Nomination Deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026
ABOUT THE SMART 50 PROGRAM: Who are the executives leading the smartest 50 organizations in Central Ohio? Since 2014, The Smart 50 Awards, presented by Hylant will recognize the top executives of the smartest companies in the region for their ability to effectively build and lead savvy organizations.
All 50 winners will be honored as the Class of 2026 at a special celebration in August. All honorees will be asked to attend a special judging session in July to be interviewed by the judges and make their best pitch for one of three specialty awards that will be awarded for outstanding innovation, impact, and sustainability.
ELIGIBILITY: Eligible Smart 50 nominees must be a top executive of an organization with a physical office in the Central Ohio region. Specialty award winners will be recognized for Innovation, Impact and Sustainability.
NOMINATION INSTRUCTIONS: Complete all the information on the nomination form.
SECTION ONE: Provide basic contact information about the person who begins the nomination process. This individual will likely represent the nominated company or individual or be familiar with its operations.
SECTION TWO: Provide basic information about the person being nominated, including company size and industry.
SECTION THREE: Explain why your Nominee should be recognized with a Smart 50 award. Provide a brief description that includes the "what," "how," and "why" to support the nomination.
Essays can be as short as a single paragraph or as long as necessary to fully explain to the judges the merit of your Nominee. Please keep in mind that the more specific detail provided to the judges, the greater the opportunity your Nominee will have to be recognized. Be sure to designate in which category (or categories) you would like the Nominee to be considered for the specialty award.
For more information, please contact Lisa Dore at ldore@sbnonline.com or (440) 250-7050.
ABOUT THE FAMILY BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS: The 2026 Family Business Achievement Awards will recognize organizations that have demonstrated best practices in keeping the business within the family for at minimum, one generational transfer (i.e. second-generation businesses or older).
ELIGIBILITY: Eligible award nominees must have a minimum of two family members involved in the organization, and be privately held. A family member is defined as siblings, spouses, children, grandchildren, or cousins. They may be from a single generation or multi-generations. Must have a physical location in Northeast Ohio. NOMINATION INSTRUCTIONS: Complete all the information on the nomination form. SECTION ONE: Provide basic contact information about the person submitting the nomination form. This individual will likely represent the nominated company or individual or be familiar with the company’s operations. SECTION TWO: Provide basic information about the company being nominated, including company size and industry. SECTION THREE: Explain why the Nominee should be recognized with a Family Business Achievement Award. Provide a brief description that includes the "what," "how," and "why" to support the nomination. Essays can be as short as a single paragraph or as long as necessary to fully explain to the judges the merit of the Nominee. Please keep in mind that the more specific detail provided to the judges, the greater the opportunity the Nominee will have to be recognized.
The nomination deadline is Friday June 19, 2026. 2026 award winners will be honored at the Family Business Conference on September 10.
For more information, please contact Lisa Dore at 440.250.7050 or ldore@sbnonline.com
ABOUT THE SMART 50 PROGRAM: Who are the executives leading the smartest 50 organizations in Northeast Ohio? The Smart 50 Awards, presented by FIT Technologies, will recognize the top executives of the smartest companies in the region for their ability to effectively build and lead savvy organizations.
All 50 winners will be honored as the Class of 2026 at a special celebration in November. All honorees will be asked to attend a special judging session in October to be interviewed by the judges and make their best pitch for one of three specialty awards that will be awarded for outstanding innovation, impact and sustainability.
The nomination deadline is August 21, 2026.
ELIGIBILITY: Eligible Smart 50 nominees must be a top executive of an organization with a physical office in the Northeast Ohio region. Specialty award winners will be recognized for Innovation, Impact, and Sustainability. NOMINATION INSTRUCTIONS: Complete all the information on the nomination form.
SECTION ONE: Provide basic contact information about the person who begins the nomination process. This individual will likely represent the nominated company or individual or be familiar with its operations.
SECTION TWO: Provide basic information about the person being nominated, including company size and industry.
SECTION THREE: Explain why your Nominee should be recognized with a Smart 50 award. Provide a brief description that includes the "what," "how," and "why" to support the nomination. Essays can be as short as a single paragraph or as long as necessary to fully explain to the judges the merit of your Nominee. Please keep in mind that the more specific detail provided to the judges, the greater the opportunity your Nominee will have to be recognized. Be sure to designate in which category (or categories) you would like the Nominee to be considered for the specialty award.
For more information, please contact Lisa Dore at ldore@sbnonline.com or (440) 610-9929.
AI IMPACT FORUM AWARDS
The AI Impact Forum Awards recognize organizations across Northeast Ohio that are using artificial intelligence in meaningful, measurable and real-world ways. Whether your organization is employing AI internally to improve operations and decision-making, or building AI-powered solutions that others rely on, these awards celebrate innovation that is creating tangible business and community impact throughout the region.
Award recipients will be recognized at the AI Impact Forum on August 27th, where Northeast Ohio business leaders, innovators and technology professionals will gather to explore how AI is transforming organizations, industries and communities.
The awards program recognizes organizations in two key categories:
AI IMPLEMENTERS: Organizations using AI within their own business How is your organization applying AI to improve performance, customer experience, products, services or operational efficiency? This category recognizes organizations using AI tools, models or platforms to drive measurable business outcomes such as revenue growth, cost savings, productivity improvements, quality enhancement, safety or risk reduction.
AI BUILDERS: Organizations developing AI solutions for others How is your organization building, deploying or managing AI-powered products, platforms or services that external customers or users rely on? This category recognizes software companies, service providers, consultancies and innovation teams creating AI capabilities that deliver measurable value for clients, industries or broader ecosystems.
SELECTION DETAILS:
• Strong nominations clearly tell the story of one or two specific AI initiatives and the measurable impact they are having. The most successful submissions focus on concrete examples, business outcomes and lessons learned rather than listing numerous projects.
• Nominees are encouraged to provide a holistic narrative describing the problem or opportunity they addressed, why AI was chosen as part of the solution, how the initiative was implemented, and the results achieved. Well-crafted narratives are preferred, but bullet-point submissions are acceptable as well.
• Judges are particularly interested in real-world implementation and measurable outcomes, including operational improvements, customer impact, financial performance, innovation, organizational change and regional significance for Northeast Ohio.
• Wherever possible, include specific metrics, examples or stories that demonstrate the value and effectiveness of your AI initiative.
The nomination deadline is June 26, 2026.
NOMINATION INSTRUCTIONS: Complete all the information on the nomination form.
SECTION ONE: Provide basic contact information about the person who begins the nomination process. This individual will likely represent the nominated company or individual or be familiar with its operations.
SECTION TWO: Provide basic information about the person being nominated, including company size and industry.
SECTION THREE: Explain why your Nominee should be recognized with a AI Impact Forum Award
1. Briefly describe your organization (industry, size, primary products/services) and where you are based in Northeast Ohio. 2. Describe the AI initiative or solution you are nominating. What does it do, and who does it serve? 3. What problem or opportunity were you addressing, and why did you choose AI as part of the solution? 4. What impact has this AI initiative had so far? 5. What did it take to make this AI work successfully in practice? 6. What makes this AI initiative especially innovative, impactful or important for Northeast Ohio? Why do you believe it should be recognized with this award?
For more information, please contact Lisa Dore at ldore@sbnonline.com or (440) 610-9929.
