IMA Excellence Awards Spotlight Gains in Sales, Safety, Loyalty and Recognition
The 2026 IMA Summit Awards recognized incentive and recognition programs demonstrating measurable business and social outcomes, along with individuals and organizations contributing to the industry.Eight Companies Receive Excellence Awards in Key Fields
Individual and Recognition Honors
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The Incentive Marketing Association presented its 2026 Summit Awards at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, led by eight Excellence Awards honoring non-cash incentive programs designed to motivate employees, strengthen customer and channel relationships, and improve business performance.
Eight Companies Receive Excellence Awards in Key Fields
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Motivforce received the Channel and Dealer Incentives award; All Star Incentives, Employee and Internal Incentives; Blackhawk Network, Gift Cards; 360insights, Incentive Travel; Fusion Marketing, Innovation and Technology; Create Direct, Merchandise; Dash Solutions, Recognition; and SKUx, Social Responsibility and Sustainability.
The winning entries included unusually specific measures of impact. Motivforce reported that Lenovo resellers participating in its LEAP program generated an average of 11.7 times more sales than comparable non-participants. All Star Incentives’ safety recognition program for Milton CAT contributed to a more than 40% reduction in recordable injury frequency after one year.
Blackhawk Network helped Matter increase employee survey participation by 37%; 360insights reported that 92% of participants in Trulite’s incentive travel program felt more loyal to the company; and Fusion Marketing’s modernization of Valvoline’s Sticker Bucks program eliminated more than 500 hours of annual administrative work. Create Direct reported a 31.2% sales increase among REHAU Rewards participants, while SKUx and Islamic Relief USA distributed $175,000 in emergency wildfire aid to 3,560 people through digital prepaid cards.
Individual and Recognition Honors
Mercedes Ibbett of EVT Incentive Marketing received the Incentive Industry Influencer Award. Eric Thiegs of NeoCurrency received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Andrew Johnson of Diggecard, the President’s Award; Bill Martocci, CPIM, of Carlisle Sales & Marketing, the Karen Renk Award; and Ava Roebuck-Williams, CRP, of Health Care Service Corporation, the Recognition Champion Award. Picnic Time Family of Brands was named the Inspirational Place to Work.
RPI Best Practice Standards Awards went to American Airlines, Banfield Pet Hospital, Dash Solutions, and Liberty Mutual’s US Retail Markets Claims & Service division.
IMA’s chapters and Strategic Industry Groups also recognized eight member volunteers with Spirit Awards.
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