HR Executive of the Year

What will it really take to bring skills-based hiring to life? Walmart’s innovative approach

To truly enable frontline workers to succeed in the long term, organizations need to consider new, strategic approaches to skills-based hiring, says Walmart’s Donna Morris.

Leadership after tragedy: How Blackstone is helping employees cope

HR Leader of Distinction Paige Ross shares how the firm's leadership team emphasized transparency and action to support employee wellbeing after a high-profile shooting.

3 must-haves for AI integration success from the HR Executive of the Year

Walmart’s Donna Morris, the 2025 HR Executive of the Year, offers insights on navigating pressure to move quickly on AI integration—without losing credibility or employee buy-in.

Future-proofing the HR function at Blackstone: Our 2025 HR Leader of Distinction

Honored for HR excellence at a smaller organization, Paige Ross of Blackstone is keeping a long-range focus as the firm navigates AI, skills development and unexpected tragedy.

Behind the ‘people-led, tech-powered’ Walmart: Meet our 2025 HR Executive of the Year

Chief People Officer Donna Morris oversees HR for the retail giant's 2.1 million global employees, with a focus on tech transformation and employee experience.

Innovation at IBM: Announcing the 2024 HR Executive of the Year

Nickle LaMoreaux of IBM never intended to make a career out of human resources, but the HR Executive of the Year has become a "role model" for the profession, one judge of the competition said.

How the HR Honor Roll winner delivered transformation at UPS

Since 2020, Darrell Ford, CHRO at UPS and this year's HR Honor Roll winner, helped the org turn around a failing HR transformation, including with new tech, a new operating model and new emphasis on learning and development.

Caterpillar’s transformative CHRO is the 2023 HR Executive of the Year

Cheryl Johnson, HRE's HR Executive of the Year, focused on leadership training and skills learning through tech to help transform Caterpillar into a 21st-century leader.

How this HR Honor Roll winner navigated employee trauma and growth

Chief Talent Officer Heather Vogel, this year’s HRE HR Honor Roll inductee, brings a transformation mindset to the Children’s Home Society of Florida.

How this HR exec quadrupled her workforce in 10 years

Katrina M. Jones, of social service organization Acacia Network, is tasked with hiring employees who can bring not just skills, but also ‘care, compassion and empathy.’

This HR Honor Roll inductee is reimagining the healthcare workforce of the future

Greg Till, chief people officer of Providence, is focusing on mental health, technology and more to retain burnt-out workers in an industry that is seeing massive turnover.

This compassionate leader is HRE’s HR Executive of the Year

Accenture CHRO and HR Executive of the Year Ellyn Shook is responding to the many new priorities brought by the pandemic with empathetic action.