To select the members of Extel’s 2025 All-America Executive Team, we surveyed buy-side analysts, money managers and sell-side researchers at securities firms and financial institutions that cover the region, including those who cast and received votes in this year’s 2025 All-America Research Team survey. We asked voters to name the best chief executive officers, chief financial officers, and investor relations professionals at the companies in their coverage universes. 3,497 money managers and buy-side analysts and over 340 sell-side researchers provided their candid feedback.
All votes are weighted by rating (five, four, three, two and one). We also asked them to rate the companies’ IR programs on the following eight performance attributes: in Services & Communication, “Authority & Credibility,” “Responsiveness,” “Earnings Calls,” “Business & Market Knowledge,” and “Virtual Meetings/Presentations”; and in Financial Disclosure: “Consistency,” “Granularity,” and “Quality & Relevance.” These ratings were aggregated to produce an overall IR Program rank for each company. Nominations for Company Board, ESG, and Investor Events were also solicited from the voters as a separate distinction.
The overall rankings in each rankings category are based on combined buy- and sell-side votes. Separate rosters (buy side, sell side) are also available for each award classification.
To earn the designation of Most Honored Company, a company must achieve a weighted score of at least 12 for its published positions in the Best CEO, CFO, IRO, IR Program, Investor/Analyst Event, ESG, and Company Board categories. Each first-place position is worth three points; second place, two; and third place, one. In the 2025 All-America Executive Survey, over 1,425 companies were nominated across 44 sectors.
Most Honored designations in the Mega-Cap (>=$200B) rankings follow the same methodology, but firms must achieve a weighted score of at least 46 points based on their combined buy- and sell-side results. For the Large-Cap ($50B - $200B), firms must achieve a weighted score of at least 20, and for the Large-Cap ($10B - $50B) firms must achieve a weighted score of at least 24 points based on their combined buy- and sell-side results.
Most Honored designations in the Mid-Cap rankings follow the same methodology, and firms must achieve a weighted score of at least 11 points based on their combined buy- and sell-side results. Most Honored designations in the small-cap rankings are based on receiving the highest total weighted score from the seven categories, per category.
To be eligible for inclusion on the 2025 All-America Executive Team, a company must be headquartered or have operational or executive headquarters in the region. We keep confidential the identities of the survey respondents to ensure their continuing cooperation. Voters must meet eligibility requirements, and winners must achieve a minimum vote count.
As America’s top chief executives reflect on 2025, there were many things out of their control—from macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures to the pace of technological change. But focusing on what was in their purview—from operational excellence, innovation and supporting their teams—made all the difference, according to members of Extel’s 2025 All-America executive team.
“The leading constraint of running the business this year has been navigating intensifying macroeconomic pressures as net consumer sentiment continues to decline,” said Scott Boatwright, CEO of Chipotle, and this year’s top-ranking chief executive among restaurants as voted for by buy- and sell-side participants who evaluated more than 1200 CEOs across credibility, leadership and communication for the annual ranking.
At Chipotle, this meant staying disciplined putting the customer first. “That focus helps us earn trust today and positions us for durable growth when conditions improve,” he said.
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