Chief Executive HR Champion Award

Sponsored by Segal

Congratulations to our 2026 Chief Executive HR Champion Award recipient, Dr. W. Kent Fuchs!

This award honors the president or chancellor of a higher education institution or system who has demonstrated significant support for the institution’s HR function. This can be in the form of sustained support over a period of time or support and backing of a single large effort or initiative. Through the generous support of Segal, CUPA-HR will make an $8,000 contribution to the recipient’s institution.

Criteria

Sustained and continued support of a college or university’s HR function/organization/initiatives by an institution or system president or chancellor;
Demonstrated innovation by an institution or system president or chancellor in creating a university culture that supports teamwork, collaboration, creativity and enthusiasm in all segments of the university community, with special emphasis on faculty and staff;
Significant contributions by an institution or system president or chancellor to the leadership development of faculty and staff at all levels;
Nominee’s institution is a member of CUPA-HR.

Eligibility Note: Individuals who are employed by the association, individuals who serve on the CUPA-HR national board of directors, and the institutions of those directors are not eligible to be nominated or selected for awards during their terms of service.

2026 Chief Executive HR Champion Award

Dr. W. Kent Fuchs, President Emeritus of the University of Florida, has received CUPA-HR’s 2026 Chief Executive HR Champion Award.

Nomination Guide

Use this guide to draft your nomination submission prior to entering the information in the online form. Once you have started a nomination, you can return to it at any time before the nomination submission deadline by going to the My Award Nominations page in your CUPA-HR account (please note, however, that the form cannot be saved mid-page). You can also edit a submitted nomination before the nomination submission deadline. Spelling/grammar checks are not available in the online form.

Nomination Guide Go to “My Award Nominations”

Past Recipients of the Chief Executive HR Champion Award

2025 – Philomena Mantella, Grand Valley State University
2024 – Guy Bailey, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
2023 – Nariman Farvardin, Stevens Institute of Technology
2022 – Rebecca Bergman, Gustavus Adolphus College
2021 – Daniele Struppa, President, Chapman University
2020 – Dr. Michael Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Health System
2019 – Dr. Bassam M. Deeb, President of Trocaire College
2018 – Jacqueline Moloney, Chancellor of University of Massachusetts Lowell
2017 – Dr. John M. Beehler, President of Jacksonville State University
2016 – Dr. Carine Feyten, President and Chancellor at Texas Woman’s University

Higher Education HR Awards