IR Magazine Awards – US
Celebration of IR Excellence

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Cipriani 25 Broadway, New York, NY

Book Your Seats

About the awards

Over 350 people will be in attendance at the IR Magazine Awards – US on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 in New York. This very special event honors excellence in the investor relations profession, and will be held at Cipriani, 25 Broadway.

Since the annual event first launched in 1996, tens of thousands of analysts and investors have voted in the surveys behind the awards. The result: vital benchmarking information on which companies do the best IR.

Over the last two decades the awards program has expanded to recognize more aspects of investor relations, particularly the contributions of senior management, as well as to identify the best IR by sector. In addition, the research now covers the perspective of winning companies in addition to the views of analysts and investors.

We present two types of award categories – researched and nominated – both celebrating the success of those individuals and companies that are leading the way in IR across the US. For our researched categories, companies do not submit nominations. Instead, hundreds of analysts and investors cast their votes and give their opinions on which companies do the best IR in the US.

In our nominated categories, companies will have the opportunity to nominate themselves or other publicly listed companies, free of charge, for aspects of IR that complement our researched categories. More information on the categories and how winners are chosen can be found below.

Awards by research

Our awards-by-research nominees are determined by the input of hundreds of analysts and portfolio managers, who give their opinions on which companies provide them with the best IR service in the US.

For inquiries about the research process and timeline, please contact [email protected].
Please note that the categories below are subject to change depending on the research results.

View the entire list of 2019 winners and nominees here

Researched Categories
How winners are chosen

Best overall investor relations (small cap)

Best overall investor relations (mid-cap)

Best overall investor relations (large cap)

Best investor relations officer (small to mid-cap)

Best investor relations officer (large cap)

Best IR by a senior management team (small to mid-cap)

Best IR by a senior management team (large cap)

Best financial reporting

Best use of technology for IR

Best IR by a non-US company in the US market

Best in sector: communications

Best in sector: consumer discretionary

Best in sector: consumer staples

Best in sector: energy

Best in sector: financials

Best in sector: healthcare

Best in sector: industrials

Best in sector: materials

Best in sector: real estate

Best in sector: technology

Best in sector: utilities

Click here to view 2019 winners and nominees!

The first thing to explain is that our awards are different from most others: for our awards by research, companies do not submit nominations. The winners are identified by in-depth research and any publicly traded company is eligible to be considered. This survey is the only one of its kind to go directly to the investment community, via a combination of an electronic survey and one-to-one telephone interviews, canvassing the opinions of the people who matter to you most.

July 2019: Sample selection

IR Magazine has been building investment community databases over the past 30 years. As part of the updating process, listed companies are contacted every year for details of the professionals who currently cover their stock. These details are combined with Ipreo’s list of US investment community contacts to produce a total of around 50,000 investors and analysts.

September 2019: Electronic survey

IR Magazine then conducts an electronic survey of buy-side and sell-side analysts and portfolio managers. The electronic survey typically receives 200 individual responses from the investment community. These responses then go to Mary Maude Research for initial analysis. The research firm determines what will constitute a representative sample, weighted for industry sector.

September – November 2019: Telephone survey

The telephone survey then gets under way. The researchers conduct in-depth interviews with an additional 250 portfolio managers and analysts across the US. Many of them participate in the study year after year, but there is always a healthy proportion of new respondents each year as well. As the research progresses, the sample is adjusted to ensure appropriate weightings are maintained.

Results analysis

Once the survey stage of the research is completed, the final analysis is undertaken. The companies with the highest scores make the short lists for the awards categories, and the points are further analyzed to identify the best exponents of IR by sector. The independence of our research is crucial to the integrity of the whole awards program, so IR Magazine sees the results only once the research is complete. This ensures a transparent, independent set of results that IROs can trust as a valuable benchmarking tool.

December 2019: Short list compiled

IR Magazine receives the results in December and contacts the short-listed companies to give them the good news. The short list is then published to the entire IR community the month before the event.

March 25, 2020: Winners announced

And finally… on the night of the awards, the winners are announced and receive their trophies at a black-tie gala dinner in New York.

