2018 Judges

• Dennis Paalman - Co-Lead Judge
  Global Head of Reward, Philips Lighting
• Thomas J. Paleka - Co-Lead Judge
  Vice President, Global Total Rewards, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
• Dr. Joseph R. Blasi
  Director of the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing; J. Robert Beyster Professor; School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University
  
• Paul Greene
  Managing Director, Credit Suisse
  
• Karen E. Needham
  Principal Consultant, Oyster Pond Associates
  
• Tonya L. Roth
  Vice President, International Compensation, Benefits & Mobility, Discovery
  
• Pat Sims
  Global Employee Share Plans Consultant, PJS Consultancy Services
  

The Judges' Award 2018

• Edward D. Burmeister

Best in Financial Education

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  Eastman Chemical Company
  

Best Plan Communication

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  South32 Limited
  
• Between 100,000 and 200,000 Employees.
  Bank of America Merrill Lynch
  
• Over 200,000 Employees.
  HSBC Holdings plc
  
• Over 200,000 Employees.
  Lenovo Group Ltd.
  

Most Innovative and Creative Plan
Design

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  Cimpress, N.V.
• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Standard Bank
• Over 200,000 Employees.
  Siemens AG

Best Use of a Share Plan in a Private Company

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  BrewDog
  

Best Use of a Share Plan in an Emerging Market

• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  BAE Systems plc
  

Best Use of Technology

• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  UBS AG
• Between 100,000 and 200,000 Employees.
  Novartis International AG
  
• Over 200,000 Employees.
  Walmart Inc.
  

Best Use of Employee Share Plans in a Corporate Action

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  Janus Henderson
• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  TUI Group

Best Use of Video Communication

• Between 100,000 and 200,000 Employees.
  Telefónica
• Over 200,000 Employees.
  Starbucks Coffee Company

Most Creative Solution

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  The Sage Group plc
• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  SAP

Best Plan Effectiveness

• Up to 20,000 Employees.
  CSL Limited
  
• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Bilfinger SE
  
• Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Essilor International S.A.
  

Pioneer Award

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Phil Ainsley
  

GEO Stars

• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Australia
• CHAPTER LEADERSHIP TEAM OF THE YEAR
  Texas
  
• NEW CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Greater China
• OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR CHAPTER FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
  Northern California Region
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  IPSA ESOD17 Team
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Tag der Teilhabe Team
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Jim Haslam
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Sophie Kontny
  

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Award are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2017 Judges

• Dennis Paalman
  Global Head of Reward, Philips Lighting
• Giovanni Lanati
  Head of Group Reward, Generali
• Joanna Mak
  Senior Manager, Share Plans, Brambles
  
• Thomas J. Paleka
  Vice President, Global Compensation, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
  
• Pat Sims
  Global Employee Share Plans Consultant, PJ Sims Consultancy, United Kingdom
  
• Sally H. VanZandt
  Senior Director, Executive Compensation and Mobility, McCormick & Company
  
• Dr. Killian Wawoe
  Assistant Professor in Human Resources Management, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  

Special Recognition

• Carine Schneider
  GEO Chair
  

Best in Financial Education

• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  Aviva plc
  

Best Plan Communication

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Discovery Communications
  
• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  Rio Tinto
  
• Over 90,000 Employees.
  Ahold Delhaize
  

Most Innovative and Creative Plan
Design

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  GAM Holding AG
• Over 90,000 Employees.
  Infosys

Best Use of a Share Plan in a Private Company

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Spotify AB
  

Best Use of a Share Plan in an Emerging Market

• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  Nokia
  
• Over 90,000 Employees.
  Telefónica
  

Best Use of Technology

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Origin Energy Limited
• Over 90,000 Employees.
  Royal Dutch Shell plc
  

Best Use of Employee Share Plans in a Corporate Action

• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  BHP Billiton
• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.

Best Use of Video Communication

• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  adidas Group
• Over 90,000 Employees.
  Fresenius Medical Care

Most Creative Solution

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Barrick Gold Corporation
• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  Google, Inc.

