Three companies from across the globe were recognized for their award-winning Data Governance programs.
Over the years, many companies have stood up data governance practices – from broad company-wide strategic efforts to small business case-based initiatives.Their successes, big or small, have encouraged and empowered others to start their journeys.
Often these successes are not celebrated or communicated out to other data governance practitioners. Based on this, the Data Governance Professionals Organization (DGPO) created the Annual Data Governance Best Practice Award. It is awarded to practitioners within a non-vendor organization in recognition of the business value and technical excellence they have achieved in the design and implementation of an outstanding data governance program. “We frequently read how challenging it is to implement a data governance program,” said Davida Berger, Founder and President of DGPO. “We saw a great need to show that success in data governance is definitely achievable.”
This past March, the DGPO completed judging submissions for the 2020 Data Governance Best Practice Award. “For 2020, we received 16 submissions from companies across the world: Africa, Europe, Mexico, Canada and the United States,” said Berger. “I am so pleased to see the global response as well as the diversity of industries represented.” The 2020 submissions represented diverse industries from agricultural, financial, healthcare, real estate, insurance, utilities, telecommunications as well as government agencies at the state and federal levels. Each submission was judged based on the following criteria:
- Business need(s) being addressed
- Approach used to design, develop and implement the program
- Scope and depth of the Data Governance Program as well as program longevity
- Data governance defined roles and responsibilities
- Communications and marketing approaches
- Policies, procedures and processes established
- Program metrics and business value provided
The Judging Panel for the 2020 award was made up of DGPO Board Members, DGPO Advisors, as well as previous award winners:
- Barbara Deemer, Navient, DGPO Charter Member
- Michele Koch, Navient, DGPO VP Professional Services and Head Judge
- John Ladley, Sonrai Solution, DGPO Advisor
- Janet Lichtenberger, Walgreens Boots Alliance
- David Loshin, Knowledge Integrity, DGPO Advisor
- Cynthia Parsons, Nationwide Insurance, Winner of the 2019 Best Practice Award
- Sal Passariello, DGPO Treasurer
- Kevin Shannon, DGPO VP of Communications, and Winner of the 2018 Best Practice Award
In April, the DGPO announced Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana as the winner of the 2020 Data Governance Best Practice Award. The Standard Bank Group and GSK Worldwide Real Estate & Facilities were selected as finalists.
“We are so honored to receive this award,” said Curtis Mischler, the Data Governance Program Lead. “It is a testament to the effort the entire Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana team have put into making Data Governance a fundamental part of the business.”
Toby Hall, SVP, Chief Actuary, and Chief Data Officer added, “We take our responsibility to care for and steward our customers’ data very seriously. This recognition further validates that we’re doing that the right way.”
DGPO Lead Judge, Michele Koch said, “Delta Dental’s Data Governance program exemplified the characteristics of a successful program that is focused on business-driven decision making, solving their data challenges, and reducing operating costs while building the foundational pieces of their Data Governance program. Their focus on strong roles and detailed responsibilities, innovative communication and marketing strategies, and documented program metrics and quantified business value clearly demonstrated why their program is the Winner.”
Delta Dental’s award-winning program will be the feature DGPO webinar this September–be sure to watch for registration information to learn how they were able to achieve sustainable data governance success.
Second place winner, The Standard Bank Group, will be featured at for DGPO ‘s July 1st Webinar. “We are truly humbled and honored,” said Dumisani Mthimkhulu, the Head of Data Asset Management Platforms at The Standard Bank Group. “Congratulations to all the 16 companies who submitted their amazing stories. We are all winners! I strongly believe that data can be better governed and managed to present a consistent and unified picture of how companies are doing, as the main competitive service differentiator, while proficiently serving all its stakeholders. Let’s all keep going…”
Third place winner, GSK Worldwide Real Estate & Facilities, will be the featured at a DGPO webinar later this year. “We are honored to be rated in the top three! We want to say thank you to the Award Judges Panel, thank you for your valuable time spent on reviewing and rating our submission,” said Katarzyna Rafalska, Data Governance and Management Lead. “This award puts a little bounce in our steps.”
Since the award’s inception in 2017, there have been several note-worthy winner and runner-up’s:
| Winner | Second Place | Third Place | |
| 2017 | Vanguard | TIAA | Dun and Bradstreet |
| 2018 | Dun and Bradstreet | Freddie Mac | Arkansas Insurance Department |
| 2019 | Nationwide Insurance | Salt River Project | Amica Mutual Insurance Company |
If you are interested in learning more about each submission, all submissions are available in the DGPO member only area on our website.
The DGPO is a non-profit, vendor neutral, association of business, IT and data professionals dedicated to advancing the discipline of data governance. If you would like more information about the DGPO and benefits of membership, please check out the DGPO Website.
Please join us for our upcoming webinars featuring Data Governance Best Practice Award winners as well as other data governance practitioners.
July 1, 2020
Data Gamification – Leveling Up in Data Governance
Dumisani Mthimkhulu
Standard Bank Group
August 5, 2020
Best Practices with Data Catalog and MDM
Sunil Soares – Information Asset
Nader Anaizi – Honeywell International
September 2, 2020
Award Winning Data Governance
Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana
Winner of the 2020 DGPO Data Governance Best Practice Award
Toby Hall and Curtis Mischler – Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana
This column was written by the DGPO VP Communications – Ela Wardowski.