Coming soon: Report published

Shortly after the awards, the Investor Perception Study – US 2020 report is published and made available to IR Magazine subscribers.

What attendees say

"Beautiful Venue"

The AES Corporation

"Always excellent format and venue. LOVED the elementary school drum line!"

DFIN

"Great networking with the best of the best"

Blackbaud

"Amazing award show. Organized and executed very professionally and a lot of fun to attend."

Ally Financial

"IR Magazine always puts on an excellent event. I look forward to attending each year. I really appreciated the opportunity to submit a self nomination and liked the addition of a judging panel. I believe there are a lot of companies doing great IR that don't get named in the other categories. You do a great job. Keep it up!"

Zillow Group, Inc.

"Overall it is a great evening and very well organized."

Chubb Limited

"Charming and quick - especially given the number of awards, IR Magazine are doing great!"

GBIR

"This is a great networking event that's also a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it."

Ubiquiti Networks

"Great opportunity for networking in an amazing place and with an unexpected very entertaining gala."

Enel

"IR Magazine pulled off a great event, as every year"

JP Morgan Chase

Awards by Nomination

For our awards-by-nomination categories, individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries, free of charge, to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of investment professionals and IR Magazine editorial members.

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED

View the entire list of 2019 winners and nominees here

Nominated categories
How winners are chosen

Best investor event

Did you hold a capital markets day, site visit or other investor event that made your company stand out from the crowd? Tell us how you came up with an original initiative, the way you managed its organization, and how your audience’s expectations were met; audience feedback is also welcome.

Best ESG reporting

Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities - they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting?

Best IR during a corporate transaction

How did your IR team go above and beyond to support a recent corporate transaction? Let us know the details. We’ll be looking at the IR team’s involvement in crafting/releasing the messaging for the financial markets and how it organized outreach and dialogue to gain approval from key shareholders.

Best IR website

The IR website is the first point of contact for an IRO’s audience. We want to hear from companies that have developed a best-in-class website displaying top-notch customer experience, engaging content that meets analysts’ and investors’ needs, and multiplatform access.

Rising star

This award seeks to honor individuals who bring fresh thinking and a unique approach to the profession. This category is open to anyone who has been working in IR for less than five years.

Lifetime Achievement

Click here to view 2019 winners!

Awards by nomination categories differ from our traditional researched awards, as individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries, free of charge, to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of investment professionals and IR Magazine editorial members.

The judging process is made up of three simple phases:

Phase one: The IR Magazine editorial team reviews the entries and produces the shortlist.

Phase two: The shortlisted entries are shared with an independent judging panel of industry experts. The judges review each shortlisted entry and select their top two picks.

Phase three: The judges come together for a discussion to select the winners.

The judges’ votes are not made public, but their comments may be published in articles or reports after the event

Who Attends?

Attendees at this year’s event are leading IR practitioners from across the US. Each participant is someone with an established track record and a strategic IR role within his or her company.

Attendees in 2019 included:

Job title	Attending company	Job title	Attending company

Account director	Argyle	Manager, investor relations	LendingTree
Account executive	Business Wire	Manager, investor relations	NTT Docomo
Account executive, corp governance services	DFIN	Manager, investor relations	Schlumberger
Account manager	Investis Digital	Manager, investor relations	The Coca – Cola Company
Analyst	Steadfast Financial	Manager, investor relations	T-Mobile US
Analyst	Steadfast Financial	Manager, IR & External Communications	The AES Corporation
Analyst, corporate access	Mizuho Americas	Managing director	Argyle
Anchor & correspondent	Bloomberg	Managing director	DFIN
Assistant general council	Honeywell	Managing director	ICR
Assistant vice president	Alliance Advisors	Managing director	Northwest Strategic Communications
Assistant vice president, investor relations	Cognizant	Managing director	NYSE
Associate director, strategic growth	Investis Digital	Managing director	Okapi Partners
Business development	Investis Digital	Managing director	Okapi Partners
Capital markets analyst	Corbin Advisors	Managing director	Okapi Partners
Capital markets analyst	Corbin Advisors	Managing director	Rose & Company
Capital markets analyst	Corbin Advisors	Managing director	Rose & Company
Chief executive officer	Equiniti	Managing director	Rose & Company
Chief executive officer	High Touch IR	Managing director & business manager	SVB Leerink
Chief executive officer	Q4	Managing Director and senior research analyst	SVB Leerink
Chief executive officer	Rose & Company	Managing director, head of corporate access	Mizuho Americas
Chief executive officer	WeConvene	Managing director, head of US sales	Mizuho Americas
Chief executive officer, depositary receipts	BNY Mellon	Managing director, sales	Q4
Chief IR & corporate communications officer	Jack in the Box	Managing director, sales	Q4
Chief operating officer	Business Wire	Managing partner	MessageBank
Chief operating officer	WeConvene	Managing partner	MessageBank
Chief programs officer	NIRI	Managing partner	The Nuvo Group
Client success lead	Q4	Managing partner	The Nuvo Group
Co-Founder and Senior Managing Director	Okapi Partners	Marketing analyst	DFIN
Corporate communications manager	Xylem	Mentor	Merryck & Co. Americas
Corporate vice president, investor relations	Tech Data	Partner	Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney
Designer	Wix.com	Partner	MerchantCantos
Director	The AES Corporation	President	Rose & Company
Director	WeConvene	President & chief executive officer	Kadmon Holdings
Director, advisory & design operations	Argyle	President & chief executive officer	NIRI
Director, bank relations	CMS Energy	Regional director	Business Wire
Director, business development	Corbin Advisors	Sales representative	EQS Group
Director, business development	EQS Group	Sales representative	EQS Group
Director, client services	MerchantCantos	Senior account executive	Joele Frank
Director, corporate access	Mizuho Americas	Senior account manager	Business Wire
Director, corporate access	Mizuho Americas	Senior analyst finance	The AES Corporation
Director, corporate finance	CMS Energy	Senior analyst, investor relations	Honeywell
Director, corporate governance services	DFIN	Senior analyst, investor relations	Honeywell
Director, foundation	The AES Corporation	Senior business development manager	EQS Group
Director, global risk management	The AES Corporation	Senior capital markets analyst	Corbin Advisors
Director, investor relations	Blackbaud	Senior director, finance	Honeywell
Director, investor relations	CMS Energy	Senior director, marketing	Nasdaq
Director, investor relations	Enterprise Products	Senior executive interviewer	Rivel
Director, investor relations	Hannon Armstrong	Senior investor relations officer	Blue Apron
Director, investor relations	Kadmon Holdings	Senior manager, financial planning & analysis	The AES Corporation
Director, investor relations	Wix.com	Senior managing director	Okapi Partners
Director, investor relations	Zillow Group	Senior managing director	Okapi Partners
Director, investor relations	Tech Data	Senior supervisor, investor relations	BASF
Director, investor relations	Voya Financial	Senior vice president	Alliance Advisors
Director, IR & corporate communications	Valmont Industries	Senior vice president	Alliance Advisors
Director, IR & corporate relations	Ferro Corporation	Senior vice president, business development	Corbin Advisors
Director, regional sales	QuoteMedia	Senior vice president, Director of IR	Corbin Advisors