Best Plan Effectiveness

• Between 25,000 and 90,000 Employees.
  SAP
  

Pioneer Award

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Debbie Tsoi-A-Sue
  

GEO Stars

• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Texas
• CHAPTER LEADERSHIP TEAM OF THE YEAR
  Northern California
  
• CHAPTER EXCEPTIONAL MERIT FOR ALLIANCE DEVELOPMENT
  DACH
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Paul Arens
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Joan Bloom
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  June Anne Burke
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Shaun Cartoon
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Bettina Gohm
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Don-Tobias Jol
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Carrie Kovac
  

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Award are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2016 Judges

• Dennis Paalman
  Global Head of Reward, Philips Lighting
• Dr. Joseph R. Blasi
  Distinguished Professor and J. Robert Beyster Professor, School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University
• Robert Head
  Reward Director
  
• Ward R. Kraemer
  SVP Total Rewards, Ahold USA, Inc.
• Thomas J. Paleka
  Vice President, Global Compensation, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
• Sally H. VanZandt
  Senior Director, Executive Compensation and Mobility, McCormick & Company

The Judges' Award 2016

• Dr. Richard Freeman
• Patricia Kelso in memory of Louis O. Kelso

Best in Financial Education

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Google, Inc.
  

Best Plan Communication

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Brambles Limited
  
• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  eBay, Inc.
  
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Unilever
  

Most Innovative and Creative Plan
Design

• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  SAP SE
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Comcast

Best Use of a Share Plan in a Private Company

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  DAI
  
• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Skycanner
  

Best Use of a Share Plan in an Emerging Market

• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
  
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Unilever
  

Best Use of Technology

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Amazon
  

Best Use of Employee Share Plans in a Corporate Action

• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Nokia
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Novartis International AG

Best Use of Video Communication

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Spin Master
• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc.
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Starbucks Coffee Company

Most Creative Solution

• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  DS Smith
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Veolia Environment

Best Plan Effectiveness

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Computershare
  
• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Bank of Nova Scotia
  
• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Siemens AG
  

Pioneer Award

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Juan Bonilla
  

GEO Stars

• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  United Kingdom
  and Channel Islands
• CHAPTER LEADERSHIP TEAM OF THE YEAR
  Northern California
  
• NEW CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Swiss Romandie
  
• NEW CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Texas
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Bodo Bender
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Sarah Bernhardt
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Rosalie Borzumato
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Fiona Hodgson, Baroness Hodgson of Abinger CBE
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Adie Leung
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Nora McCord
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Ben Needham
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Jewon Wee
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Fabienne Willi

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Award are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2015 Judges

• Peter Newhouse
  Global Head of Rewards, Unilever
• Bettina Gohm
  Vice President Executive Compensation & Benefits, Siemens AG
• Giovanni Lanati
  Head of Group Reward, Generali
  
• Dennis Paalman
  Global Head Compensation & Benefits, Royal Ahold
  

The Judges' Award 2015

• Nigel Mason

Best in Financial Education

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  UnitedHealth Group
  
• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Danaher Corporation
  

Best Plan Communication

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Bank of America Corporation
  
• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Evonik
  
• Under 25,000 Employees.
  KION Group
  

Best Plan Effectiveness

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Veolia Environment
  
• Under 25,000 Employees.
  DS Smith
  

Best Use of a Share Plan in an
Emerging Market

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  EVRAZ plc
  
• Under 25,000 Employees.
  International Personal Finance plc
  

Best Use of Employee Share
Plans in a Corporate Action

• Over 100,000 Employees.
  Vodafone
  
• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Kimberly-Clark Corporation
  

Best Use of Technology

• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Eli Lilly & Company
  

Best Use of Video Communication

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Fletcher Building Limited

Most Creative Solution

• Between 25,000 and 100,000 Employees.
  Standard Bank
  
• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Criteo SA
  

Most Innovative and Creative Plan Design

• Under 25,000 Employees.
  Prudential plc

Pioneer Awards

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Nicholas Greenacre
  

GEO Stars

• RE-EMERGING CHAPTER
  OF THE YEAR
  Toronto
  
• DEVELOPING CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Spain
  
• OUTSTANDING CHAPTER LEADER
  OF THE YEAR
  Sheila Frierson, Southern California
  
