AFP Pinnacle Awards Finalists Demonstrate How Financial Innovation Drives Charitable Impact

The Association for Financial Professionals has selected American Airlines, Stanford University, and The World Bank as finalists for the 2025 Pinnacle Awards, highlighting how financial innovation in treasury operations creates significant value that often supports broader charitable and educational missions. Sponsored by Truist, these awards recognize organizations implementing forward-looking solutions that improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

Pat Culkin, President & CEO of AFP, stated that the organization remains committed to highlighting forward-looking solutions that will inspire the broader treasury and finance community in its pursuit of excellence. This commitment extends to the charitable component of the awards, with Truist donating $10,000 to a charity of the winner's choice, directly connecting financial innovation with philanthropic impact.

American Airlines developed an industry-first Collateral Management System in partnership with GTreasury that centralizes treasury operations and achieves near-total global cash visibility. The solution integrates collateralized debt, fleet management, cash, FX, and investments into one platform, boosting automation from 50% to 90% and increasing cash visibility from 65% to 99%. This efficiency gain frees up to 20% of the treasury team's time for higher-value work, potentially allowing more resources to be directed toward community and charitable initiatives.

Stanford University created UniRev©, a secure, scalable payments platform that modernizes transactions for over 300 campus merchants. This innovation has delivered more than $1.3 million in annual savings while restoring confidence in central finance operations. The solution, which integrates with the university's branding and backend systems, is now being licensed to other universities and nonprofits, extending its financial benefits to the broader educational and nonprofit sector. The substantial cost savings enable universities to redirect funds toward scholarships, research, and community outreach programs.

The World Bank launched FundsChain, a blockchain-based solution that digitizes and tracks funds disbursed to developing nations. Replacing manual, paper-heavy reporting with end-to-end digital traceability, FundsChain enhances transparency, accountability, and trust in global development financing. Its impact includes financing typhoon recovery in Manila, empowering 95,000 youth in Kenya with education and training, and supporting over 750,000 households in Bangladesh. This technological innovation ensures that billions in development funding reach intended beneficiaries more effectively, maximizing the charitable impact of international aid.

Chris Ward, Truist Head of Enterprise Payments, emphasized the importance of innovation, stating that at Truist, they believe innovation in treasury and finance is essential to driving simplicity, speed and safety across the enterprise. The recognition of these organizations through the Pinnacle Awards demonstrates how financial excellence can create lasting value that extends beyond corporate boundaries to support educational institutions and global development initiatives.

Voting is open to select the Grand Prize winner, who will be announced during AFP 2025, the premier conference for financial professionals offering opportunities to learn new ideas, exchange best practices, and connect with peers. The charitable donation component underscores how financial innovation and corporate recognition programs can directly support philanthropic causes, creating a virtuous cycle where operational excellence enables greater charitable giving and social impact.