring know-how, Heather has launched over a dozen other dynamic, income-flow podcasts for her clients. 

With her pioneering work in the field of social media, Heather has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, coaches, and creators achieve authority and influence in the marketplace. She has a Master’s Degree in Digital Marketing and has built and sold two online companies - increasing sales over 1050% in under a year - through her cutting-edge influencer growth methodology. 

Traditional media is old, tired, decaying, and on its way out. Social media is the new, ever-changing frontier. Heather’s marketing strategies are breaking the mold of traditional media by monetizing influencers, educators, and creators’ knowledge through omnipresent social media syndication in order to attain reach and to increase one’s value in the marketplace. Heather continues to fire on all cylinders as she trailblazes exciting new social media avenues into pathways toward influence, impact, and income. 

Heather Ann Havenwood won a Bronze Stevie for Individual Awards Categories - Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Social Media in the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business®.

Interested in the 2021 Stevie Awards for Women in Business

Drei Unternehmen aus dem deutschsprachigen Raum wurden für ihre Förderung von Frauen und die Leistungen ihrer Mitarbeiterinnen ausgezeichnet

Frauen im Rampenlicht: am 2. Oktober 2020 wurden die Preisträgerinnen der Stevie Awards for Women in Business bekannt gegeben. Der weltweit wichtigste Wirtschaftspreis für Unternehmerinnen, weibliche Führungskräfte und Angestellte sowie die von ihnen geführten Organisationen ehrt bereits zum 17. Mal die herausragenden Leistungen von Frauen in der Wirtschaft. Mehr als 1.500 Nominierungen von Organisationen und Einzelpersonen aus der ganzen Welt wurden in diesem Jahr in Kategorien wie COVID-19 Response, Unternehmerin des Jahres, Weibliche Führungskraft des Jahres, Innovativstes Unternehmen des Jahres und Startup des Jahres eingereicht. Die stolzen Gewinnerinnen werden am 9. Dezember im Rahmen einer virtuellen Preisverleihung geehrt.

Diese Unternehmen aus dem deutschsprachigen Raum wurden bei den Stevie Awards for Women in Business für ihre herausragenden Leistungen geehrt

Gleich vier goldene Stevie Awards gewann DHL Global Forwarding aus Bonn. Für die Inititative „Women at DHL Forwarding“ in den Media Awards Categories wurde das Unternehmen für die vorbildliche Förderung von Vielfalt am Arbeitsplatz ausgezeichnet.

"Die Entwicklung von talentierten Mitarbeiterinnen bei DHL Global Forwarding ist für uns alle von zentraler Bedeutung. Unser Ziel ist es, noch mehr Frauen in Führungspositionen zu bringen, und unsere Initiative 'Women at DHL Global Forwarding' dient dabei als wichtiger Treiber", so Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. "Vielfalt, Inklusion und Zugehörigkeit sind Grundwerte unserer Organisation. Wir wollen weiterhin großartige Arbeitsplätze schaffen, wo jeder willkommen ist."

Eva Mattheeussen, Leiterin der Personalabteilung bei DHL Global Forwarding, Mittlerer Osten und Afrika und globale Projektleiterin von 'Women at DHL Global Forwarding', erhielt den Gold Stevie Award in der Kategorie 'weibliche Führungskraft des Jahres - Business Services - mehr als 2.500 Mitarbeiter'. "Ich bin sehr stolz auf das, was wir mit diesem Projekt bisher erreicht haben. Dies geht weit über den Aufbau einer starken Gemeinschaft von Frauen hinaus. Das Projekt konzentriert sich auch darauf, Unterstützer und Förderer zu aktivieren, die es braucht, um gemeinsam aktiv am Aufbau eines gleichberechtigten Arbeitsumfeldes zu arbeiten.", so Eva Mattheeussen

