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Celebrating Cybersecurity Excellence: The 2026 C100 Winners Announced

CISOs Connect™, a prestigious membership organization for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), has revealed the recipients of its 2026 Top 100 CISOs Awards (C100). This accolade recognizes the most influential cybersecurity leaders in North America, highlighting their exceptional contributions to the field.

This year, a diverse global panel comprised of practicing CISOs from North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific played a pivotal role in selecting the top honorees. The individuals recognized in this year’s awards not only possess extensive security expertise, but they also demonstrate a noteworthy commitment to nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals through mentorship and knowledge sharing.

The award ceremony will be held during the CISOs Connect Miami Conference, where the selected winners will be celebrated for their outstanding work. The recognition of these leaders affirms the essence of the CISO role, which has grown to tackle increasingly complex challenges across borders.

Global Perspective on CISO Leadership

Aimee Rhodes, CEO of CISOs Connect, emphasized that the contemporary CISO role is intrinsically global, facing shared challenges across different nations. She remarked, “This year’s C100 winners encapsulate remarkable leadership from U.S. and Canadian CISOs, as chosen by their international peers who fully appreciate the intricacies and demands of the role. Recognizing a global landscape is critical to understanding the evolving cybersecurity field.”

David Cass, President of CISOs Connect and CISO of Keyrock, echoed this sentiment, stating, “The C100 is a platform for CISOs to honor their peers without the influence of vendors or politics; it’s all about authentic recognition.” The process to select these winners remains rooted in transparency, driven solely by peer evaluation without any sponsorship or commercialization.

Selection Criteria for 2026

The global judging panel assessed hundreds of CISOs from the U.S. and Canada against comprehensive criteria, including:

• - A minimum of five years in a CISO position
• - Clear organizational impact and measurable achievements
• - Active contributions to the CISO community through mentorship and knowledge sharing
• - Advancement of security culture and professional development

The Esteemed Board of Judges

This year’s distinguished panel of judges includes:

• - Angela Williams, SVP Global CISO, UL Solutions
• - Brett Conlon, CISO, American Century Investments
• - Howard Whyte, CISO, CRC Group
• - Hussein Syed, SVP CISO, RWJBarnabas Health
• - Other notable CISOs who bring a wealth of experience and perspective on the evolving role of security leadership.

Stephen Bennett, Group CISO of Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd, noted that external judges evaluating North American talent fostered valuable discussions on different security approaches. He highlighted the innovation and leadership exhibited by the C100 winners as trends that resonate on a global level.

Special Recognition Awards

In addition to the Top 100 awards, CISOs Connect will also present four special distinctions:

• - Visionary Award to Frank Aiello, SVP, CISO, Maximus, for redefining the CISO role through innovation.
• - Trailblazer Award to Margarita Rivera, SVP, Global CISO, Carnival Corporation, for incorporating CISO leadership into enterprise strategy.
• - CISO Champion Award to Hussein Syed, SVP, CISO, RWJBarnabas Health, recognizing his dedication to mentoring other CISOs.
• - Impact Award awarded to Monique Hart, CISO, Piedmont Health, for substantial contributions toward advancing cybersecurity initiatives.

In recognition of the C100’s integrity, Black Kite has supported the awards since their inception, illustrating a dedication to authentic peer acknowledgment in cybersecurity. Paul Paget, CEO of Black Kite, stated, “The C100 upholds its mission of CISOs applauding their peers, which is why we’ve endorsed its mission since its very start.”

About CISOs Connect

CISOs Connect is a unique, membership-based community where cybersecurity leaders can engage, share expertise, and collaborate with trusted peers. The community focuses on fostering an environment where security professionals can make informed decisions and drive business success through security initiatives. CISOs Connect continues to produce valuable CISO-driven content and knowledge-sharing opportunities, especially through collaborations like the Security Shark Tank.

For further information, visit CISOs Connect.