2026 nominations are now open

Know someone worthy of one of these awards? Our 2026 Business Leaders of the Year will be recognized in the following categories. Click on the category below to submit your nomination. 

Nominations close on December 1, 2025.

Small Business – an individual who is the driving force behind a company with less than $100 million in annual revenues and/or fewer than 150 full-time equivalent employees, coming off a successful year or string of years.

Large Business – an individual who is the driving force behind a company with at least $100 million in annual revenues and/or more than 150 full-time employees, coming off a successful year or string of years.

Nonprofit – an individual who is the driving force behind a successful non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that has made a significant impact in the Central Mass community.

Innovator – an individual who has developed a breakthrough product, service or strategy that has had a transformative effect on their organization and/or the community. This award is open to for-profit, nonprofit, and government organizations.

Family Business – a leader of a company that has survived and thrived through at least two generations of family ownership and extended its family values to positively impact employees and the community.

Hall of Fame – we’ll induct another select group of Central Massachusetts business leaders in our annual Hall of Fame awards. These awards recognize business leaders who have shown sustained excellence in leadership at their organization and positively impacted both the community and the regional economy.

2026 Event sponsorships are now available! Contact Kris Prosser, kprosser@wbjournal.com for more information.

For nomination questions contact Brad Kane at bkane@wbjournal.com.

This annual special edition and awards programs honors the top business leaders in Central Mass for their companies’ successes and contributions to the community.

See the 2025 Business Leaders of the Year

See the Hall of Fame honorees

View the digital program book with our honoree’s key philosophies from throughout the years.