In den Achievement Categories wurde die Initiative zusätzlich in den Kategorien 'Verdienste um die Förderung und Entwicklung von Frauen' und 'Verdienste im Personalwesen' ausgezeichnet. DHL Global Forwardings Initiative zielt darauf ab, eine Kultur der Chancengleichheit zu fördern, in dem flexible Arbeitsmodelle, Transparenz und Karriereförderung gelebt werden. Zu diesem Zweck wurden eigens ein neues Talentmanagementprogramm sowie Mentoring- und Netzwerkinitiativen eingeführt. Die "Women at DGF Virtual Learning Series", die während des gesamten Jahres 2020 einmal pro Monat stattfand, wurde als "Event des Jahres" geehrt. Die Veranstaltungsreihe richtete sich bewusst an alle Mitarbeiter und behandelte Themen wie etwa die persönliche und berufliche Entwicklung bei DHL Global Forwarding.

Mit einem silbernen Stevie Award in den COVID-19 Response Categories wurde Marina Reinders aus dem Unternehmen ZIB – Zurück in den Beruf als Deutschlands hervorragendste Zweigstellenleiterin einer Bildungseinrichtung ausgezeichnet.

Maria Reinders hatte die Folgen der Pandemie früh eingeschätzt: die Gefahr, die für Langzeitarbeitslose und gerade Entlassene entstünde, wenn Bildungseinrichtungen schließen und sie ihre Ansprechpartner und Bezugspersonen verlieren würden. Selbstlos entschied sich Frau Reinders, auch ohne Bezahlung zu helfen. Rechtzeitig konnte sie alles Wichtige koordinieren, noch bevor die Arbeitsämter für die Öffentlichkeit geschlossen wurden. Sie fand eine Lösung, Arbeitssuchende weiter zu coachen, sie zu ermutigen und durch die Krise zu begleiten.

Gerald Hüsch, Geschäftsführer von ZIB hatte die Nominierung als Überraschung eingereicht, um die Leistungen von Frau Reinders zu honorieren. "Es gehören viele Disziplinen dazu Außergewöhnliches zu leisten. Frau Reinders überragt jede Einzelne davon. Sie ist schnell, überlegt, umsetzungsstark, gewinnt die Menschen, schätzt und hebt ihre Mitarbeiter und Mitarbeiterinnen empor. Ist unermüdlich, voller Leidenschaft und Hilfsbereitschaft. Klar und stark sagt sie: „Kriegen wir hin.“ - ihr gelebtes Credo.  Sie geht voran und ist sich für nichts zu schade. Findet immer die Stelle, andere zu überraschen und Lösungen zu präsentieren. Ihre Erfolge sind die positiven Nebeneffekte ihrer Art zu sein und andere zu führen. Sie verdient diese Auszeichung vollumfänglich.  Sie würde jedoch sagen: „Ich verdiene diese Auszeichnung nicht - wir verdienen sie. Wir als Team!“, so Herr Hüsch.

Die Industrie und Handelskammer Berlin wurde für ihre crossmediale COVID-19-Kampagne in den Kategorien zur Reaktion auf COVID-19 für die PR-Kampagne des Jahres mit einem bronzenen Stevie Award ausgezeichnet.

Innerhalb von 48 Stunden nach Ausrufung der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland hatte Claudia Engfeld, Pressesprecherin der IHK Berlin, einen täglichen Krisen-Newsletter gestartet, um die 320.000 Mitgliedsfirmen der Kammer über alle Aspekte der Pandemie zu informieren. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem FM-Radiosender JazzRadio Berlin erreichte er innerhalb weniger Tage fast eine Million Menschen in der deutschen Hauptstadt. Ein Schlüssel zu der einzigartigen crossmedialen Kampagne war Claudia Engfelds Hintergrund als leitende Journalistin bei den nationalen Fernsehsendern, Sat 1 und dem ZDF. Als sie JazzRadio Berlin darum bat, ihren täglichen Newsletter als Quellenmaterial zu verwenden, bot der Sender an, diesen zu versenden. Die Programmdirektorin von JazzRadio, Dr. Lyria Messahel, erklärte: "Der Newsletter der Kammer war maßgebend und sehr gut beurteilt. Er gab den Leuten genau die wichtigen Informationen, die sie brauchten, wenn sie sie brauchten. Es war wirklich hochkarätiger Journalismus. Claudia Engfeld hat kein großes Team, auf das sie zurückgreifen kann. Es besteht aus ihr und einer Assistentin. Sie hat bemerkenswerte Arbeit geleistet und dies von Mitte März bis Ende Mai fortgesetzt. Sie hat meiner Meinung nach sicherlich zu Deutschlands beeindruckender COVID-19-Statistik beigetragen.“

Eine vollständige Liste aller Preisträgerinnen finden Sie hier.

