Excellence in practice
Showcase your SAM program alongside the best in the world.
The SAMA Excellence Awards™ recognize B2B companies that achieve outstanding results in strengthening strategic customer relationships by addressing their most critical business challenges. Winners not only enhance the visibility and impact of their programs internally but also demonstrate their commitment to creating lasting value and delivering exceptional customer outcomes.
The deadline for Excellence Award™ submissions is now closed. Submissions for 2027 will open in July 2026.
2026 Award Winners
Our winners showcase what’s possible when companies put the customer at the center of their business strategy.
Category 1: Systematic Enablement of the SAM Program: Learning & Development
Winner: Boehringer Ingelheim
Category 1: Systematic Enablement of the SAM Program: Learning & Development
Honorable mention: Johnson & Johnson
Category 2: Innovative Value Co-Creation
Winner: AVI-SPL
AVI-SPL is the leading global technology solutions provider, transforming how people and technology connect to drive better outcomes. We help organizations elevate experiences, create new value, and thrive in a rapidly evolving world. As the leading provider of communications, collaboration, and experience technology solutions, we partner with companies — including more than 86% of Fortune 100 companies — to strategize, design, deploy, and manage AV and UC solutions. Our team of experts provides personalized guidance and consistent service delivery so that our solutions drive results today and tomorrow.
AVI-SPL is the winner of the 2026 SAMA Excellence Award for Innovative Value Co-creation. By bringing together cross-functional expertise, strategic partners, and leading collaboration technologies, AVI-SPL works closely with customers to solve complex challenges and design solutions that create lasting value. Their ability to unite diverse stakeholders and co-develop forward-thinking approaches exemplifies how strategic collaboration can strengthen customer relationships and drive meaningful business outcomes.
Category 3: Best Use of AI & Digital Innovation in SAM
Winner: TreviPay
TreviPay is a fully managed B2B payments platform for global brands. Proven to increase average order value and reduce DSO, their accounts receivable automation software, enhanced by AI, optimizes order-to-cash and integrates with all channels and ERPs. TreviPay is the choice of top retailers, manufacturers, and travel companies, including Walmart, Lenovo, and United Airlines. With more than four decades of experience powering over $8 Billion in global trade, TreviPay was named a Leader for Embedded Payment Applications by IDC and a top vendor in cash application by The Hackett Group.
TreviPay has earned the 2026 SAMA Excellence Award for Best Use of AI & Digital Innovation in SAM for its forward-thinking use of AI and digital platforms to strengthen strategic customer management. By embedding advanced analytics and intelligent automation into its order-to-cash and payment processes, TreviPay equips account teams with deeper insights, streamlines collaboration with customers, and enables more strategic, value-focused engagement.
Category 4: Outstanding Young Program of the Year (<5 years)
Winner: Everpure
Everpure allows organizations to take control of their data with an industry-leading, ever-evolving storage and data management platform. They help companies unleash the power of their data by ensuring it is secure, accessible, intelligent, and ready to perform in the AI era. They make data management effortless while simultaneously scaling performance and significantly reducing energy consumption.
Everpure has been honored with the 2026 SAMA Excellence Award for Outstanding Young Program of the Year (<5 Years) in recognition of its strong early success in building a strategic account management program. Through clear program structure, cross-functional alignment, and close collaboration with strategic customers, Everpure has strengthened key relationships and created new opportunities for shared growth.
Category 5: Outstanding Mature Program of the Year (5+ years)
Winner: Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. The company’s portfolio includes 26 world-class brands, comprising more than 9,100 properties and over 1.3 million rooms across 143 countries and territories, supported by the award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors®.
Hilton is the 2026 SAMA Excellence Award winner for Outstanding Mature Program of the Year (5+ Years), recognizing the strength and resilience of its strategic account management program. With strong executive sponsorship, disciplined governance, and a focus on continuous improvement, Hilton’s strategic account management organization fosters deeper collaboration with strategic customers and supports sustained growth across its global portfolio of hospitality brands.
Why Enter?
- Benchmark your SAM program against industry leaders.
- Evaluate your progress and growth on the SAM journey.
- Showcase the value of strategic customer relationships within your organization.
- Demonstrate to customers your commitment to delivering exceptional experiences.
