ACMP names 2026 Global Change Excellence Award winners

The Association of Change Management Professionals announced five winners of its 2026 Global Change Excellence Awards, spotlighting individual and organizational work in change management. The program underscores how the field is being used to drive business results, community impact and organizational capability worldwide.

Why it matters: - The awards highlight how change management is being used to deliver measurable results across organizations and communities. - ACMP is using the program to showcase the profession’s value as it grows its global community and influence. - The 2026 nominations came from 11 countries, underscoring the international reach of the awards.

What happened: - The Association of Change Management Professionals announced five recipients of the 2026 ACMP Global Change Excellence Awards. - The announcement capped a weeklong celebration of achievement in change management. - The winners are William "Wagz" Wagner, First Ukrainian International Bank, The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, April Callis-Birchmeier and Troy Edelen. - ACMP released the winners individually on LinkedIn from Sept. 14-18 through video presentations featuring CEO Deshini Newman and Board President Rich Batchelor, with acceptance remarks from each recipient.

The details: - The awards are in their second year. - ACMP says the program is method-agnostic and recognizes excellence regardless of the change management approach used. - Nominations represented Australia, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. - The categories were ACMP Volunteer of the Year, Change for Good Award, Change Management Organization of the Year, Trailblazer in Change Management Award and Best Change Campaign Award. - The awards review process was led by ACMP’s Awards Review Task Force, made up of certified change management professionals. - Reviewers evaluated leadership and vision, people and stakeholder engagement, innovation, and demonstrated results and impact. - Deshini Newman said the awards help ACMP recognize what excellence in change management looks like in practice and show the value the profession brings to organizations and communities. - Rich Batchelor said the awards put behind-the-scenes change work in the spotlight and show the range of the profession from volunteer service to social impact and major change initiatives. - ACMP encouraged change professionals to begin considering nominations for the 2027 awards. - More information about the awards is available here.

Between the lines: - The mix of winners suggests ACMP is trying to define excellence broadly, not just by methodology or corporate scale. - The international nominations and public LinkedIn rollout point to a stronger effort to turn awards into community-building and brand visibility. - The emphasis on impact, capability and engagement shows ACMP wants the awards to reinforce change management as a business discipline, not just a support function.

What's next: - ACMP plans to continue growing the awards program. - Nominations for the 2027 ACMP Global Change Excellence Awards will open later. - Change professionals are expected to start identifying potential nominees now.

The bottom line: - ACMP is using its awards program to elevate change management talent, broaden recognition across countries and strengthen the profession’s profile.