2025 WBA AWARDS & ELIGIBILITY

WBA’s awards celebrate the achievements and excellence of our members!

Awards will be announced at the WBA Member Awards Night on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at the Embassy Suites in Brookfield, WI. All nominations for this year's awards must be received by Friday, March 7, 2025. 

Recipients will be notified in advance and will receive tickets for their friends and family to attend the awards night. In recognition of the awards, honorees will receive trophies or plaques at the awards presentation.

Awards include Bakery of the Year, Bakers Hall of Fame, Baking Instructor of the Year, Partner of the Year, Legacy of Service Recognition, Most Valuable Baker (MVB), Rising Star, and Milestone Recognition!

BAKERY OF THE YEAR

The Bakery of the Year award is presented annually to one outstanding WBA Member bakery. The purpose of the award is to highlight and recognize the accomplishments of WBA Member bakeries. The Bakery of the Year Award is sponsored by Valley Bakers Cooperative Association. 

Bakery of the Year Recipients Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be an active WBA member

• Contribute non-monetarily to their community, the baking industry, and WBA

• Have something that qualifies the bakery as an outstanding business

BAKERS HALL OF FAME 

Started in 2000, the Bakers Hall of Fame honors those individuals for their service to the baking industry. The purpose of the Bakers Hall of Fame is to honor those who have provided 20 years or more of outstanding service to the baking industry.

Bakers Hall of Fame Inductees Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be a past or present WBA member

• Must have given outstanding service to the WBA and the baking industry over the years
  
  

BAKING INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR

This award honors one Baking Instructor from a Wisconsin Technical College for their outstanding commitment to baking and pastry arts education and excellence in teaching baking skills to their students. 

Baking Instructor of the Year Recipients Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be an active WBA member

• Be employed as an instructor at one of Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges
  
  

PARTNER OF THE YEAR

The Partner of the Year Award recognizes a WBA Member Partner who has demonstrated commitment to Wisconsin’s baking industry and the Wisconsin Bakers Association. This award is given to a WBA Member Partner who has shown commitment to quality, innovation and partnership. 

Partner of the Year Recipients Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be an active WBA Partner or Preferred Partner member

• Demonstrate commitment to the overall success of the baking industry and WBA
  
  

LEGACY OF SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD

WBA’s Service Recognition Award recognizes a member who has demonstrated using their success to give back to their community, donates and/or volunteers for charitable causes locally, nationally or globally.  

Legacy of Service Recognition Recipients Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be an active WBA member

• Be a community-minded or philanthropic business

• Have an impact on your local community (donations/volunteering) and/or non-profit organizations

• Empower individual members of your management team or staff to use your business as a platform for greater good
  
  

MOST VALUABLE BAKER (MVB)

Introduced in 2017, the Most Valuable Baker (MVB) is awarded to recognize an extraordinary WBA member who contributes above and beyond to the WBA.

Most Valuable Baker (MVB) Recipients Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be an active WBA member

• Contribute above and beyond to the overall success of the WBA
  
  

RISING STAR AWARD

The purpose behind WBA's Rising Star Award is to honor a WBA member who has demonstrated a passion for their work in the industry and shows promise for future contributions to the baking industry and WBA.

Rising Star Award Recipients Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• Be an active WBA member

• Demonstrate a commitment to fostering the education of future bakers
  
  

MILESTONE RECOGNITION

Is your bakery celebrating a milestone this year? Please email jessica@wibakers.com!

To nominate a member for an award please complete THIS FORM.