Director, sales	DFIN	Senior vice president, head of investor relations	Voya Financial
Director, sales	EQS Group	Senior vice president, investor relations	Hasbro
Director, sales	Q4	Senior, investor relations analyst	Xcel Energy
Director, sales & business development	Manhattan Digital Direct	Senior VP, corporate digital marketing practice	Investis Digital
Executive assistant	Corbin Advisors	Senior VP, general counsel & CS	The AES Corporation
Executive assistant, investor relations	Schlumberger	Senior VP stakeholder engagement & CMO	Weatherford
Executive coach & business consultant	Equanimity	Specialist, investor relations	T-Mobile US
Executive director, investor relations	Acorda Therapeutics	Vice president	BNY Mellon
Executive vice president	Business Wire	Vice president	BNY Mellon
Executive Vice President, Head of Sales	EQ by Equiniti	Vice president	BNY Mellon
Executive VP, relationship management	EQ by Equiniti	Vice president	Corbin Advisors
Founder & chief executive officer	Corbin Advisors	Vice president	Corbin Advisors
Founder & chief executive officer	Curley Global IR	Vice president	Okapi Partners
General manager, US	Wix.com	Vice president	Okapi Partners
Global director, investor relations	Anheuser-Busch InBev	Vice President & director of IR	Corbin Advisors
Global vice president, investor relations	Anheuser-Busch InBev	Vice president & director of research	Corbin Advisors
Group vice president	Business Wire	Vice president & director of IR	Corbin Advisors
Group VP treasury & investor relations	Albertsons Companies	Vice President & head of investor relations	Coinbase
Head of agency partnerships, US	Wix.com	VP, executive comms & public affairs	Honeywell
Head of corporate access	SVB Leerink	Vice president, business development	MessageBank
Head of corporate action product	EQ by Equiniti	Vice president, client partner	Investis Digital
Head of design playground	Wix.com	Vice president, corporate access	RW Baird
Head of investor relations	8×8	Vice president, corporate governance services	DFIN
Head of investor relations	Ally Financial	VP, corporate strategy & investments	The AES Corporation
Head of investor relations	AstraZeneca	Vice president, investor relations	Coca Cola FEMSA
Head of investor relations	Cohu	Vice president, investor relations	Etsy
Head of investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, investor relations	Foundation Building Materials
Head of investor relations	Lazard	Vice president, investor relations	Honeywell
Head of investor relations	TCF Financial Corporation	Vice president, investor relations	Hudson Group
Head of marketing & communications	SVB Leerink	Vice president, investor relations	Huntsman
Head of public relations & communications	Wix.com	Vice president, investor relations	Illumina
Head of strategy, IR & interim CFO	MSCI	Vice president, investor relations	Open Text Corporation
Investor communications strategist	Red Hat	Vice president, investor relations	Sealed Air
Investor relations	AstraZeneca	Vice president, investor relations	Teradata Corporation
Investor relations	CMS Energy	Vice president, investor relations	W.W. Grainger
Investor relations	CMS Energy	Vice president, IR & corporate comms	U.S. Silica
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, investor relations & treasurer	LendingTree
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, ir advisory	Citibank
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, marketing	Q4
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, marketing & operations	High Touch IR
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, media & investor relations	FactSet
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, new business development	EQ by Equiniti
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice president, sponsor and partner relations	NIRI
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	VP strategic initiatives & communications	Equilar
Investor relations	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Vice President, treasurer and investor relations	CMS Energy
Investor relations & marketing	iStar	VP, regional head of network management	Credit Suisse
Investor relations partner	Q4	Manager, global disclosure services	Business Wire
Investor relations specialist	Red Hat	Manager, global sustainability	Xylem
Listing relations	IEX	Manager, investor relations	The Coca – Cola Company
Listing relations	IEX	Manager, investor relations	Conduent
Manager, communications	Q4	Manager, investor relations	Etsy
Manager, investor relations	Hasbro