• CHAPTER LEADERSHIP
  TEAM OF THE YEAR
  Northern California
  
• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Netherlands
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Sophie Altaf
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Hannah Cahill
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Victoria Gan
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Stephanie Greenwald
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Nathalie Hellio
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Marc Muntermann
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Pat Sims
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Sami Toutounji

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Awards are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2014 Judges

• Peter Newhouse
  Global Head of Rewards, Unilever
• Dennis Paalman
  Global Head Compensation & Benefits, Royal Ahold
  
• James Stoudt
  Vice President Global Compensation Services, GlaxoSmithKline
• Jean Wong
  Director, Stock Plan Services, Gilead Sciences
  

The Judges' Award 2014

• Mary Ann Beyster
  

Best Use of Technology

• Over 125,000 Employees.
  General Electric
• Between 75,000 and 125,000 Employees.
  Amazon.com Inc.
  

Best in Financial Education

• Between 25,000 and 75,000 Employees.
  Baker Hughes
  
• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Riverbed Technology, Inc.

Best Use of Video Communications

• Rio Tinto

Best Use of an Employer Share
Plan in a Corporate Action

• Between 75,000 and 125,000 Employees.
  Nokia
  
• Between 10,000 and 25,000 Employees.
  Merlin Entertainments plc
  

Most Creative Solutions

• Between 10,000 and 25,000 Employees.
  Technicolor
• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Kofax Limited
  

Most Innovative and Creative
Plan Design

• Between 75,000 and 125,000 Employees.
  Royal Dutch Shell plc
  
• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Kinross Gold Corporation

Best Plan Communication

• Over 125,000 Employees.
  Siemens AG
  
• Between 25,000 and 75,000 Employees.
  Rio Tinto
  
• Between 10,000 and 25,000 Employees.
  Pearson plc
  

Best Plan Effectiveness

• Between 25,000 and 75,000 Employees.
  State Street Corporation
• Between 10,000 and 25,000 Employees.
  Amadeus IT Holding, S.A.

Pioneer Awards

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Maoiliosa O’Culachain
  

GEO Stars

• NEW CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Southern California
  
• REEMERGING CHAPTER
  OF THE YEAR
  Australia Region
  
• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  New York City
  
• CHAPTER LEADERSHIP
  TEAM OF THE YEAR
  United Kingdom and Channel Islands
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Marleen Elias
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Mike Evans
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Jennifer George
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Don-Tobias Jol
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Richard Morales
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Carla Rupp
  

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Awards are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2013 Judges

• Ralph Beidelman
  Vice President of Total Rewards, Discovery Communications
• Philip Hessen
  Global Head for Total Rewards and the Executive HR department, OSRAM
• Helen Jackson
  Executive Reward Director, Diageo
• Dennis Paalman
  SVP Compensation & Benefits, Royal Ahold

The Judges' Award 2013

• Facebook, Inc.

Best Use of Technology

• Between10,000 and 50,000 Employees.
  Google, Inc.
• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Synopsys, Inc.

Best Use of Video Communications

• Red Hat, Inc.
• COMMENDATION
  Invesco Ltd.

Best in Financial Education

• GlaxoSmithKline plc

Most Creative Solutions

• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Gilead Sciences, Inc.
• Over 50,000 Employees.
  Bilfinger SE

Most Innovative and Creative Plan Design

• Pfizer, Inc.

