Executive categories

Companies may choose from over 100 categories in our 2025 Best in Biz Awards programs. Please see below for more details on the 21 Executive categories.

All of the Executive categories are the same in both the 13th annual International and 15th annual North American business awards programs.

As always, companies are allowed and encouraged to submit multiple entries in multiple categories in Best in Biz Awards. The tips included in the right column offer some helpful suggestions on which entries can be easily repurposed for which additional categories.

Executive categories

Executives from companies and organizations in all industries are eligible to enter any and all of the categories.

  • 01

Executive of the Year

This includes chief executive officers (CEO) and company presidents.

Winners in this category will be selected in each of the three company-size subcategories:
a. Executive of the Year - Large (1000 and more employees)
b. Executive of the Year - Medium (100-999 employees)
c. Executive of the Year - Small (1-99 employees)

Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – to also enter various Company categories, in addition to the corresponding Executive Team of the Year category.
  • 02

Founder of the Year

This includes all entrepreneurs and company founders, who have created a new business since January 1, 202.

Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – to also enter the Start-up of the Year category, in addition to the corresponding Founding Team of the Year category.
  • 03

Business Development Executive of the Year

This includes executives in all business development functions.
Tip: Use this category submission to enter the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 04

Creative Executive of the Year

This includes executives in all creative functions, including heads of in-house arts, design or graphics departments, as well as creative agency executives.
Tip: This category submission can be re-used - or parts thereof re-purposed - in the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 05

Crisis Management Executive of the Year

All executives tasked with preparing for, managing and responding to crises, including but not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, are eligible to apply. This includes all executives involved in crisis management, including customer care, customer service, customer support, logistics, operations, technology, marketing, PR etc., as well as cross-departmental team heads.
Tip: Use this category submission to also enter the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 06

Customer Service Executive of the Year

This includes all executives in customer care, customer service and customer support functions, including both VP- and director-level customer care professionals.
Tip: This category submission can be re-used or re-purposed in the Most Customer Friendly Company of the Year category r the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 07

Finance Executive of the Year

This includes executives in all finance functions, including executives such as CFO, controller, etc.
Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – in the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 08

HR Executive of the Year

This includes executives across all HR functions, including both VP and director-level human resources professionals.
Tip: Use this category submission to submit in Best Place to Work or the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 09

Legal Executive of the Year

This includes in-house executives such as chief legal officer, general counsel or associate counsel, as well as law firm executives such as partner or counsel.
Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – to also enter the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 10

Marketing Executive of the Year

This includes executives across all marketing functions, both offline- and online-focused, including CMO, VP of Marketing, as well as marketing and advertising agency executives.
Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – in the Marketing Campaign of the Year or the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 11

Operations Executive of the Year

This includes all operations executives, including chief operating officers (COO), general managers, etc.
Tip: Use this category submission to also enter the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 12

PR Executive of the Year

This includes all public relations and corporate communications executives, including in-house PR and corporate communications executives, as well as executives at PR agencies.
Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – to also enter PR Campaign of the Year or the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 13

Product Management / Development Executive of the Year

All executives responsible for preparing, developing and managing products are eligible to apply. This includes all executives involved at any stage of product management or development, including technology, visual arts, operations, etc. as appropriate.
Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used, often with minimal to no tweaks, in several Product or Service categories or the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 14

Research and Development Executive of the Year

All research and development executives are eligible. This includes scientists, researchers and executives at research labs and departments at for-profit companies, as well as non-profit and governmental organizations. Please be sure to mention research achievements, publications, innovations, patents.
Tip: Use this category submission to submit in the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 15

Sales Executive of the Year

This includes executives across all sales functions, including channel, direct, online and retail sales.
Tip: Use this category submission to also enter the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 16

Support Executive of the Year

This includes all executives in support functions, including both VP- and director-level customer care and tech support professionals.
Tip: This category submission can be re-used to enter the Customer Service Executive or the corresponding Department / Team category.
  • 17

Technology Executive of the Year

This includes executives across all technology functions, including such titles as CTO, VP of Engineering or VP of IT.
Tip: Use this category submission to enter the corresponding Department / Team category, or re-use parts of it to submit in various Product or Service categories.
  • 18

Chairman of the Year

This includes all chairmen or chairwomen of all boards of publicly owned companies or non-profit organizations.
  • 19

Environmentalist of the Year

Executives from all industries are eligible. Over the years, executive submissions have included so many incredible contributions to a variety of environmental causes and at last, we wanted to provide a dedicated category to showcase executives’ environmental impact. Demonstrated contributions to environmental causes, in terms of company direction, charity founding, environmental contributions and donations, employee matching policies, EPA standards-exceeding buildings and policies etc. required.
Tip: This category submission can frequently be re-used – or parts of it re-purposed – to also enter the Most Environmentally Responsible Company of the Year category.
  • 20

Innovator of the Year

This includes all executives, as innovation can occur in any industry or discipline and in any department of a company or organization. Demonstrated innovations in terms of patents, inventions, first-to-market developments, company culture and policies, etc. required.
Tip: Use this category submission - or parts thereof - to also enter the Most Innovative Company of the Year or Most Innovative Product, Service or Product Feature of the Year categories.
  • 21

Philanthropist of the Year

Executives from all industries are eligible. Having seen so many incredible contributions to a variety of social causes mentioned in several Executive submissions over the years, we wanted to provide a dedicated category for these exceptional executives to showcase their social impact. Demonstrated contributions to societal causes, in terms of company direction, charity founding, charitable contributions and donations, employee matching policies, etc. required.
Tip: Use this category submission to enter the Most Socially Responsible Company of the Year category.

Submission process

Any company from any industry based in or operating in U.S. or Canada is eligible to enter any of the more than 100 company, department / team, executive, product and CSR, media, PR and other award categories in the North American business awards. Any company based anywhere in the world – global or local – is eligible to enter any of the categories in the International business awards.

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