Previous Award Winners
View a list of past Excellence Award™ winners
Past “Program Of The Year” winners
Past Excellence Award™ winners
2025 WINNERS
“Innovative Value Co-Creation” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“C-Suite Support and Engagement for the SAM Program and Strategic Customers” — Winner: supplyFORCE
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: UL Solutions
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (5+ years)” — Winner: TÜV SÜD
2024 WINNERS
“Systematic enablement of the SAM program” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Innovative value co-creation” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: Bellevue University
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (5+ years)” — Winner: Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich)
2023 WINNERS
“Systematic enablement of the SAM program” — Co-Winners: Janssen | Johnson & Johnson
“Innovative value co-creation” — Winner: Medtronic
“C-Suite Support and Engagement for the SAM Program and Strategic Customers” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: LP
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)” — Winner: Boehringer Ingelheim
2022 WINNERS
“Systematic enablement of the SAM program” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Innovative value co-creation” — Winner: Clarios
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: Owens Corning
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)” — Co-Winners: Brenntag and AVI-SPL
2021 WINNERS
“SAM as the leader” — Winner: Royal Ambulance
“Innovative value co-creation” — Winner: Pfizer
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: Aramex
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)” — Winner: AVI-SPL
2020 WINNERS
“Customer co-creation that creates mutual business value” — Winner: Hilton and Johnson Controls (joint submission)
“Institutionalization of digitalization to create meaningful customer impact” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: Wajax
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)” — Winner: Schneider Electric
2019 WINNERS
“Implementation of a disciplined process to quantify and monetize specific customer value solutions” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Implementation of specific customer engagement strategies enabling, and successfully impacting, the co-value creation process” — Co-winner: Premier/Merck and Air Liquide
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: AVI-SPL
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)” — Winner: Johnson Controls, Inc.
“SAMA Global Customer-Centricity Award” — Winner: Boehringer Ingelheim
2018 WINNERS
“Outstanding internal branding of a SAM organization across the company” — Winner: Pfizer
“Outstanding customer account team design, management and performance” — Winner: 3M
“Outstanding use of data and digitally-based processes to impact co-creation” — Winner: Arcadis
“Outstanding young SAM program of the year (<5 years)” — Winner: Arcadis
“Outstanding mature SAM program of the year (>5 years)” — Winner: 3M
2017 WINNERS
“Successful implementation of value negotiation plan and subsequent execution” — Winner: 3M and DHL
“Successful implementation of value innovation within the supply chain” — Winner: Adobe
“Outstanding SAM program leadership for young programs” — Winner: DHL
“Outstanding SAM program leadership for mature programs” — Winner: Nalco Water
Special congratulations to honorable mentions:
Merck for “Outstanding SAM program leadership for young programs”
3M for “Outstanding SAM program leadership for mature programs”
2016 WINNERS
“Internal alignment of key stakeholders across the company to a strategic customer” — Winner: DHL
“Customer insights and collaborative interactions leading to a mutually successful and jointly developed customer solution” — Winner: DHL
“Outstanding SAM program leadership for young programs (<5 years)” — Winner: Johnson Controls, Building Efficiency North America division
“Outstanding SAM program leadership for mature programs (5+ years)” — Winner: Zurich Insurance
2015 WINNERS
“For use of business technology to discover and share customer insights” — Winner: DHL
“For customer-driven innovation” — Winner: DHL
“For Impact on customer metrics using a joint scorecard” — Winner: SKF
2014 WINNERS
“Superior execution of a strategic account plan resulting in mutual customer-supplier growth and profitability” — Winner: Johnson Controls, Inc.
“Excellence in efficiently segmented and integrated account coverage” — Winner: Siemens AG
“Selecting, developing and coaching the strategic account manager” — Winner: Schneider Electric
Past Excellence Award™ winners
2013 | Hilton Worldwide
2012 | Emerson Process Management
2011 | Siemens
2010 | Cisco
2009 | DHL
2008 | Xerox
2007 | Schneider-Electric
2006 | Cisco
2005 | Nalco Company
2004 | Marriott International
2003 | Siemens
2002 | PricewaterhouseCoopers
2001 | ARCADIS, NV
2000 | Boise Cascade Office
1999 | Eastman Chemical Co.
1998 | American Express
1997 | Hewlett-Packard
1996 | Procter & Gamble
1995 | Bell Atlantic Mobile
1994 | MCI Telecommunications
1993 | Olin Corporation
1992 | The Upjohn Company
1991 | Fritz Companies, Inc.
1990 | Akzo Chemicals
1989 | Occidental Chemical Corp.
1988 | Cascade Corporation
1987 | Moore Business Forms
1986 | Gold Bond Building
1985 | Essex Chemical Corp.
1984 | American Can Company
1983 | American Hospital Supply
1982 | Diamond Shamrock Corp.
1981 | National Can Corporation
1980 | Purex Industries, Inc.
1979 | Shell Chemical Company
1978 | FMC Corporation
1977 | Union Carbide Corporation
1976 | Borden, Inc.
1975 | IBM Corporation
1974 | International Paper Co.
1973 | Koppers Company
1972 | Star Manufacturing Co.
1971 | Norton Simon, Inc.
1970 | Walter Kidde & Company
1969 | American Can Company
1968 | Borden Chemical
1967 | Eastman Kodak
1966 | 3M Company
1965 | U.S. Chamber of Commerce