Awards and Recognition
CEO recognizes top student entrepreneurs, chapter presidents, faculty advisors and chapters each year with cash awards at the Global Conference. Explore past recipients and honorees including Steve Wozniak, Jeff Hoffman and Kevin Harrington.
CEO Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented to entrepreneurs whose careers represented decades of innovation, company building, and industry leadership. Recipients were invited to the CEO National Conference to share their story with student entrepreneurs and were inducted in recognition of the breadth and staying power of their work. This award was presented from 2003 through 2013 as part of the CEO Hall of Fame program.
Recipients
Year |
Honoree |
Company / Venture |
|
2013 |
Norm Brodsky |
Inc. Magazine, Black Gold Suites, Kobeyaki Restaurant Group |
|
2012 |
Brian Scudamore |
1-800-GOT-JUNK |
|
2011 |
Gene Landrum |
Chuck E. Cheese |
|
2010 |
Jeff Hoffman |
Priceline.com |
|
Michael DeLazzer |
Redbox |
|
|
2009 |
Alfredo Molina |
The Molina Group |
|
2008 |
Doris Christopher |
The Pampered Chef |
|
Robert Kiyosaki |
Rich Dad Poor Dad |
|
|
2007 |
Edward and Bettiann Gardner |
Soft Sheen Products |
|
Peter Thomas |
LifePilot |
|
|
2006 |
Helen Greiner |
iRobot |
|
Patrick Byrne |
Overstock.com |
|
|
2005 |
Steve Wozniak |
Apple Computer |
CEO Hall of Fame Award
Presented to entrepreneurs whose careers represented decades of innovation, company building, and industry leadership. Recipients were invited to the CEO National Conference to share their story with student entrepreneurs and were inducted in recognition of the breadth and staying power of their work. This award was presented from 2003 through 2013 as part of the CEO Hall of Fame program.
Recipients
Year |
Honoree |
Company / Venture |
|
2021 |
Reuben Pressman |
Presence |
|
2019 |
Kyle Taylor |
The Penny Hoarder |
|
2017 |
Craig Dubitsky |
Hello Products, eos, Method |
|
2016 |
Dr. Gene Landrum |
Chuck E. Cheese |
|
|
Michael DeLazzer |
Redbox |
|
2015 |
Craig Culver |
Culvers |
|
|
Henry and Tom Bloch |
H&R Block |
|
2014 |
Kevin Harrington |
As Seen on TV |
|
2013 |
Chris Heivly |
The Startup Factory, MapQuest |
|
2007 |
Kenneth Hendricks |
American Builders and Contractors Supply Co. |
|
|
Ron Rubin |
The Republic of Tea |
|
2003 |
Michael Ferro |
Click Commerce, Inc. |
|
2001 |
Myra Hart |
Staples |
|
|
William Saito |
I/O Software, Inc. |
|
Circa 2001 |
Bill Porter |
E-Trade |
|
|
Earl Graves |
Black Enterprise Magazine |
|
|
Gordon Segal |
Crate and Barrel |
|
|
Herb Kelleher |
Southwest Airlines |
|
|
Rhonda Kallman |
Boston Beer Co. (Samuel Adams) |
|
|
Yossi Vardi |
ICQ |
CEO Collegiate Entrepreneur of the Year
Presented to a CEO alumnus who attended a CEO conference as a student within the past ten years and has since gone on to launch something that matters. This is an early signal, not a lifetime achievement. Each year, this award recognizes someone in their first decade after college who is already doing the kind of work that defines what the CEO network produces.
The CEO Young Alumni Award is introduced at the 2026 conference. Its historical predecessor, the Alumni Hall of Fame distinction, was presented once within the CEO Hall of Fame program.
Recipients
Year |
Honoree |
University |
Company / Venture |
|
2025 |
Dillon Rosenthal |
Florida Gulf Coast University |
BounceBack Pickle |
|
2024 |
Not awarded |
|
|
|
2023 |
Kinser Madison |
South Dakota State University |
Wildman Outdoors |
|
2022 |
Yahmir Muhammad |
Jackson State University |
|
|
2021 |
Suryanuj Gupta |
University of Delaware |
Backyard Gig |
CEO Chapter President of the Year
Presented to the chapter president who led with purpose, grew their chapter, and left it better than they found it. This award was previously called the Outstanding CEO Chapter Leader Award through 2023.
Recipients
Year |
Honoree |
University |
|
2025 |
Roz Burgess |
East Carolina University |
|
2024 |
Skye Shapiro-Simmons |
Stetson University |
|
2023 |
Giancarlo Dandria |
University of Tampa |
|
|
Cherie Higgs (Runner-Up) |
Chico State |
|
2022 |
Payton Cranford |
Texas Christian University |
|
|
Bogdan Carp (Runner-Up) |
Baruch College |
|
2021 |
Jacob Woolf |
University of Central Florida |
|
|
Ibrahim Shoukat (Runner-Up) |
Middle East College |
James H. Hunter Chapter Advisor of the Year
Recognized the faculty or staff advisor whose consistent support helped their chapter grow and thrive during the academic year. In 2024, this award was permanently renamed the James H. Hunter Chapter Advisor of the Year Award in honor of Jim Hunter's decades of service at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Recipients
Year |
Honoree |
University |
|
2025 |
Daniel James Scott |
Stetson University |
|
2024 |
James H. Hunter |
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee |
|
2023 |
Dianne Welsh |
University of North Carolina, Greensboro |
|
|
Marlene Leekang (Runner-Up) |
Baruch College |
|
2022 |
Derek Abrams |
University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley |
|
|
Randy Frye (Runner-Up) |
Saint Francis University |
|
2021 |
Lou Paris |
Stetson University |
|
|
James H. Hunter (Runner-Up) |
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee |
CEO Global Chapter of the Year
Presented to the CEO chapter that delivered the strongest overall entrepreneurship experience for its members during the academic year. Programming, membership, community, and outcomes all count. Finalists present at the conference.
Recipients
Year |
University |
|
2025 |
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley |
|
2024 |
CUNY Baruch |
|
2023 |
Bryant University |
|
2022 |
University of Nebraska Omaha |
|
2021 |
Texas State University |
The following awards were presented through the 2024 conference and are no longer offered beginning in 2026. Their full history of recipients is preserved here.
Outstanding Marketing and Social Media Award
Presented 2021–2024. Recognized CEO chapters for exceptional marketing and social media efforts that elevated the brand and grew membership.
Recipients
Year |
University |
|
2024 |
University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley |
|
2023 |
Iona University |
|
|
Baruch College (Runner-Up) |
|
2022 |
Bryant University |
|
|
Iona University (Runner-Up) |
|
2021 |
University of North Carolina, Greensboro |
|
|
University of Nebraska, Omaha (Runner-Up) |
Best Cross Campus Innovation and Networking Award
Presented 2021–2024. Recognized chapters that expanded beyond the college of business and built meaningful connections across disciplines and programs.
Recipients
Year |
University |
|
2024 |
University of North Carolina at Greensboro |
|
2023 |
Baruch College |
|
|
Bryant University (Runner-Up) |
|
2022 |
Chico State & Woodbury University |
|
|
Middle East College (Runner-Up) |
|
2021 |
University of Tampa |
|
|
Bryant University (Runner-Up) |
Outstanding Chapter Revenue Generating Initiative
Presented 2021–2024. Recognized chapters that launched a business, fundraiser, or revenue initiative to fund their programming and operations.
Recipients
Year |
University |
|
2024 |
Iona University |
|
2023 |
University of Northern Colorado |
|
|
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Runner-Up) |
|
2022 |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
|
|
West Chester University (Runner-Up) |
|
2021 |
Abilene Christian University |
|
|
Canisius College (Runner-Up) |
|
|
University of Nebraska Omaha (Runner-Up) |