2025 Controller of the Year Awards - Winners Announced
CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Winners of the 2025 Controller of the Year Awards have been selected after a nomination period and judging process that began in October 2025. The sixth annual program is produced by the Controllers Council, a member association and community focused on career development, training resources, research, and recognition.
Corporate Controllers and related titles that have Controller responsibilities including VPs, CFOs, Chief Accounting Officers, and related roles are eligible to enter. Applicants can self-nominate or be nominated by a colleague via a brief online survey that requests confidential and anonymous information on 2025 financial performance, work experience, volunteer or philanthropic activities, and educational background.
All nominations were screened by an algorithm and then judged by Controllers Council Board Advisors. The following Winners and Runners-Up are announced for 10 categories based on size and type, along with public or private classifications, where applicable.
Category/Classification | 2025 Winners | Company/Org | Title |
2025 National Controller of the Year | Renee Jewell | Airbnb | Controller |
Enterprise/Public/Winner | Jagdeep Saini | Ingredion Inc. | Financial Controller |
Enterprise/Private/Winner | Kathy Laux | ShipBob | VP Global Controller |
Enterprise/Private/Runner-Up | Yelena Popova | Armanino | Corporate Controller |
Enterprise/Private/Runner-Up | Ghemma Winkworth | Fortra | VP Corporate Controller |
Medium/Private/Winner | Shannon Cross | Altair Global | VP Corporate Controller |
Medium/Private/Runner-Up | Kelly Sharpin Hill | Coast Professional Inc. | Accounting Controller |
Small/Private/Winner | Clinton Laechlin | Fayez Sarofim & Co. | VP Finance |
Small/Private/Runner-Up | Michael Chernoff | Centerbase | Controller |
Small/Private/Runner-Up | William Kennedy | 4Front Credit Union | Controller |
Start-Up/Private/Winner | Nwokedi Mbanugo | TailScale | Corporate Controller |
Not-For-Profit/Large/Winner | Brian Jenkins | St. Louis Zoo | Director of Finance |
NFP/Medium/Winner | Samuel Pincich | Chicago Symphony Orchestra | Controller |
NFP/Medium/Runner-Up | Barbara Salazar | Unity Council | CFO & Controller |
"Controllers and corporate finance executives proved their importance in 2025, and the Controller of the Year Awards brings much deserved recognition to these hard-working individuals", states Neil Brown, Controllers Council Executive Director.
All winners will be notified by email and receive a frame-quality Certificate. The 2025 National Controller of the Year will receive a gold-plated and engraved statuette/trophy manufactured by the makers of the Oscar® Awards.
Applications and registration for the 2026 Controller of the Year Awards will begin in October of 2026 at the following link: https://controllerscouncil.org/recognition/
ABOUT Controllers Council
Controllers Council™ is a national member association, community and platform of more than 100,000 Controllers, CFOs, and corporate accounting and finance professionals focused on career development and training, best practice resources, networking, recognition and more. Programs include continuing professional education (CPE), a national Career Center, strategic research studies, webcasts with expert panelists on trending topics, articles and whitepapers. Controllers Council publishes the annual CFO/Controller Sentiment™ Study, the Corporate Finance & Accounting Talent Study, the CFO/Controller Financial Performance Index™ (FPI); and produces the annual Controller of the Year™ Awards, Meet the Controller™ Interview Series, the Controllers for a Cause™ AICPA Scholarship Fund, and the upcoming Controllership 2030™ - Predictions Panel and study.
For more information, visit www.ControllersCouncil.org, or call Executive Director Neil Brown at 630-710-4710.
SOURCE Controllers Council
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