Recognition and Awards

Wnet recognizes its members who demonstrate excellence in engaging, influencing and championing diversity throughout the payments industry and in their own companies. Wnet members nominate women who they believe personify the values recognized by each award. Winners are honored at the annual Wnet Leadership Summit and partner events throughout the year.

Award Categories and Criteria
Submission Guidelines
Past Award Winners

Award Categories and Criteria

Corporate Diversity Champion Award

The Wnet Diversity Champion Award is the payment industry’s award for recognizing leadership in the areas of inclusion, respect and diversity. Diversity must be part of the corporate culture, and that culture is created and reinforced daily by individual leaders. Therefore, Wnet offers two awards: The Corporate Diversity Champion Award and the Individual Diversity Champion Award. Wnet recognizes organizations and individuals through an ongoing process that includes nomination, application and evaluation. The award recognizes an achieved standard and is not a competition. Learn more about this corporate award.

Individual Diversity Champion Award

The Diversity Champion Award is presented to an individual, from a Wnet Corporate Sponsor, who has exemplified the spirit of diversity through contributions to her organization in the last year. This individual demonstrated leadership in expanding opportunities for women and advances diversity initiatives within her company.

Criteria

She is a Wnet member and her company is a Wnet sponsor
She actively participates in her company’s leadership development programs
She has been active in advocating and expanding opportunities for other women in her company
She has supported diversity initiatives within her company

Lean in to Lead Award

The Lean in to Lead Award is given to a Wnet member who has significantly stepped forward to take a leadership role to add ideas, expertise and support that directly supports one of Wnet’s strategic objectives.

Criteria

She is a Wnet member for more than one year
She serves on at least one Wnet committee and is present for at least 90% of committee calls
She attends at least one Wnet event during the year
She has stepped up to offer her expertise, going beyond the call of duty to provide support to other committee members and the Wnet staff and Board of Directors
She provides support with more than one of these strategic areas of Wnet member value: education events, networking events, mentoring, marketing/social media support, and website design/maintenance

Making Waves Award

The Making Waves Award is given to a Wnet member who has made an impact on the industry and demonstrates a commitment to furthering Wnet’s mission by exemplifying outstanding leadership and encouragement to other Wnet members.

Criteria

Wnet member for more than one year
Active participation in Wnet events
Showcases leadership skills in her career and as an active Wnet member
Has made an impact in the payments industry through speaking at events, participating on industry boards, etc.

Emerging Trendsetter Award

The Emerging Trendsetter Award celebrates a woman 40 years or younger who has a bright future in the payments industry. This individual showcases her commitment and energy to improving the industry.

Criteria

She is a Wnet member
She is 40 years old or younger
She demonstrates strong leadership potential
She has significantly contributed to industry improvements

LinkUp Event of the Year

(NEW for 2018) The Wnet LinkUp Event of the Year Award recognizes our Wnet Chapters and their efforts to provide great local networking events across the US and Canada.

Criteria

Showcases strong team leadership and teamwork
Includes talent and creativity
Attracts a large and diverse audience
Supports the mission of Wnet
Fosters learning and networking among payments professionals

The Game Changer Award

The Game Changer Award is given to a Wnet member who has, through strategic thinking, audacious goal-setting, outstanding leadership, commitment to implementation, and attention to the details…..moves mountains and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. In so doing, she moves Wnet forward to stand on new ground toward the realization of our mission and vision.

Criteria

Actively serves on the Wnet Board of Directors, Advisory Board, and/or a Committee leadership team
Strategically and tactically champions for least one initiative that supports Wnet’s mission
Leads efforts that significantly move Wnet forward to new levels of service to members, sponsors and the industry as a whole
Expands Wnet’s resources, both financial and relational
Represents Wnet at industry events and with the media
Works closely with other Wnet leaders and staff to ensure goals are set and met

Submission Guidelines

Would you like to be considered for a Wnet Award? Do you know a Wnet member who is deserving of an award?

Submission Guidelines:

Nominations for 2019 awards are now open. Submit a nomination
You may nominate yourself or a colleague
Nominations must include one to two paragraphs describing how the nominee has stood out during the past year in the nomination category. Be sure to include concrete examples of accomplishments
Submit only one nomination per category