Women|Future Conference – die Macherinnen von Morgen

Im Vorfeld der Preisverleihung fand am 12. und 13. November eine zweitägige Konferenz für berufstätige Frauen, die Women|Future Conference statt. Die virtuelle Konferenz für Frauen förderte durch motivierende Keynotes, Bildungssitzungen und Networking engagierte Beziehungen, berufliche und persönliche Entwicklung sowie Gesundheit und finanzielles Wohlbefinden. Von aufstrebenden Geschäftsfrauen über inspirierende Unternehmerinnen bis hin zu Führungskräften - auf dieser Veranstaltung waren die Macherinnen von morgen vertreten! Weibliche CEOs, Gründerinnen, Kleinunternehmerinnen, Unternehmerinnen und Führungskräfte, darunter Senior Management und Direktoren von AT&T Business, Girl Scouts of the USA, Amazon, Deloitte, Microsoft, Roku, PayPal, Cisco, HCL und viele mehr standen auf der Agenda der Women|Future Conference. Mit Podiumsdiskussionen, zahlreichen Networking-Möglichkeiten, Fallstudien von Stevie®-Preisträgerinnen und einem Pitch-Wettbewerb für junge, von Frauen geführte Unternehmen befasste sich die Women|Future Conference mit den drängendsten Geschäftsfragen von morgen. 

Die Bewerbungsphase der 18.Stevie Awards for Women in Business beginnt im Mai 2021. Auf der Awards-Webseite können Sie sich bereits jetzt auf die Mailingliste der Teilnahmeunterlagen setzen lassen. 

Und bis dahin haben Sie die Möglichkeit an weiteren spannenden Stevie Award Programmen, wie etwa den German Stevie Awards 2021 teilzunehmen. 

Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in the 2020 (17^th annual) Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, an international competition, were announced on October 2, 2020. The awards shine a spotlight on women executives, entrepreneurs, employees and organizations run by women.

Winners of five Grand Stevie Award trophies, the highest honor in the competition, were announced today.

Grand Stevie Award trophies are presented to five organizations that submitted the best body of entries to the competition, in their own names or in the names of one or more clients. Winners were determined by the number of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards won in the competition, with three points earned for each Gold Stevie win, two for each Silver win, and one-and-a-half points for each Bronze Stevie win. The Grand Stevie Award winners for 2020 are:

1. The Audacious Agency, Gold Coast, Australia, with 69.5 award points. The agency also was among the Grand Stevie winners in 2019
2. DP DHL, worldwide (27 points), is among the Grand Stevie elite for the third year in a row
3. IGNITE Worldwide, Brier, WA USA (22.5 points)
4. Melissa Sones Consulting, New York, NY USA (20.5 points) was also among the Grand Stevie honorees in 2019
5. Tavuun Welfare Association, Lahore, Pakistan (15.5 points)

More than 1,500 nominations from organizations and individuals around the world were submitted this year for consideration in categories such as COVID-19 Response, Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year, and Startup of the Year, among others. More than 180 business professionals working in seven specialized judging committees determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

Visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/Women for a complete list of Stevie winners by category. Winners will be celebrated during a virtual ceremony on December 9.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business event will be complemented by the third annual Women|Future Conference, a two-day networking and learning event for female founders, business owners, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, to be held virtually on November 12-13. Registration is just $99, or $49 for current students with an active student ID. Details and registration are available at www.WomenFutureConference.com.

The Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, which shine a spotlight on women executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations run by women, have announced the 2020 winners today.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business is an international competition produced by the creators of the prestigious International Business Awards® and American Business Awards®. The Stevie is widely regarded as the world’s premier business award.

This year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be honored at a virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday, December 9. More than 400 women and their guests from around the world are expected to attend the presentations.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business event will be complemented by the third annual Women|Future Conference, a two-day networking and learning event for female founders, business owners, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, that also will be staged virtually, this year on November 12-13. Registration is just $99, or $49 for current students with an active student ID.

Details and registration are available at www.WomenFutureConference.com.

More than 1,500 nominations from organizations and individuals around the world were submitted this year for consideration in categories including COVID-19 Response, Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year, and Startup of the Year, among others. More than 180 business professionals working in seven specialized judging committees determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

Among the many extraordinary organizations and women who have been recognized as Stevie winners, the following organizations stand out as those with four or more winning nominations: 8x8 to Educate (Currumbin, QLD Australia), AlterContacts (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Dee is for Digital (Marbella, Spain), DevelopHer (Dallas, TX USA), DHL Express (worldwide), Families Without Borders (Moraga, CA USA), Helen Zahos, Humanitarian Nurse (Australia), IGNITE Worldwide (Brier, WA USA), Jeunesse Global (Lake Mary, FL USA), John Hancock (Boston, MA USA), Mentor (New York, NY USA), New American Funding (Tustin, CA USA), Purpose DRV’N (Woodbury, MN USA), REMAP Network (Toronto, ON Canada), Saski Collection (Gold Coast, QLD Australia), Spectrum Support Ltd (Southport, Queensland Australia), Tavuun Welfare Association (Lahore, Pakistan), The Financial Literacy Youth Initiative (Cranston, RI USA), Toft Group (San Francisco, CA USA), Wolters Kluwer (multiple cities), and Xandr (Boston, MA USA).

The 2020 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners reflect a diverse group of large and small organizations from around the globe. Notable Gold Stevie Award winners in this year’s competition include:

• Julianna Yau, Founder, Ampala Education, Hong Kong - Woman of the Year - Business Services
  
  
• Jacqueline Guichelaar, Senior Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer, Cisco, San Jose, CA USA - Woman of the Year – Technology
  
  
• Katherine Relle, Private Equity Portfolio Manager, JPMorgan Chase & Co., New York, NY USA - Female Employee of the Year – Business
  
  
• Michelle Arscott, Founder and Mentor, The International Life Coach, Nairobi, Kenya – Mentor or Coach of the Year – Health/Wellness
  
  
• Project SMILE, NCR, Philippines – Most Valuable Non-Profit COVID-19 Response
  
  
• EggLife Foods, Chicago, IL USA – Best New Product of the Year – Consumer Products
  
  
• LinkedIn Corp, Sunnyvale, CA USA – Most Valuable COVID-19 Corporate Response
  
  
• Burger King, Miami, FL USA – Communications or PR Campaign of the Year – Food and Beverage

Stevie Award-winning nominations were submitted by organizations in Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam.

Visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/Women for a complete list of Stevie winners by category.

Winners of five Grand (best of show) Stevie Award trophies, and in three HCL Technologies-sponsored categories for women in technology, will be announced the week of October 12.

This blog is written by Christina Speck (pictured below), one of the judges for the 17th
 Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. She is Head of the Client Lab at MassMutual and the Founder of Innovation Hacks. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

It is no secret that women are making waves in corporate America today. In the late 19^th century, women broke new ground by heading for the Klondike in Alaska, panning their way to riches during the hunt for gold. In an article titled Hints to Women written on December 31, 1897, Annie Hall Strong said, "Women have made up their minds to go to the Klondike, so there is no use trying to discourage them." The article appeared in Skaguay News and was reprinted in newspapers around the country. During this trek, over a thousand women crossed the trails alone or in groups. They earned glowing tributes from the men who reported that the women hauled 100 pounds over several miles. They dragged their own stuff and fended for themselves without asking for help. Many of them made huge fortunes when they struck pure gold.

