Learning and Development is one of the most crucial HR functions. Some of the world’s best organizations have great learning modules for their employees so that they can excel with new skillsets in this changing business world. 

Chief Learning Officer magazine every year since 2003 awards leading organizations and learning leaders who have demonstrated excellence in the design and delivery of employee development programs. Celebrating those who have crafted new and innovative education initiatives, the Learning in Practice Awards recognize learning executives, organizations and vendors in the learning and development industry.

This year was no exception. Chief Learning Officer magazine has announced the winners of the 2016 Learning in Practice Awards. The Learning In Practice awards are given in two broad classes. 

1. Practitioner awards recognize CLOs and qualified senior learning leaders for their work within their organizations. 
2. Provider awards recognize qualified service providers, vendors, consultants for their work on behalf of a client organization.

The 2016 Learning in Practice Awards Winners are:

The CLO of the year is: 

• Adri Maisonet, Vice President, Enterprise Learning and Development, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

THE BUSINESS IMPACT AWARD

For learning executives who have implemented a significant measurement or evaluation program that has demonstrated exceptional business impact from their workforce development programs. Potential results may include measures of employee retention, sales, revenue growth, customer satisfaction or cost reduction, among others.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: Bob Povey, Unit Manager, Gold Fields
• Silver: Patricia Winchester, Director, Learning and Development, USA Today Network
• Bronze: Blaire Bhojwani, Director, Learning Technologies, Hilton.

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: Adri Maisonet, Vice President, Enterprise Learning and Development, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina
• Silver: Lori West-Worland, Director, Global Education Services, Interactive Intelligence
• Bronze: Jessica Melo, Director of Sales Training, Paycom.

THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARD

For learning departments that have partnered in a progressive way with business partners or external organizational divisions and functions such as the sales and marketing department or external customer groups to develop and deliver a targeted employee development program that supports the partner’s goals.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: Bechtel University, Bechtel Corporation
• Silver: Ericsson, Inc.
• Bronze: Defense Acquisition University
• Bronze: Yum! University, Yum! Brands.

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: Value Offerings, Healthcare Businesswoman’s Association
• Silver: Organization and People Development, General Reinsurance
• Bronze: People and Culture, Suffolk Construction.

THE INNOVATION AWARD

For learning executives who have marshaled resources and applied innovative practices, processes and/or technologies in a new and groundbreaking way to address a significant business or organizational opportunity.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: Steve Garguilo, Senior Manager, Creative Engagement, Johnson & Johnson
• Silver: James Woolsey, President, Defense Acquisition University
• Bronze: Debora Bubb, Vice President, Human Resources, Intel
• Bronze: Chris Bartlett, Director of Learning Resources, FMC Technologies
  Thomas Brady, Director, Department of Defense Education Activity.

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: Betsey Frank, Director, Staff Development and Technology, Sidley Austin LLP
• Silver: Joe Ilvento, Chief Learning Officer, Commvault
• Silver: Gieta Veersma, Chief Human Resources Officer, Sanoma
• Bronze: Harlina Sodhi, Head, Culture and Capability, IDFC Bank.

THE STRATEGY AWARD

For learning executives who have demonstrated exceptional business acumen combined with forward-looking vision to develop and execute a comprehensive learning strategy that clearly aligns employee development with broader organizational strategy.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: Michele Parks, Vice President, Talent Management and Development, Cox Communications
• Silver: Michelle Braden, Vice President, Global Learning Excellence, TELUS International
• Bronze: Melissa Hess, Acting Division Director, Foreign Service Institute, US Department of State.

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: John Kostek, Learning and Performance Consultant, Hitachi Data Systems
• Silver: Deborah McCuiston, Director of Learning and Organizational Development, Virgin America
• Bronze: Ann Marie Sidman, Vice President, Learning and Development, General Reinsurance.

THE TALENT MANAGEMENT AWARD

For learning executives who have developed a program that effectively integrates learning into broader talent management initiatives such as employee engagement, onboarding, succession planning, recruiting or performance management.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: Susan Bowrah, Associate Vice President, Leadership Development and Talent Management, TD
• Silver: Debra Ross, Assistant Vice President, Learning and Development, BNSF Railway Co
• Bronze: David Sylvester, Director/Principal, Booz Allen Hamilton.

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: Julie Kline, Associate Vice President, Human Resources, Hamline University
• Silver: Tim Laube, General Manager, Kroff Inc.
• Silver: Deborah McCuiston, Director of Learning and Organizational Development, Virgin America
• Bronze: Adam Shandler, Associate Director, Talent Acquisition, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, North America

THE TECHNOLOGY AWARD

For learning executives who have delivered new and unique applications of emerging technology to employee learning and development.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: David Birnbaum, Vice President of Learning, Century 21 University
• Silver: Patricia McNerney, Deputy Director, Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Department of State
• Bronze: Patricia Acquaro, Managing Director of Risk and Complaince, BNY Mellon.

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: Adri Maisonet, Vice President, Enterprise Learning and Development, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina
• Silver: Heather Linn, Manager, Organizational and Talent Development, WellCare
• Bronze: Betsey Frank, Director, Staff Development and Technology, Sidley Austin LLP
• Bronze: Dorothy LaMark, Director of Learning, The Predictive Index.

THE TRAILBLAZER AWARD

For learning executives who have either launched a new enterprise learning function or completely overhauled existing workforce development initiatives in the past year.

DIVISION ONE

• Gold: Liz Huckerby, Chief, Integrated Talent Management, United Nations Development Programme
• Silver: Michele Parks, Vice President, Talent Management and Development, Cox Communications
• Bronze: James Woolsey, President, Defense Acquisition University
• Bronze: Michelle Braden, Vice President, Global Learning Excellence, TELUS International

DIVISION TWO

• Gold: Kenneth Blank, Director, Sales Learning and Development, Paycor Inc.
• Silver: Jessica Williams, Learning and Development Manager, King’s Hawaiian Holding Company

PROVIDER AWARDS

EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS Award recognizes accredited academic learning institutions that have partnered with an organization in the past year to develop skills, competency or knowledge in a general employee population.

• Gold: INSEAD
• Silver: Penn State Executive Programs, Smeal College of Business, The Pennsylvania State University.

EXCELLENCE IN BLENDED LEARNING recognizes vendors that have deployed a variety of tools in support of a client’s learning program that delivers engaging learning combining multiple modalities.

• Gold: Intrepid Learning, Inc.
• Silver: Scitent
• Bronze: The Regis Company

EXCELLENCE IN CONTENT recognizes vendors that have created superior customized and/or off-the-shelf learning content.

• Gold: Invati Consulting
• Silver: Entelechy 
• Silver: Partners in Leadership
• Bronze: INSEAD

Entelechy has won this award for second year in a row.

EXCELLENCE IN E-LEARNING  recognizes vendors that have rolled out an innovative and effective e-learning program or suite for a client.

• Gold: GP Strategies
• Silver: GP Strategies
• Bronze: Aptara

EXCELLENCE IN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION award recognizes executive education providers that have delivered a targeted executive education program for a client that has delivered measurable results.

• Gold: The Regis Company

EXCELLENCE IN PARTNERSHIP recognizes vendors or consultants who have effectively supported a client’s learning and development function to set strategy or establish or implement a program via consulting or whole or partial outsources services.

• Gold: GP Strategies
• Silver: The Droste Group
• Bronze: Aptara

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION recognizes vendors that have rolled out an innovative learning technology for a client such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, apps, video, social collaboration tools or games and simulations.

• Gold: Intrepid Learning, Inc.
• Silver: Abilitie & Peak Seven Consulting
• Bronze: Degreed Inc.