The Daily Record announces the 20th anniversary winners of Influential Marylanders

The Daily Record has announced the 61 honorees of its 2026 Influential Marylanders awards.

Influential Marylanders recognizes those who are leaving a mark on the community throughout the state. Honorees were selected by the editors of The Daily Record for their contributions in their respective fields and their leadership in Maryland.

This year marks the program’s 20th anniversary, celebrating two decades of recognizing the exceptional leaders whose vision, innovation and service have helped shape Maryland’s business, civic and nonprofit communities.

Honorees were selected in the following areas: civic leadership, communications, education, finance, freestyle, general business, healthcare, law, philanthropy, real estate and technology. Elected officials are not eligible for this award because they are, by nature, influential.

This year, four three-time winners are inducted into the Circle of Influence. The 20th anniversary inductees are Franklyn Baker, United Way of Central Maryland; Spike Gjerde, Ecco Project; Linda Gooden, Board of Regents, University System of Maryland; Lori Villegas, Morgan Stanley.

“The 2026 Influential Marylanders demonstrate an impressive record of accomplishment, leadership and vision. They are actively engaged in the community, and they mentor others,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of BridgeTower Media/The Daily Record. “This year’s honorees are such an impressive group of leaders, and they are examples for everyone to emulate. We at The Daily Record are pleased to honor this year’s Influential Marylanders.”

For a complete list of honorees, click here.

Influential Marylanders will be honored at a celebration Sept. 30 at The Grand Lodge in Cockeysville.

The event has limited attendance and will sell out. If tickets are available after the sponsorship deadline, a limited number will go on sale. For sponsorship information, contact Fischer-Huettner at [email protected].

For more information about the event, click here.