The spirit to go for gold and showcase the pure grit and determination of women is alive and well at the Stevie’s today. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are one of eight internationally recognized, prestigious Stevie Award programs. Originally conceived by The Stevie Awards Executive Chairman, Michael Gallagher, as a way to “restore public confidence and investor trust," The Stevie Awards are intended to honor the long road to business and product innovation. As the glittering award indicates, STEVIE (derived from the Greek word ‘crowned’) is meant to crown or bestow gold on outstanding and commendable performance in the face of adversity. 

One such example is the digital anthology eBook “I fly” that was created about the stories of resilience to give hope to others grasping with change and looking for new ways to reinvent their lives. These women went above and beyond to overcome extraordinary life events. Grief, loss, and pain permeate all our lives; but to know that one can not only survive trauma, tragedy, and adversity, but thrive on the other side, is what makes this entry so enduring. Another touching more grassroots entry is a most illuminating contribution from a thought leader who is known for her brilliant contributions to often articulate Steve Jobs’ vision. And it goes on and on – stories that are equally heart rending as they are inspiring.

As a returning Stevie Awards judge, I am humbled by these stories and the entries of women who set new standards and put their proverbial footprint on the sands of time. These women in business come from all nationalities and backgrounds. There is no better place for their contributions and innovation to be showcased than the Stevies which attract thousands of entries from over 70 countries. Join me in cheering on these women who had the courage to start something that changed the world for the better and perhaps, for good!

Interested in becoming a Stevie Awards judge for 2021?

If you qualify, you'll be assigned categories based on your experience, function, and industry.  Categories are judged online, and you'll be able to review and rate as many nominations as you like, at your convenience, any time, day or night. As a judge you will learn how other organizations and individuals are achieving success and confronting challenges, you'll receive a certificate of appreciation suitable for framing, and you'll have an opportunity to win two free tickets to one of our awards banquets. Learn more about judging for the Stevie Awards.

About The Stevie Awards for Women in Business

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor the achievements of working women in more than 100 categories, including Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Mentor or Coach of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Achievement in Equal Pay, Women Helping Women, Employee of the Year, Woman-Owned or -Run Company of the Year and Innovator of the Year. All female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run, worldwide, are eligible to be nominated. New this year are COVID-19 response awards categories for individuals, organizations, and marketing and PR. 

The 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business will be judged by more than 200 leading professionals around the world, and nominees will have access to all the judges’ comments and suggestions about their nominations. The last call for entries for the Stevie Awards for Women in Business is September 16, 2020.

The 2019 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners reflected a diverse group of large and small organizations around the globe. Winners included, among others: 

• Gail Becker, CEO, CAULIPOWER, Encino, CA USA
• Alia Koudsi, Key Account Certified International Specialist, DHL Express, United Arab Emirates
• Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Senior VP and Head of Global Branding, Peloton, New York, NY USA
• Carolyn Aronson, CEO and Founder, It’s a 10, Coral Springs, FL USA
• Stephanie Wernick-Barker, President, Mondo, New York, NY USA
• Siti Choiriana, Consumer Service Director, PT. Telekom Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
• Oanh Phuong, Regional Head of Customer Support, HP Inc., Asia-Pacific and Japan
• Margarita Simkin, Co-Founder and Executive Chairwoman, INKAS® Armored Vehicle Manufacturing, Toronto, Canada
• Seda Kalyoncu, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Turkish Airlines, Istanbul, Turkey
• Mejuri, Toronto, Canada
• Law on Earth, Brisbane, Australia
• Susan G. Komen, Chicago, IL USA
• Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, Singapore

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world’s premier business awards programs, has issued the call for entries for its 2020 (17^th annual) Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Entry kits and complete details on the competition are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/Women.

The awards are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards® and International Business Awards®.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor the achievements of working women in more than 100 categories, including Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Mentor or Coach of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Achievement in Equal Pay, Women Helping Women, Employee of the Year, Woman-Owned or -Run Company of the Year and Innovator of the Year. All female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run, worldwide, are eligible to be nominated.

