New North Workplace Excellence Award applications being accepted

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN – Applications are now being accepted for the 2027 New North Workplace Excellence Award. The honor recognizes organizations within the 18-county New North region that are improving their competitive advantage through people practices that lead to successful business outcomes.

Award submissions are evaluated on a multitude of criteria; the primary two are forward-thinking people practices, along with successful business practices. The evaluation process is independent from the New North organization.

The application process of the New North Workplace Excellence Award consists of three phases. Phase 1 asks for a brief statement of consideration, consisting of 500 words or less, and must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 2, 2026, to be eligible. The initial application form, which should be emailed to lisa.smith@careerminds.com upon completion, can be found at https://thenewnorth-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/p/juan_corpus/IQBH9_dM 0BXQ674hZbLOHboATLT3IVhtTdZGJ9Mv2-k-tk?rtime=hHWBRZnu3kg.

Organizations that meet Phase 1 requirements and move on to Phase 2 will be notified on Oct. 23. Those selected will be invited to submit a detailed application, which is due by 5 p.m. CT on Jan. 22, 2027. Phase 3 finalists will be contacted on Feb. 12, and a site visit by the award judging committee will be scheduled between mid-March and mid-April of 2027 to choose the winner(s).

“We have so many organizations doing great things within the New North region, and the Workplace Excellence Award is an opportunity to recognize the best people and business practices,” says Patti Habeck, president and CEO of New North Inc. “We ask that companies share their success stories with us by applying for the award.”

People Practices is inclusive of orientation and assimilation; recruitment, selection and retention; culture management; alignment and engagement; development/performance management; employee communication; succession/knowledge transfer and exit (retirement or outplacement). Business Practices encompasses savings (financial and efficiencies), growth (financial and customers) and increased profitability.

Organizations located within the New North region are qualified for the award. Companies do not need to be headquartered in New North for eligibility, but are required to have a division or location within the region. The 18-county New North region encompasses the counties of Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago.

Announcement of the New North Workplace Excellence Award 2027 winner(s) will be made at the New North Summit, scheduled for June 10, 2027, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

The winner of the 2026 New North Workplace Excellence Award was Goodwill North Central Wisconsin, a regional nonprofit providing employment and financial wellness services funded by retail of donated items. Other recent winners include Capital Credit Union (2025), Schreiber Foods (2024), Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry and CLA (2023); J. F. Ahern (2022); Wipfli (2020-21); Integrity Insurance (2019) and Schneider (2018).

The Workplace Excellence Award is a collaboration between New North Inc. and Careerminds, and is presented on behalf of the Attract, Develop and Retain Diverse Talent Committee of New North.