Leadership Florida Awards

Thank you to our Awards Nomination Season sponsor!

"Choose Well"

The nomination window for the 2025 Awards Season opens on January 7, 2025. Winners will be announced at the Annual Meeting in June. See more information about each award and past recipients below. Click for FAQs.

Current Awards

The Chair's Award is presented by the Board Chair each year to a member or members for their unique contribution to the mission and vision of the organization. 

The Chair's Award Most Recent Recipients

2021 - Chris Hand, Bacardi Jackson, and Darnell Smith
2022 - Garrett Richter
2023 - Senator Kathleen Passidomo
2024 - Lila Jaber

On September 28, 2020, the Leadership Florida Board of Directors approved the Special Council Framework and Goals, which included the creation of this annual award to recognize organizations, which include at least one Leadership Florida member, who are doing outstanding work in equity, equality and justice.

The Florida Equity, Equality & Justice Influencer Award recognizes a business or nonprofit organization that has demonstrated leadership in Equity, Equality & Justice by changing their company, community, or Florida in two or more of the following areas: 

1. Boards and Senior Leadership Team
2. Pipeline Development, Supplier Development
3. Pay Decision Making
4. Justice in Housing/Education/Criminal Justice Systems
5. Philanthropy in Time/Talent/Treasure

*Nominated organizations must include at least one current Leadership Florida member who is employed by the organization.

The Florida Equity, Equality & Justice Influencer Award Recipients

2021 - Jacobs
2022 - YWCA South Florida
2023 - Bank of America
2024 - Moffitt Cancer Center

This award recognizes a Leadership Florida member who has used specific knowledge gained and/or relationships built through their Leadership Florida experiences to improve the lives of fellow Floridians and create "but for Leadership Florida" moments.  In addition to the honor itself, Leadership Florida will make a donation of $2,500 to the recipient's organization of choice, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

*Nominee must be a current Leadership Florida member who is active in the organization.

The "but for Leadership Florida" Award Recipients

2017 - Alex Sink
2018 - Mike Freed
2019 - Chris Hand & Lori Kifer Johnson
2020 - Nadine Smith
2021 - Sheriff Dennis Lemma
2022 - Sherry Hartnett
2023 - Keith James
2024 - Julia Woodward

The purpose of the Leadership Florida Distinguished Member Award is to recognize a Leadership Florida member whose continued leadership activities, outside of their professional responsibilities, have exemplified the highest standards of Leadership Florida and whose activities achieved results or set an example of statewide influence. 

*Nominee must be a current Leadership Florida member

Distinguished Member Award Recipients

In recognition of the impeccable standards that Governor LeRoy Collins set for leadership in our state, in 1991 the Lifetime Achievement Award was renamed in his honor.  The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual or couple who, like Governor Collins, has gone above and beyond by using their leadership abilities over a lifetime to improve the quality of life for all Florida citizens and its future generations.

*Nominees do not need to be a Leadership Florida member. If a non-member wins this award, they will become an Honorary Member of Leadership Florida.

LeRoy Collins Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

* indicates posthumously

The Florida Impact Award (previously Statewide Community Award) recognizes a business or nonprofit organization that has created a specific project or body of work whose impact is currently transforming the future of its Region or beyond and has the potential to transform Florida as a whole.

*Nominee does not need to be a Leadership Florida member

Florida Impact Award Recipients

2014 - Redlands Christian Migrant Association
2015 - The Village Square
2016 - The FLITE Center
2017 - Central Florida Partnership
2018 - JASMYN
2019 - Anna Maria Oyster Bar & Restaurant
2020 - K9s For Warriors
2021 - GLHomes
2022 - Hope Community Center, Inc.
2023 - 4R Foundation
2024 - The Immokalee Foundation

Statewide Community Award Recipients

Statewide Community Award Previous Recipients
1996 - Florida Humanities Council
1997 - Holland & Knight
1998 - Florida League of Cities
1999 - Not awarded
2000 - Not awarded
2001 - Constitutional Revision Committee
2002 - NCCJ
2003 - JM Family Enterprises
2004 - Not awarded
2005 - Associated Marine Institutes
2006 - Bank of America
2007 - Not Awarded
2008 - AutoNation
2009 - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida
2010 - Children's Home Society of Florida
2011 - Volunteer Florida
2012 - Publix Super Markets, Inc.
2013 - Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch