Celebrating HR Professionals as Business Leaders

I spend a lot of time with executives who want stronger, more predictable business results. They often start with the usual drivers. Cost of goods sold. Market share. Sales. Pricing. Supply chain. Competition. The familiar CFO list.

Those factors matter. But when I sit with veteran CEOs whose track records speak for themselves, they tell a different story. When the team at the top is not aligned, everything suffers. Business performance rises or falls on people. Teams. Culture. Leaders whose roles match their gifts and passions. The work that lives inside HR.

Shawn Moren from Gartner captured it well. “Years ago people said HR had the keys to the bus. After Covid and the shift toward employee wellness, engagement and flexible work, the CHRO is driving the bus.” The role shapes strategy as much as any financial leader.

The HR Thrive Awards

Gulsah Mattson, Area President at Gallagher, noticed this change early. She asked a simple question. We celebrate CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CMOs and even board leaders. Why not HR? Her energy helped spark the HR THRIVE Awards. The program lifts up HR leaders who influence business performance at the same level as other members of the executive team.

On Wednesday afternoon, May 6, 2026, more than 250 business leaders will gather at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom in Minneapolis. The Good Leadership team is hosting the inaugural HR THRIVE Awards with Presenting Partner, Gallagher, and Media Partner, Twin Cities Business. The goal is clear: celebrate HR leaders in four categories.

• NextGen HR Leaders Honorees
• HR Innovator Award
• Empower HR Award
• Good Leadership Award

Shawn Moren will serve as the emcee. A special thank you to the judging committee of chair Jim Horn, CHRO at Ulteig, Lorri Anderson, Founder of HX Coaching and Consulting, and Christa Landers, SVP, Talent and Strategy at Northern Trust Wealth Management.

The response from the HR community has been strong. Leaders want to honor their colleagues who shape culture, execution, and accountability every day.

Why this matters

When HR leaders influence strategy, the organization benefits. I see this in my work every week – when HR is involved in the business discussions:

• Teams gain clarity on roles and expectations
• Leaders work together to create healthy accountability
• Employees feel energy and optimism
• Business results get better, faster, and easier

The HR THRIVE Awards are more than recognition. They are proof that HR leadership is business leadership.

Please join Gallagher, Twin Cities Business, and Good Leadership is celebrating at the HR THRIVE award ceremony: Wednesday afternoon, May 6, 2026. To be in the room, inquire here.