The submission requirements for all categories have been revised and simplified for 2020. Instead of a 650-word essay as in previous years, submissions now require answers to a set of questions, or a video submission up to five minutes in length.

The final entry deadline is August 19, and late entries will be accepted through September 16 with payment of a late fee. Winners will be announced on September 29, and the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners will be celebrated at a virtual awards ceremony on December 9.

New this year are COVID-19 response awards categories for individuals, organizations, and marketing and PR. These categories do not have entry fees, but the $55/entry late fee will apply for entries submitted after August 19.

COVID-19 response categories include:
-Frontline Medical Hero of the Year-Education Hero of the Year
-Delivery Hero of the Year
-Public Service Hero of the Year
-Most Exemplary Employer
-Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - COVID-19-related Information
…and more

The Marketing and PR Campaign of the Year categories have been greatly expanded for 2020. Startup of the Year categories do not have entry fees as well as the categories for Government and Non-Profits.

The 2019 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners reflected a diverse group of large and small organizations around the globe. Winners included, among others: 

• Gail Becker, CEO, CAULIPOWER, Encino, CA USA
• Alia Koudsi, Key Account Certified International Specialist, DHL Express, United Arab Emirates
• Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Senior VP and Head of Global Branding, Peloton, New York, NY USA
• Carolyn Aronson, CEO and Founder, It’s a 10, Coral Springs, FL USA
• Stephanie Wernick-Barker, President, Mondo, New York, NY USA
• Siti Choiriana, Consumer Service Director, PT. Telekom Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
• Oanh Phuong, Regional Head of Customer Support, HP Inc., Asia-Pacific and Japan
• Margarita Simkin, Co-Founder and Executive Chairwoman, INKAS® Armored Vehicle Manufacturing, Toronto, Canada
• Seda Kalyoncu, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Turkish Airlines, Istanbul, Turkey
• Mejuri, Toronto, Canada
• Law on Earth, Brisbane, Australia
• Susan G. Komen, Chicago, IL USA
• Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, Singapore

The 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business will be judged by more than 200 leading professionals around the world, and nominees will have access to all the judges’ comments and suggestions about their nominations.

The third annual Women|Future Conference has announced that the conference, originally planned November 12-13 in Las Vegas, will now be presented virtually for the safety of attendees during COVID-19. Though the world is different today than it was this time last year, there is no time to waste when it comes to the advancement of women professionally and personally.

This two-day conference presented by the Stevie Awards encourages engaging connections, professional and personal development, and health and financial wellness through motivational keynotes, educational sessions, and networking. With panel discussions, plenty of networking opportunities, case studies from Stevie® Award winners, and a showcase of young women-owned businesses, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

The 2020 Women|Future Conference agenda has just been announced. Join us this November 12-13 to Cultivate Your Tomorrow and be inspired by over 100 talented, transformative women speakers from across the globe who will be leading 32 sessions, panels, and workshops. This exciting conference addresses the latest innovations and impending changes in areas such as technology, sustainability, career planning, diversity in the workplace, leadership, crisis management, and so much more.Stevie Awards President Maggie Gallagher added,

“We started this conference three years ago to compliment the Stevie Awards for Women in Business program, and now it has evolved to serve women on a larger scale. The conference will address topics beyond the future of work for women; it focuses on today's trending topics and current issues from the female perspective, hosted by speakers from various industries and backgrounds, from corporate to small business owners, to entrepreneurs.”

Stay tuned for updates about the conference as it comes together, including the announcement of our keynote speaker later this summer.

• Business Chemistry! Using Science to Improve the Art of Relationships Workshop by Deloitte
• Overcoming Personal Adversity
• Conquer Crisis. Train Like a Triathlete. Body + Mind + Business
• Balancing Motherhood + Business: for "Mompreneurs" and Working Moms
• Financial Wellness: Your Relationship with Money
• Diversity & Inclusion: The Importance in Your Workplace
• Pushing Your Envelope: How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Once and For All
• Women Driving the Future of Tech: How AI, VR, and Robotics Will Be the Norm
• Create Joy in Your Career on Your Own Terms
    ...and many more.

