Nominate an HR Leader Making a Difference in the Carolinas
The Carolina HR Summit & Awards, hosted by Search Solution Group and Business North Carolina, celebrates the HR professionals making a difference across the Carolinas.
Whether they're leading people strategy, supporting employees behind the scenes, driving organizational growth, building strong workplace cultures, or helping their company navigate change, HR professionals play a critical role in every organization's success.
Ten HR professionals will be selected to receive the 2026 Carolina HR Standout Award and will be recognized live at the Carolina HR Summit & Awards on October 19, 2026.
Recipients are chosen by the Carolina HR Summit & Awards committee based on the information provided in their nomination. Nominations are free and open to the public!
Nominations will close on Monday, September 21st, 2026.
2026 Nomination Criteria
Who Can Be Nominated?
Any HR professional working in North Carolina or South Carolina may be nominated!
This includes, but is not limited to: Chief Human Resources Officers, Vice Presidents of Human Resources, HR Directors, HR Managers, HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition Professionals, Compensation & Benefits Leaders, Learning & Development Professionals, HR Generalists, and Emerging HR Leaders, etc.
What Makes a Strong Nomination?
There is no single formula for being selected as a Carolina HR Standout Award recipient. The strongest nominations clearly explain why the individual stands out and the impact they have made on their organization, employees, team, or community.
When submitting a nomination, consider sharing:
• Specific accomplishments or initiatives they have led
• The impact they have had on employees or the organization
• Examples of leadership, innovation, or problem-solving
• Why they are respected by colleagues and peers
• What makes their story unique
Simple Nomination Process
Submitting a nomination is easy. The only required information is:
• Nominee's Name
• Company
• Job Title
• LinkedIn Profile
You'll also have the option to share why you're nominating them. While not required, additional context can help our selection committee better understand their contributions and impact.
Tell Their Story (Optional)
If you'd like, you can share what makes this HR professional stand out.
Examples include: Notable accomplishments or initiatives, their impact on employees or the organization, leadership, innovation, or problem-solving, why they are respected by colleagues, anything else that makes them deserving of recognition.
Don't worry if you don't know all the details. Our team will review each nominee's background and connect with selected finalists to learn more about their story before recipients are announced.