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Past HR Excellence Award Winners

Celebrate winners of SHRM-Atlanta's HR Excellence Awards

SHRM-Atlanta's HR Excellence Awards celebrate the leaders, teams, and organizations that are shaping the future of work through innovation, leadership, and a commitment to people-first practices. Recognizing achievements across a variety of categories, the program honors those who are driving meaningful impact within their organizations and throughout the Atlanta business community.

Previous recipients join a distinguished group of professionals and organizations recognized for their outstanding contributions to the workplace.. Through bold ideas, transformative leadership, and a passion for creating exceptional workplace experiences, they have elevated their organizations, inspired their peers, and demonstrated the powerful role HR plays in business success. Their accomplishments serve as a reminder that when people thrive, organizations thrive.

2024

CHRO of the Year

 

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Jill Wilson

Carter's

Most People-Focused CEO

 

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Ryan Droege

Relay Payments

Leading Transformational Change/Culture

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Dr. Archana Arcot

Unifi

Most Effective Recruitment Strategy

 

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Ryan Crain

CHEP / Brambles

Best Learning & Development and Talent Management Strategy

preethi-abijith

Preethi Abijith

Unifi

Rising HR Star

 

 

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Betty Tang

PulteGroup

2022

CHRO of the Year

 

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Virginia Means

United Distributors

Most People-Focused CEO

CANDICE SAUNDERS

Candice Saunders

WellStar Health Systems

Best Total Rewards Strategy

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Danny Abad

WellStar Health Systems

Most Effective Recruitment Strategy

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Akshay Loomba

Unifi Aviation

Most Innovative Use of Technology

 

 

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Neha Sharma

Unifi Aviation

Best Learning & Development and Talent Management Strategy

Whitney-Hoffman-Bennett

Whitney Bennett

CallRail

Leading Transformational Change/Culture

 

patrice graves

Patrice Graves

NCR

Rising HR Star

 

 

 

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Elora Arnette

Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority

2021

Most People-Focused CEO

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Craig Menear 

The Home Depot

CHRO of the Year

 

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Crystal Williams

FLEETCOR

Best Total Rewards Strategy

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Patrick Henley

Cobb County-Marietta Water  Authority

Best Learning and Development Strategy

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Alissa Twombly

Hi-Rez Studios

Most Innovative Use of Technology

 

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Almeta Collins

The Task Force for Global Health

Most Effective Recruitment Strategy

 

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Karen Viera

Church's Chicken

Leading Transformational Change/Culture

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Holly Boyles

Gypsum Management & Supply Inc.

Rising HR Star

 

 

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Holly Bail

Grayshift

2020

CHRO of the Year

 

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Vicki Cansler

Piedmont Healthcare

Most People-Focused CEO

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Ed Bastian

Delta Airlines

Best Total Rewards Strategy

cody partin

Cody Partin

Cox Enterprises

Best Learning and Development Strategy

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Kelly Johnson

Georgia Department of Community Health

Leading Transformational Change/Culture

adriana avella

Adriana Avella

The Home Depot

Most Innovative Use of Technology

 

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Lorie Hutcheson

Shepard Center

Most Effective Recruitment Strategy

 

Karen Bennett

Karen Bennett

Cox Communications

Rising HR Star

 

 

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Jackie Fisher

Juneau Construction Company

2019

CHRO of the Year

 

 

 

Mary Beth Allen

Mary Beth Allen

Emory Healthcare

Most People-Focused CEO

 

 

Dan Cathy

Dan Cathy

Chick-fil-A

Best Learning & Development and Talent Management Strategy

Wanda Hayes

Wanda Hayes

Emory University

Leading Transformational Change/Culture

 

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H.R. "Shashi" Shashikant

Novelis

Most Innovative Use of Technology

David A Jones

David Jones

WellStar Health Systems

Most Effective Recruitment Strategy

camye mackey

Camye Mackey

Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena

Rising HR Star

 

bradford-wilkins

Bradford Wilkins

Altisource