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Kristi Gardner
Vice President, Talent Acquisition
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
Nominated For: The Exceptional Leader Award
This award honors senior leaders who are championing the future of early career hiring within their organizations. These individuals are making the case for investing in Gen Z talent, guiding their teams through transformation, and aligning leadership around the importance of connecting with the next generation. They are bold advocates for candidate experience, early talent strategy, and using innovative approaches to close the gap between what Gen Z candidates expect and how companies show up.
From the Community: Why this Nominee Stands Out
To be considered for the CRCAs, individuals had to be nominated by a peer, manager, colleague, or direct report. This quote was shared by the person who nominated this person for recognition, highlighting the impact and excellence they’ve demonstrated.
“Kristi is the VP of TA for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, I directly report to her as the Sr. Mgr of early career talent and programs. She has redefined early career hiring transforming it from a tactical function into a strategic talent pipeline that directly fuels the company's future. With visionary leadership, she has built programs that not only attract top Gen Z talent but also ensure these emerging professionals feel seen, heard, and empowered from day one. Under her guidance, early career hiring has evolved into 120+ interns nationally and 3 separate rotational programs that she secured buy-in for across the company. Through bold ideas, empathetic leadership, and unwavering commitment, Kristi has not only championed early career hiring, she has made it a cornerstone of the company's growth and culture strategy.”
Vote for Kristi Gardner as the winner of the Exceptional Leader Award by voting through the form below!
Congratulations to Kristi for being nominated for the Exceptional Leader Award, part of RippleMatch's 2025 Campus Recruiting Choice Awards!
Explore all Award categories and this year's standout nominee class by clicking the button below:
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