Nazareth is finalist for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Inclusive Leadership Award
Nazareth University is among 14 finalists for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Inclusive Leadership Award. In its fifth year, the Inclusive Leadership Award honors organizations that create meaningful, lasting changes in workplace cultures where employees feel acknowledged and valued. These organizations lead with purpose, setting the standard for inclusive leadership that transcends their workplaces and positively impacts the Greater Rochester community.
The 2026 finalists are:
- The Arc of Monroe
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester
- Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
- First American Equipment Finance
- Five Star Bank
- Genesee Regional Bank
- GreenSpark Solar
- Nazareth University
- Regional Transit Service (RTS)
- RochesterWorks, Inc.
- Starbridge
- The Summit Federal Credit Union
- SWBR
- Trillium Health
The Greater Rochester Chamber is proud to announce four Excellence Awards, presented alongside its Inclusive Leadership Award. Excellence Awards are presented for standout performance in four focus areas: Culture of Belonging, Fair & Equitable Practices, Empowered & Engaged Teams, and Community Connection. Excellence Awards will be presented to organizations demonstrating clear, standout achievement in that specific area.
Greater Rochester Chamber President & CEO Bob Duffy said, “Congratulations to our 14 organizational finalists on this recognition, and thank you for the work you are doing. Any community is only as good as its people, and Greater Rochester is blessed with so many leaders and companies passionate about people. Through this passion, they build inclusive cultures and fair practices that bring everyone up together. With organizations like these leading the way, a better, more equitable future is ahead of us. We are looking forward to recognizing these organizations and the individuals that shape them at a ceremony this fall.”
The 2026 Inclusive Leadership Award will be presented at a ceremony on Wednesday, September 16. The celebration will feature a keynote address from our 2025 recipient, Marisa Geitner, President & CEO of Heritage Christian Services.
A selection committee consisting of a diverse group of professional leaders from the Greater Rochester business community will select the recipient based on submitted applications.
About Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is the region’s one-stop shop for business support, influence, and community connection. Rooted in advocacy, compliance, talent, and belonging, our organization combines an unmatched depth and breadth of business support with the agility and dedication to turn possibility into progress and accelerate opportunity and action. Here, you’re in good company. Learn more at GreaterRochesterChamber.com.
Contact
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