Best Plan Effectiveness

• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Edwards Group Limited
• Between 10,000 and 50,000 Employees.
  Smith & Nephew plc
• COMMENDATION
  Outotec Oyi

Best Plan Communication

• Between 10,000 and 50,000 Employees.
  Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Under 10,000 Employees.
  Henderson Global Investors Limited
• Over 50,000 Employees.
  GlaxoSmithKline plc

Pioneer Awards

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Lindsey Doud
  

GEO Stars

• NEW CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Nordic
• EMERGING CHAPTER
  OF THE YEAR
  Toronto
• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  DACH
• OUTSTANDING
  LEADERSHIP TEAM
  Northern California
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Jennifer Lopez
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Team hkp/// group
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Team Siemens
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Sophie Altaf
  
• OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF GEO
  Beatrice Hackett
  

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Awards are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2012 Judges

• Maurice Fenton
  Vice President for HR Policy, Process and Systems, Shell International
• Maliya Price
  VTB Bank, Interim Reward Director
• Bettina Gohm
  Vice President Executive Compensation & Benefits, Siemens AG, DE
• Ward Kraemer
  Senior Vice President of Total Rewards, Ahold USA, Inc.
• Frederic Barge
  Independent Consultant

The Judges' Awards 2012

• Brad Anderson
  Best Buy Inc.

Best Use of Technology

• Mobility Solution
  Google Inc.
• Employee Facing and Back Office Solutions
  Vodafone Group
  Services Ltd.
• COMMENDATION
  Coty Inc.

Best in Financial Education

• Abbott Laboratories

Best Plan Effectiveness

• With less than 30,000 employees.
  Gamesa
• With more than 30,000 employees.
  Skanska

Best Plan Communications

• Vodafone Group
  Services Ltd.
• COMMENDATION
  Discovery Communications

Most Innovative
and Creative Plan Design

• BSkyB Inc.

Best Outcome for Employees Share Plans in a Corporate Action

• bwin.party

Pioneer Awards

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  John Bagdonas , CEP
  Global Shares (US)

GEO Stars

• NEW CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Washington, D.C.
• EMERGING CHAPTER
  OF THE YEAR
  Milan, Italy
• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Northern California, US
  (San Francisco & Silicon Valley Chapter
• OUTSTANDING
  LEADERSHIP TEAM
  Boston, US
• GEO STAR
  Bernice Toy
• GEO STAR
  David Geake
• GEO STAR
  Michele Holly
  
  

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Awards are awarded by the GEO board and staff.

2011 Judges

• Dennis Paalman,
  Global Head of Compensation & Benefits, Royal Ahold (NL)
• Maurice Fenton,
  Head of HR Policy, Shell International (UK)
• Dr. Joseph Blasi,
  George Beyster Professor of Employee Ownership, Rutgers University (US)

The Judges' Awards 2011

• Siemens
  

Best Use of Technology

• ConocoPhillips
  MOBILITY SOLUTIONS
• Microsoft
  BACK OFFICE SOLUTIONS
• Telefonica
  EMPLOYEE FACING SOLUTIONS

Best in Financial Education

• Intel

Best Plan Effectiveness

• BT

Best Plan Communications

• UniCredit
• COMMENDATION
  eBay Inc.

Most Innovative
and Creative Plan Design

• For Farmers Group
  Companies with more that
  5,000 employees
• ING Investment Management Group
  Companies with less that
  5,000 employees

Best Outcome for Employees Share Plans in a Corporate Action

• AON Hewitt
• COMMENDATION
  Norwegian Air Shuttle

Pioneer Awards

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
  IN SUPPORT OF GEO
  Janet Cooper
  Linklaters (UK)

GEO Stars

• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO GEO IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY
  Hilary Williams
  E*TRADE Corporate
  Services (US)
• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO GEO IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY
  Dennis Paalman
  Royal Ahold (NL)
• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO GEO IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY
  Paul Jackson
  Howells Consultancy
• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO GEO IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY
  DACH Chapter Leadership Team
• CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  Franc
• EMERGING CHAPTER OF THE YEAR
  New York, US

* The GEO Stars and Pioneer Awards are awarded by the GEO board and staff.