Vena, an FP&A platform powered by agentic AI and tailored to the Microsoft technology ecosystem, announced the winners of the 2025 Venny Awards at the Excelerate Finance 2025 conference. These awards recognize individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to innovation, operational excellence, and strategic leadership within their organizations. Hunter Madeley, CEO of Vena, emphasized that the Venny Awards honor leaders who don't just embrace technology but leverage it to drive meaningful change. "These leaders are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in finance and operations, using data and technology to create real impact," he stated. The 2025 Venny Awards featured seven categories, each highlighting different aspects of financial and operational excellence: Financial Modeling Mastery: This category honors individuals who have employed Vena's platform to enhance operational agility and resilience through advanced financial modeling techniques. Kwame Moloko, Acting Chief Financial Officer at Scancom Ltd (MTN Ghana), received the award for his successful introduction of Vena into MTN Ghana’s core planning and reporting processes. His forward-thinking approach has identified new efficiencies and facilitated smarter, data-driven decisions. Financial Insights Innovator: This award recognizes exceptional use of Vena’s analytics and AI capabilities to produce groundbreaking financial insights that transform strategic decision-making. Brandon Combs, Director of Finance at Young Life, won for his innovative use of real-time data and enhanced analytics, which have significantly improved the clarity and impact of financial information, enabling more confident and effective decision-making. Excellence in Complete Planning: This category celebrates leaders who have seamlessly integrated financial and operational planning to drive strategic insights and organizational agility. Meg Bear, Controller at Turner Enterprises, was recognized for her dedication to making planning smarter, more aligned, and actionable, which has supported her company's long-term success. Excellence in Financial Leadership: This award honors outstanding achievement in transforming the finance function and improving business performance. Brandon Sharp, Chief Information Officer at Brookfield, was awarded for his strategic use of Vena to build a continuously evolving, driver-based forecasting model. His leadership has broken down silos, aligned cross-functional teams, and delivered real-time insights, redefining agile planning. Microsoft Innovation Leadership: This category celebrates individuals or teams who have effectively leveraged Microsoft’s ecosystem to drive transformative innovation. Andrew McFarlane, Finance Manager at Kuali, received the award for his pioneering use of Vena Copilot during the beta program. His expertise in optimizing ETL processes and simplifying allocation templates has streamlined data management and improved workflows, making him a key figure in the Vena community. Community Advocate Award: This award recognizes those who have played a crucial role in building and nurturing the FP&A community. Gus Arndt, Performance Reporting Manager and Associate Managing Director at Oakworth Capital Bank, was honored for his exceptional leadership as co-chair of the Banking & Credit Union user group. His efforts have driven collaboration and innovation, strengthening the FP&A community. Strategic Integration Partner: This category acknowledges partners who have successfully integrated Vena’s planning platform with other systems to enhance capabilities. Citrin Cooperman, a long-standing Vena partner, won for its expert integration strategies that bridge Vena with source systems, empowering finance teams to achieve greater efficiency and intelligence. Moving forward, Vena plans to expand the Venny Awards to include new categories, reflecting the evolving role of finance in modern businesses. The program will also welcome nominations from a broader community, fostering a culture of recognition and continuous improvement. The Excelerate Finance 2025 conference provided a platform for these honorees to share their experiences and insights, inspiring others in the finance and operations sector to adopt similar practices. For more details on the conference, visit exceleratesummit.com. Vena is a leading FP&A platform that integrates agentic AI and Microsoft technologies to enhance flexibility, efficiency, and intelligence in financial and operational planning. Thousands of global companies rely on Vena to streamline their planning processes and derive value from complex data. For additional information, visit venasolutions.com. Industry experts laud the Venny Awards for their focus on celebrating real-world applications of advanced technology in finance and operations. The awards highlight how agentic AI and seamless integration with existing technology ecosystems can drive significant improvements in decision-making and operational performance. This recognition not only elevates individual achievements but also sets benchmarks for best practices in the industry. Vena, known for its innovative solutions and strong partnerships, continues to lead the way in empowering finance teams to leverage technology effectively, ensuring they remain at the forefront of strategic business operations.