Press Release: Innovation Research Interchange Announces Innovation Excellence Award Finalists and Winner of the Maurice Holland Award

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Innovation Research Interchange Announces Innovation Excellence Award Finalists and Winner of the Maurice Holland Award

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2025  CONTACT: NAM Media Relations
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Innovation Research Interchange, the innovation management division of the National Association of Manufacturers that serves as a community of industry leaders dedicated to accelerating innovation and top-line growth, announced the finalists for the 2025 IRI Excellence Awards. These awards honor those whose outstanding vision and tireless pursuit of excellence are already impacting our lives today and shaping the industries of tomorrow. The IRI is also pleased to announce the winner of the Maurice Holland Award for most outstanding article in its journal, Research-Technology Management, in 2024.

“This year, we received more Innovation Excellence Award submissions than ever before, reflecting the incredible dedication of organizations and individuals to pushing the boundaries of R&D. The outstanding quality of these entries showcases the vision, ingenuity, and impact that are shaping industries and transforming the future. We are proud to celebrate those who are setting new standards in innovation and driving meaningful change,” said IRI Assistant Vice President of Research and Strategy Lee Green.
 
2025 Innovation Excellence Awards:

Individual Finalists

The IRI Innovation Leadership Award celebrates visionary leaders whose exceptional contributions and transformative influence have advanced the landscape of innovation significantly.

Finalists:
Dr. Carmen Flosbach, Axalta Coating Systems
Dr. Amitabh Gupta, Linde
Dr. José Méndez-Andino, Owens Corning

The IRI Promising Young Innovation Professional Award recognizes individuals 35 and under at the time of nomination who have already begun to make an impact in the field of innovation in their organization, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

Finalists:
Dr. Kenneth Hernandez, DuPont
Dr. Eric Sirianni, INVISTA
Dr. Zheyue Yang, DuPont

Company Finalists

The IRI Excellence Award for Innovation in Sustainability recognizes recent outstanding achievement and projects that have made a meaningful impact and significant contribution to sustainability efforts in their organization or industry.

Finalists:
Eastman: A Better Circle
GAF’s California Cool® Shingles
PPG SIGMAGLIDE® 2390 Antifouling Coating

The IRI Excellence Award for Outstanding Innovative Culture recognizes organizations that foster inclusive, diverse, equitable and psychologically safe workplaces—cultivating an environment where innovation thrives. It honors companies championing upskilling and professional development to ensure their teams’’ adaptability and success in a rapidly changing world.

Finalists:
DuPont’s Dead Projects Day
Greene Tweed’s Culture of Excellence
James Hardie Building Products

The IRI Excellence Award for Digital and Technological Innovation celebrates outstanding achievements in the development or application of digital and technological solutions. The award seeks to inspire innovation and encourage organizations and teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible in their respective industries.

Finalists:
Dow Polyurethanes Predictive Intelligence Platform
Eastman Fluid Genius 3.0
INVISTA Virtual Subject Matter Expert

The IRI Excellence Award in Scientific Advancement is presented annually to innovation teams that have demonstrated remarkable leadership and accomplishment in scientific advancements.

Finalists:
AquaEC Flex Broad Bake Cathodic Electrodeposition Product
Hammerhead™ FR Flame Retardant Composite Sandwich Panels
Niron Magnetics: Permanent Magnet Technology

2024 Maurice Holland Award Winner
Each year, the IRI presents the Maurice Holland Award to honor the most outstanding article published in the previous year’s volume of the Research-Technology Management journal. Named for the IRI’s founder, the Holland Award is a replica of a “Jenny,”, the model of airplane Holland flew during his service in World War I. Holland’s son first presented the award in 1982. The RTM’s Board of Editors determines the recipient.

Winner: Rhetorical or Genuine Slack Time? Temporal Attributes, Barriers, and Outcomes of Slack Time
Written by: Heidi M. J. Bertels, Professor of Management, City University of New York – College of Staten Island
 
For more information on the awards and past winners, click here

-National Association for Manufacturer-
The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs 13 million men and women, contributes $2.75 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit nam.org. 

-Innovation Research Interchange-
The Innovation Research Interchange is the NAM’s innovation management division. The IRI is a community of industry leaders dedicated to accelerating innovation and top-line growth. IRI members drive impactful innovation, develop the research and development roadmaps and make the investments that keep manufacturing at the forefront of advancing technologies and improving the quality of life. For more information, please visit https://iriweb.org.