鶹 Top Workplaces celebrates 16 ‘Special Award’ winners in the D.C. region

Anthony Pierce of Akin is honored with the large employer Leadership Award at the 鶹 Top Workplaces 2026 celebration.(Steve Ruark)

鶹’s inaugural DC Top Workplaces celebration highlighted organizations and leaders whose cultures stand out based on one key measure — what employees themselves say.

The recognition is built on confidential surveys administered by Energage, asking workers about leadership, benefits, communication, purpose and more. Results are benchmarked against national data gathered from millions of employees, and only organizations with strong, verified feedback earn honors. The award cannot be bought, underscoring its credibility.

Below are the special award winners, with what each honor represents.

Small employers

  • Benefits Package Award: — recognizes an employer with the most satisfying pay and benefits, based on employee feedback about compensation and support
  • Doers Award: — honors an organization that consistently delivers results and maintains strong day to day execution
  • New Ideas Award: — celebrates a culture that encourages innovation and embraces fresh thinking from employees
  • Trusted Leadership Award: Tony Jimenez, CEO, — reflects strong employee confidence in leadership, direction and decision making

Midsize employers

  • Clued-In Senior Management Award: — recognizes an organization whose senior leaders who are well aligned with employees and attuned to what is happening across the organization
  • Communications Award: — honors an organization that keep employees informed, connected and engaged through clear communication
  • Meaningfulness Award: — highlights an organization where employees feel their work has purpose and impact
  • Trusted Leadership Award: Laura Kennington, chief growth officer, — signals high levels of trust in leadership and confidence in the company’s direction

Large employers

  • Direction Award: — recognizes a company that provides clear vision and confidence about where it is headed
  • Values Award: — honors an organization that lives its core values in day to day operations
  • Well-Being Award: — celebrates an employer that prioritize employee health, wellness and overall well-being
  • Trusted Leadership Award: Anthony Pierce, partner in charge of  D.C. office, — reflects leadership that employees consistently trust and believe in

Largest employers

  • Appreciation Award: — recognizes a company where employees feel valued and appreciated for their contributions
  • Managers Award: — honors front line managers who invest in their teams and support employee growth
  • Work Life Flexibility Award: — celebrates organizations that promote balance and flexibility in how employees work
  • Trusted Leadership Award: David Bowker, partner in charge of D.C. office, — highlights leadership that earns strong employee trust at scale

Across all categories, the awards reflect the same standard: authentic employee voices.

Hundreds of organizations participated in the 2026 process, but only those with strong survey participation and high scores earned recognition, reinforcing that these honors are driven by real workplace experience.

鶹 Founding DC Founder’s Honor recognizes Cvent’s Reggie Aggarwal

At the 鶹 Top Workplaces event, Reggie Aggarwal, founder and CEO of , received 鶹’s first-ever Founding DC Founder’s Honor.

This honor, unique to 鶹, recognizes a Top Workplaces leader whose long-term vision continues to shape workplace culture and industry impact.Dan Simons, restaurateur, co-founder of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, and host of 鶹 News’, announced the honor at the Top Workplaces celebration.

He described Aggarwal as “a leader whose company has been named to the Top Workplaces list 12 times … and who never backs down when faced with challenges,” highlighting a legacy built on resilience and belief in people.

Check out all of the 鶹 Top Workplaces coverageԴǷ!

Vanessa Roberts

Vanessa Roberts crafts content for custom programs at Federal News Network and 鶹. She’s been finding and telling B2B, government and technology stories in the nation’s capital since the era of the “sneakernet.” Vanessa has a master’s from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

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