SharedXpertise Media, publisher of HRO Today magazine and organizer of the Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Ratings, announced the winners of the 2026 CHRO of the Year Awards at a gala held during the HRO Today Forum North America in Philadelphia. The 13th annual event celebrated HR leaders in seven categories, including Small-Market, Mid-Market, Large-Market, Sustainable Workforce, Innovation, Non-Profit, and Lifetime Achievement.
The awards recognize HR executives who have demonstrated excellence in organizational culture, talent acquisition, workforce transformation, leadership during change, DEI initiatives, and measurable business outcomes tied to people strategy. This year’s winners include Tina Campbell of Citizens First Bank (Small Market), Paul Gregory of Securonix, Inc. (Mid-Market), Jill Larsen of Synopsys (Large Market), Rosemary Sheehan of Hartford HealthCare (Sustainable Workforce), and Logan Carmichael of Pittsburgh Water (Non-Profit). All finalists were honored as Leaders of Distinction.
The importance of these awards lies in their focus on aligning HR strategy with business results. As companies navigate ongoing shifts in remote work, employee expectations, and technological disruption, the CHRO role has become central to organizational success. The award criteria emphasize not just internal HR metrics but also the impact on overall business outcomes. For instance, winners were evaluated on how their people strategies drove measurable improvements in revenue, productivity, or customer satisfaction.
The Sustainable Workforce category, won by Rosemary Sheehan, highlights the growing emphasis on long-term workforce planning and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. Similarly, the Innovation category (winner not listed but implied) underscores the importance of adopting new technologies and practices. The Non-Profit award to Logan Carmichael of Pittsburgh Water demonstrates that these principles apply across sectors, not just in for-profit enterprises.
SharedXpertise Media, through its HRO Today brand, reaches senior-level HR decision-makers with content and rankings like the Baker’s Dozen, which are widely used when selecting HR service providers. The CHRO of the Year Awards thus serve as a benchmark for excellence in the field, providing recognition that can influence industry standards and help organizations identify top talent in HR leadership. For more on the awards, visit the HRO Today Forum page.
For HR vendors, the recognition of these CHROs signals key priorities in the market: sustainable workforce strategies, innovation, and measurable business impact. Vendors aligning their solutions with these areas may find greater resonance with top HR leaders. The awards also highlight the growing importance of ESG and non-profit sectors as potential markets for HR services.
