CW’s Excellence in Compliance Awards recognize the best and brightest in compliance.

Back for its fourth year, Compliance Week’s “Excellence in Compliance Awards” honor standout individuals and companies for their efforts in the areas of ethics and compliance.

Nominations are open for this year’s awards (see nomination form on right), which will recognize the following:

  • Chief Compliance Officer or Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer of the Year
  • Compliance Program of the Year (Company)
  • Lifetime Achievement in Compliance
  • Compliance Innovator of the Year
  • Rising Star in Compliance
  • Compliance Mentor of the Year

The nomination deadline will be March 15. A CW panel will identify finalists in each of the categories besides Lifetime Achievement. For that category, no finalists will be selected—only a winner.

Finalists in each category will be named in late March, and winners will be recognized at our National Conference in Washington, D.C. from May 15-17. Each winner will be interviewed by CW. Winners will not be required to attend the National Conference to receive their award.

2022 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners

CCO/CECO of the Year: Kelly Maxwell, Chief Compliance Officer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Compliance Program of the Year: Snap

Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Tamar Frankel, Professor of Law Emerita, Boston University

Rising Star in Compliance: Boon Kim Fam, Legal Director of Compliance, Asia Pacific, PVH

Compliance Mentor of the Year: Mary Shirley, Head of Culture of Integrity and Compliance Education, Fresenius Medical Care

2021 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners

CCO/CECO of the Year: Justin Ross, Chief Compliance Officer, FedEx Corp.

Compliance Program of the Year: Tenneco

Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Emmanuel Lulin, Chief Ethics Officer, L’Oréal

Compliance Innovator of the Year: Sarah Partington, Senior Compliance Officer/Director of Compliance Operations, The MetroHealth System

Compliance Mentor of the Year: Ellen Hunt, Vice President, Compliance Operations & Chief Privacy Officer, LifePoint Health

Rising Star in Compliance: Jennifer Newton, Founder and CEO, National Association of Black Compliance & Risk Management Professionals

Compliance Consultant/Advisor of the Year (Individual or Company): VANTAGE, from Control Risks

2020 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners

CCO of the Year: Duane Holloway, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, U.S. Steel

Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Carrie Penman, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, NAVEX Global

Compliance Comeback of the Year: Joshua Drew, Group Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, VEON

Compliance Innovator of the Year: Alicia Schwarz, Deputy Chief Compliance Counsel (Global), Walt Disney Company

Compliance Mentor of the Year: Jay G. Martin, Senior Counsel, Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Rising Star in Compliance: Vera Powell, Senior Corporate Counsel, Delta Air Lines

Excellence in Compliance—Anti-Corruption: Alan Gibson, Assistant General Counsel, Compliance & Ethics, Microsoft

Excellence in Compliance—TPRM: Robert Seibel, Director of Legal Compliance, Abercrombie & Fitch

Excellence in Compliance—Cyber-security: David Kessler, Public Sector Counsel, Verizon

Excellence in Compliance—Data Privacy: Kalisa Barratt, Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, Atrius Health

Excellence in Compliance—Training: Cindy Merlino, Global Compliance & Ethics Specialist, Pearson

Best Consultant/Advisor—Large Company: Duff & Phelps

Best Consultant/Advisor—Small Company: Bart Schwartz, Chairman, Guidepost Solutions

Best Technology Partner—Large Company: Refinitiv

Best Technology Partner—Small Company: LogicGate


The fine print

Nominations must be submitted by March 15 and include the following information: Nominee’s name, nominee’s company, specific award the individual/company is nominated for, 500 words or less on why the person/company should win the award, and the nominator’s information.

Extra consideration will be paid to nominations that highlight accomplishments by the nominee in the past year. There is no cost associated with submitting a nomination.

Questions regarding the “Excellence in Compliance Awards” can be directed to editor@complianceweek.com.

What about Top Minds?

From 2016-2019, Compliance Week highlighted the best and brightest in the governance, risk, ethics, and compliance profession with the Top Minds award. Recipients participated in in-depth interviews and were recognized in a short ceremony at our National Conference in Washington, D.C.

The Excellence in Compliance Awards have replaced our Top Minds awards going forward, though we are still proud to recognize the 47 Top Minds winners.