On the night

Master of Ceremonies

We were pleased to have Moody McCarthy as our master of ceremonies! Moody is a writer and stand-up comedian who has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, and the Letterman Show.

He lives in New York City with his wife and two wee lasses. Moody has performed at the best clubs in the land and can be heard on SiriusXM. He’s been featured on America’s Got Talent and Last Comic Standing, but gets more buzz about his episode of HGTV’s “House Hunters”.

Moody was born “Matthew” into a big Irish family where -by law -someone gets a nickname. He began doing comedy in upstate New York in the 1900’s and did a year on Syracuse’s top radio show covering sports.

Moody’s material is described as original but universal, and smart without being trite. Couple that with a disarming stage presence & in-the-moment chops, you’ll see why he’s earned the admiration of his peers for his ability to “go up cold”.

Venue and accommodation

Venue:
We were pleased to be host our awards ceremony at:

Cipriani 25
25 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

Dress code:
Black tie

Accommodation:
Looking for the perfect place to stay before or after the event?
Why not try IR Magazine’s exclusive HotelMap to browse real-time room rates of hotels close in proximity to Cipriani 25 Broadway. To view a virtual map of nearby hotels or book a room, please click here

Partnership Opportunities

Our awards provides a unique opportunity to get in front of some of the most influential people in North-America. As a partner, you will gain an extensive amount of exposure through a wide range of marketing materials, both pre- and post event, as well as on the day itself. Additionally, you can use the event to align yourself with IR excellence and network with key decision makers from across the region.

Being a partner will provide:

A chance to network with qualified, senior decision-makers in the IR community
Increased awareness and credibility through association with the region’s leading awards
New business opportunities through higher-brand presence among current and potential clients
The chance to entertain clients at the most respected event of the year
Exposure as the market leader in your chosen area by partnering with the categories that best reflect your area of expertise

To find out more about the benefits of partnering and the various packages available, email Ian Richman or call on +1 212 430 6865.

Inquire about partnership

Our Partners

Business Wire

Business Wire

Supporting Partners

Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in multi-platform press release distribution and financial disclosure services. Thousands of organizations and communications professionals turn to Business Wire for superior optimization, presentation and distribution of their news, photos and multimedia to news media, websites, search engines and wireless services. A recognized disclosure service in the United States, Canada, and a dozen European countries, Business Wire handles regulatory filing into EDGAR, SEDAR and other systems. With more distribution options in more countries than any other commercial newswire, Business Wire provides members with targeted reach to virtually any market or industry worldwide.

For more information, visit us online at www.BusinessWire.com.
Cowen

Cowen

Supporting Partners

Cowen Inc. is a diversified financial services firm and, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, provides investment management, investment banking, research, sales and trading, prime brokerage, global clearing and commission management through its two business segments: Cowen Investment Management and its affiliates make up the Company’s investment management segment, while Cowen and Company, a member of FINRA and SIPC, and its affiliates make up the Company’s investment bank segment. Cowen Investment Management provides investment management solutions to a global client base and manages a significant portion of Cowen’s proprietary capital. Cowen and its affiliates offer industry focused investment banking for growth-oriented companies, domain knowledge-driven research, a sales and trading platform for institutional investors, global clearing and commission management services and also a comprehensive suite of prime brokerage services. Founded in 1918, the firm is currently celebrating its 100th Anniversary and is headquartered in New York with offices worldwide. To download Cowen’s investor relations app, which offers access to SEC filings, news releases, webcasts and presentations, please visit the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android mobile devices.

Please visit us at www.cowen.com
IHS Markit

IHS Markit

Supporting Partners

IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO) is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. IHS Markit’s private markets division is a premier choice for the private capital industry to address growing pressures for transparency and regulatory compliance. Our full range of products offers solutions for portfolio management, valuations, investor reporting, operating metrics, or investor performance.

Book your place

Sign up for the complete experience below. You will have full access to the welcome drinks reception, the glamorous dinner, the prestigious awards ceremony and the fun-filled after party!

If you have any questions regarding booking seats and tables for the awards, please contact Priscilla Lim at [email protected] or +44 20 80044989

Seat Bookings

$775

Book seat
Table Bookings

$6,750

Book table of 10

Gallery

A.L.O.E. presents the P.S. 146 Bucket Drum Squad!

Winners of IR Magazine Awards – US 2019

Darrell Heaps, CEO, Q4 presents the award for Best use of technology and social media to director of investor relations, Mark Furlong, Blackbaud

Ron Schneider, director of corporate services, DFIN, presents the award for Best ESG reporting to Gloria Lee, Cisco Systems

Sarah Smith, vice president of business development, MessageBank, presents the award for Best crisis management to Zillow Group’s director of investor relations, Dennis Walsh (right)

It’s a TIE! Paul Schulman, managing director & executive vice president, Mackenzie Partners (left), presents the award for Best IR during a corporate transaction to Jared Poff, CFO, RedHat (far right) and to Kristen Zimmer, IR analyst, DSW (second to right)

