The companies were recognized with Brandon Hall Group’s Silver HCM Excellence Award for the "Best High Potential Development" category.
Mississauga, ON, and Chicago, IL - September 17, 2026 -- EllisDon, a global construction services leader, and RHR, a leadership consulting firm serving global clients for over 80 years, today announced they have been recognized with a Brandon Hall Group Silver HCM Excellence Award in the Best High Potential Development category following the joint efforts to drive organizational performance, amplify culture, and proactively strategize future business challenges among EllisDon’s emerging leadership pipeline. The HCM Excellence Awards recognize organizations that successfully develop and deploy programs, strategies, technologies, and solutions that deliver measurable business results and advance excellence in Human Capital Management.
EllisDon partnered with RHR to co-create a customized High Potential Development program to accelerate the development of critical leaders to ensure a strong pipeline of talent is ready to support future growth. The program has led to significant gains in leader development, evidenced by internal promotions, stronger cross-functional collaboration, and legacy projects making an immediate impact on areas of strategic priority for the business.
"The HCM Excellence Awards have become the most recognized benchmark for excellence in human capital management because organizations know they are earned, not given. Every winning program has demonstrated measurable impact, innovation, and execution through one of the industry's most rigorous evaluation processes. We are proud to recognize the organizations setting the standard for the future of work." Mike Cooke, CEO, Brandon Hall Group™
EllisDon is navigating a pivotal transition, having recently shifted from a family-owned business to a 100% employee-owned model under its first non-family CEO. At 10,000 employees, the company is driving a strong growth agenda and is scaling quickly into unprecedented sectors. There is an immediate need to identify and accelerate the learning of emerging leaders so they are ready to step up into larger roles sooner and be effective immediately.
RHR’s Leading at Scale leadership development program delivered an immersive, cohort-based program designed to align leadership development to business priorities, help leaders expand enterprise capabilities, strengthen collaboration, and lead effectively through greater complexity and change.
"Our success has always been driven by the talent, ambition, and commitment of our people," said Kieran Hawe, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Investing in leadership development is investing in the future of EllisDon. This program was intentionally designed to reflect the values, culture, and leadership behaviours that have defined our company for generations. In partnership with RHR, we have created a tailored development experience that strengthens leadership capability while reinforcing the unique culture that sets EllisDon apart. By equipping emerging leaders with the skills, confidence, and enterprise perspective needed to succeed, we are preparing them to lead in a way that reflects who we are as an organization and to help shape the next chapter of EllisDon’s growth and success."
"What makes this program especially meaningful is that it’s not about earning a certificate or completing a program, it’s about the legacy each participant creates through how they lead, the people they develop, and the difference they make across our business," said Marlene Arianna, SVP, People & Culture. "When our leaders grow, our people grow, and ultimately, so does EllisDon. We’re proud to see this work recognized, and most meaningful is seeing the lasting impact these leaders are already having and will continue to have across our organization."
"RHR’s Leading at Scale program is designed to help leaders expand their enterprise perspective, strengthen collaboration, and lead effectively through complexity and change," said Sonya Stevens, Senior Partner at RHR. "While we bring deep expertise in the skills required to lead at scale, we intentionally design the curriculum to drive client-specific strategic priorities. Having an exceptional partner like EllisDon—an organization deeply invested in the success of its leaders—truly amplifies the impact of the leadership journey. We look forward to our continued work together to accelerate the readiness and impact of EllisDon's next generation of leaders."
RHR is a globally respected leadership consulting firm that helps businesses drive performance and growth through data-led assessment, world-class coaching, and executive development. We work with CEOs, boards, executives, and leadership teams to lead effectively when the stakes are high. By embracing complexity, we create possibilities where others see tension.
We ignite performance by illuminating the patterns that shape behavior, turning data-led insight into action. Grounded in behavioral science and real-world business experience, we build enduring trust and partnership with our clients to deliver impact that lasts.
EllisDon is a leading Canadian construction and infrastructure company delivering building, civil, and industrial projects across North America. We provide services throughout the project lifecycle, including financing, construction, facilities management, and technology solutions.
As a 100% employee-owned company, we are committed to collaboration, innovation, and long-term thinking. Our teams work together to deliver quality projects safely, efficiently, and sustainably, helping build the infrastructure and spaces that support communities for generations.
For more than 30 years, we have helped organizations transform workforce performance into measurable business results. We combine independent research, proven practices from award winning organizations, benchmarking, strategic advisory, and the collective intelligence of a global executive community to help leaders make better decisions with greater confidence. Our Workforce Excellence Intelligence is built on evidence, not opinion. By continuously studying leadership, learning, talent, human resources, artificial intelligence, and the future of work, we identify what drives exceptional organizational performance—and translate those insights into practical frameworks, benchmarks, and guidance that organizations can apply immediately. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide—including many of the world’s leading employers and Human Capital Management solution providers—have engaged with Brandon Hall Group through our research, advisory services, Excellence Councils, Institute, certifications, and the globally recognized HCM Excellence Awards®. Together, they create one of the industry’s richest ecosystems of workforce knowledge, best practices, and proven results. Our purpose is to make Workforce Excellence achievable for every organization and establish it as the global standard for organizational success.
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