Now that we’ve gone virtual, there’s a new lower cost with incredible value - just $199! The virtual platform replicates the beloved in-person networking, workshops, and panels. Register for the conference now to reserve your spot.

What’s New for the 2020 Conference?

• Showcase of young women-owned businesses
• Business pitch competition
• One on one networking: the virtual conference platform has AI matchmaking capabilities to match you with different attendees, sponsors, sessions, and workshops based on your commonalities
• Women|Future Conference Exclusive Webinar Series leading up to the conference

Connect With Us!👍

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenFutureConf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenfutureconference/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenFutureConference/

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevie’s recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Employing the right people is one of the most important yet challenging aspects of any organization. Enabling employers to improve their recruiting effectiveness through branding, talent engagement, and recruitment benchmarks is an area that’s getting more attention in today’s competitive professional landscape.

More than ever, employers, even those with minimal resources, need to be agile in order to quickly find and hire top talent. With candidates today expecting the same treatment as consumers, the power has shifted from employers to job seekers. Preboarding and onboarding programs, in addition to strong professional development offerings, are top of mind for employers, who know these programs are essential to both employee retention and engagement. 

Organizations need to provide a stellar candidate experience in order to recruit the right people. To keep their businesses moving forward, they must continue this positive experience throughout the entire employee life cycle.

More than any other HR function, talent acquisition has rapidly expanded in recent years, and the function itself evolved along with its technology requirements. You now need to offer broader capabilities and deeper functionality, such as candidate relationship management, mobile-friendly capabilities, new-hire onboarding, and more, in order to help organizations grow and scale.

This is why nimble, cloud-based talent acquisition systems help engage and hire candidates while simultaneously managing complex and ever-changing global data privacy rules. 

Talent acquisition has truly become its own discipline, requiring dedicated technology solutions to help businesses find, engage, and inspire people to deliver business results. 

While some organizations struggle between the idea of centralizing software systems with one vendor and multiple best-in-class solutions, one thing is clear: Employers need their applicant-tracking systems to do more than just process candidates.

Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) continue to change the recruiting game. While some organizations are hesitant to invest in AI and ML, fearing the technology might cannibalize the industry and displace recruiters from their jobs, AI and ML are growing and evolving rapidly and becoming increasingly difficult to avoid.

One company using these dynamic and ever-changing functions in HR is iCIMS, a recruiting company based out of Holmdel, New Jersey, United States. The company employs four million hires annually through configurable recruitment solutions and an ecosystem of more than 245 talent acquisition partners. They’ve enjoyed this success due to their constant aim to find talent by delivering best-in-class software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions within a unified platform and by offering a customer-level experience.

By taking one client at a time, the company became one of the world’s leading talent acquisition platforms, enabling more than four thousand clients to hire four million people annually in almost every language worldwide.

“We have built upon our early success to create products that solve hiring challenges for some of the world’s most complex companies,” says Erica Bonavitacola, a communications associate for iCIMS.

To ensure the team is well-positioned to deliver excellent customer service, Bonavitacola says the company actively recruits employees who embody seven core competencies: adaptability, drive, transparency, customer commitment, kaizen, passion, and empathy.

Within this industry, the pendulum has swung from dedicated talent acquisition providers to human capital management (HCM) providers and back again. Acadian Advisory, an independent workplace technology research and consulting firm, recently reported that traditional providers that once dominated the recruiting technology market, such as Oracle Taleo and IBM Kenexa, have been in steady decline for years.

Solving problems for companies that engage talent has become a race in every sense of the word, and gaining access to new relationships through applicant-tracking software is revolutionizing how talent is discovered. Whether you place second, third, or last, companies are quickly realizing they must run or be outdone. 

iCIMS Inc. recently won a Bronze Stevie® Award in the category of Customer Service Team of the Year - Computer Software at The 2019 American Business Awards®. CFO Valerie Rainey also won a Silver Stevie for Female Executive of the Year in the 2019 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.  

Interested in entering the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business?