The 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum™ Award results reveal growing momentum in a historically male-dominated sector, with record-breaking submission numbers suggesting increased confidence among women to pursue formal recognition independently.
Out of more than 300 submissions this year, self-nominations reached an all-time high of 70 applications. Male-submitted nominations also climbed to a record 44, representing the first measurable uptick in cross-gender advocacy in the program's history.
Edona Kurtolli, Enterprise Customer Success Director at Exiger, earned recognition in the Trailblazer category—her second such honor. Kurtolli was previously awarded in the Rising Stars category and now advances to Trailblazer status, tracking a career trajectory from emerging talent to established leader.
"Every engagement is an opportunity to help organizations realize greater value from cutting-edge AI," Kurtolli said in a statement.
Kurtolli's award recognizes her work connecting customer feedback loops to product development at Exiger, an AI-focused supply chain automation company. According to Erika Peters, Exiger's Head of Customer Success for Strategic Accounts, Kurtolli has been "instrumental in creating that connection, helping customers maximize their ROI while ensuring their experience informs the next generation of our platform."
The award, presented jointly by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive, measures accomplishment, mentorship and organizational impact across supply chain networks.
Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of both publications and Women in Supply Chain Forum™ co-founder, said the increase in submissions reflects broader "progress" and "growth" in the sector.
The self-nomination surge suggests either expanded outreach, reduced submission barriers or increased confidence among women in supply chain roles to formally document their achievements. While historical comparison data on application rates by gender is limited, the submission volume represents the clearest quantifiable metric available.
The supply chain sector historically skewed male, particularly in executive and technical roles. Recognition programs targeting female leaders have proliferated over the past decade across logistics, procurement, manufacturing and cold chain management.
The Women in Supply Chain Forum™ operates as both a recognition mechanism and a "support and community" platform, hosting an in-person conference scheduled for Nov. 17-19 in Charleston, South Carolina.
Exiger serves more than 550 global customers, including 150 Fortune 500 companies and 60-plus government and Defense Industrial Base organizations. The company operates within a sector increasingly shaped by trade compliance requirements, supplier risk assessment and automation technologies.
Full results have been published by the award organizers, though specific breakdowns by category, industry sector and organizational type were not detailed in the announcement.