Ramy Inocencio, anchor & correspondent for Bloomberg Television and Radio, host of the IR Magazine Awards – 2019

It’s a TIE! Gary LaBranche, president & CEO, NIRI, presents the Rising star award to Sri Maddipati, CMS Energy (center) AND Maggie O’Donnell, Wix.com (left)

Rising star award winner Maggie O’Donnell, Wix.com

John Nuziati, listings trading, IEX, presents the Lifetime achievement award to Sally Curley

Jeff Sindone, partner, MerchantCantos (right), presents the award for Best financial reporting to Greg Horn, vice president of investor relations, Comcast

Radek Barnert, CEO, WeConvene (right) presents the award for Best investor meetings to Jason Scott, head of investor relations, JPMorgan Chase

Christopher Kearns, CEO, depositary receipts, BNY Mellon, presents the award for Best IR by a Non-US company in the US market to Simone Wilk, investor relations officer, BP

Walt Shuplak, managing director, Okapi Partners (right), presents the award for Best in sector: communications to Jonathan Perachio and Esther Tehrani, of T-Mobile

Arin Amanda Prisand, Managing director and head of corporate access, Mizuho Americas

Chuck Garske, senior managing director, Okapi Partners (right), presents the award for Best in sector: Consumer discretionary to director of investor relations Tim Walsh, The Home Depot (left)

Jason Oury, global market intelligence division, IHS Markit, presents the award for Best in sector: Consumer staples to manager of investor relations, Joseph Ahlersmeyer, The Coca Cola Company (center)

Smooch Repovich Reynolds, managing director, ZRG Partners (right), presents the award for Best in sector: Energy toJoy Domingo, manager of investor relations, Schlumberger

Marcus Goldberg, director of business development, EQS Group (right) presents the award for Best in sector: Financials (including real estate) to Jason Scott, head of investor relations, JPMorgan Chase

Danielle Antalffy, director and senior research analyst, SVBLeerink, presents the award for Best in sector: Healthcare to Matt Gugino, vice president of investor relations, Danaher

Rebecca Corbin, founder and CEO, Corbin Advisors, presents the award for Best in sector: Industrials to Mark Macaluso, vice president of investor relations, Honeywell

Ben Chodor, president of digital media services, West (right), presents the award for Best in sector: Materials, to Gavin Reese, Sherwin Williams

Ben Chodor, president of digital media services, West (right), presents the award for Best in sector: Technology, to the investor relations team at Salesforce.com

Peter Smith, managing director, Rose and Company (left presents the award for Best in sector: Utilities to Ashley Weber, principal IR analyst, NextEra Energy

Lloyd Lefcourt, director, Innisfree M&A presents the award for Best IR by a senior management team (small & mid-cap) to Sri Maddipati, collecting on behalf of Patricia Poppe, CEO and Rejji Hayes, CFO, CMS Energy

Lloyd Lefcourt, director, Innisfree M&A presents the award for Best IR by a senior management team (large cap) to Tim Walsh (center) and Lyndsey Burton (right), collecting on behalf of Craig Menear, CEO & Carol Tomé, CFO, The Home Depot

Trey Anderson, senior director, Nasdaq, presents the award for Best investor relations officer (small & mid-cap) to Trent Ziegler, vice president investor relations and treasurer, LendingTree

Trey Anderson, senior director, Nasdaq, presents the award for Best investor relations officer (large cap) to Susan Lisa, vice president of investor relations, Boston Scientific

Jennifer Giacche Hurley, VP of Corporate Access at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, right, presents the Best Overall Investor Relations Officer (small cap) award to Amanda Cimaglia, collecting on behalf of Hannon Armstrong

Jennifer Giacche Hurley, VP of Corporate Access at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, right, presents the Best Overall Investor Relations Officer (mid-cap) award to Debbie Hancock, middle, collecting on behalf of Hasbro

Jennifer Giacche Hurley, VP of Corporate Access at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, right, presents the Best Overall Investor Relations Officer (large cap) award to Jason Scott collecting on behalf of JPMorgan Chase