Generation

NEXT AWARDS

About Our

GENERATION
NEXT
AWARDS

October, 2025

Presenting Sponsor:

Gold Sponsor:

Silver Sponsor:

Table Sponsors:

The Cleveland Foundation

Engage! Cleveland’s Generation NEXT Awards honors the companies, organizations, and individuals working diligently to attract, engage and retain up-and-coming talent to Cleveland.

Winning companies and individuals are recognized for their efforts in helping transform the region into a premier community and making Cleveland a great place to live and work.

2024 Award Winners

Company of the Year

Small: Wellspring Financial Advisors

Mid-size: Pease Bell CPAs

Large: Swagelok

Nonprofit/Government/Public Sector: Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio

Program of the Year

Small: Be Better than Yesterday Coaching Program, Dyke Yaxley LLC

Mid-size: The Huddle, Cleveland Browns

Large: ESOP, BDO USA

Nonprofit/Government/Public Sector: Books 2 Bread, Breadwinners Academy

Young Professional of the Year

Small: Taylor Evans, Rust Belt Recruiting

Mid-size: Allison Sayre, Maloney + Novotny

Large: Timothy Lewis, Bank of America

Nonprofit/Government/Public Sector: Jennifer Creviston, Cleveland State University

Mentor of the Year

Small: Kelly Stofko, Corrigan Krause CPAs

Mid-size: Sean O-Neill, The Westin Cleveland Downtown

Large: Leslie Dorsey, Oatey Co.

Nonprofit/Government/Public Sector: Katie Martinovic, United Way of Greater Cleveland

Engage! Cleveland Employer Member of the Year

Small: Bober Markey Fedorovich

Mid-size: National Interstate Insurance

Large: Medical Mutual

Nonprofit/Government/Public Sector: Weatherhead School of Management – Case Western Reserve University

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Cleveland Foundation

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our
past
winners

Union Home Mortgage
Code3
Bostwick Design Partnership
Oatey Co.
GNCO, Inc.
Cleveland Council on World Affairs
The Sherwin-Willams Company
MIM Software Inc.
Staffing Solutions Enterprises
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

"Anytime we can keep young talent it's our goal"

And then retain then in the City of Cleveland we pride ourselves in that. We’re honored to be recognized for that work.

ASHLEY ALI, UNION HOME MORTGAGE

"The work i get to do every day is worthwhile"

It’s humbling to be recognized by Engage! Cleveland for the work I do every day in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

SOPHIE HALL, SWAGELOK

"There are so many opportunities here"

For young professionals, there is an abundance of opportunities here in Northeast Ohio and we’re proud to be honored for our part in contributing to that.

CAROLYN LEKAN, THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COMPANY