This latest honor follows on the heels of The Daily Record naming Zacharias one of Maryland’s 2016 Most Admired CEOs.

Baltimore SmartCEO has named Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) President and CEO Claudia Zacharias, MBA, CAE, a 2016 Circle of Excellence Award finalist. The Circle of Excellence program recognizes the area’s most-accomplished business leaders for their industry impact and market leadership. This honor puts Zacharias in the running for her second award of 2016; in August, The Daily Record named her one of Maryland’s 2016 Most Admired CEOs.

BOC has provided credentials demonstrating the competency and proficiency of Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) and Durable Medical Equipment (DME) professionals and suppliers for more than 30 years. In the seven years Zacharias has been with BOC, revenue has increased nearly 50 percent, due in part to the addition of two new credentialing programs, the Certified Durable Medical Equipment Specialist (CDME) and Pharmacy Accreditation. Zacharias’ innovative launch of an inside sales program, unconventional in the non-profit sector, combined with a focus on technology and partnership-building, also contributed to the dramatic fiscal results for BOC.

Additionally, under her leadership, BOC is the only one of eight approved accrediting organizations to achieve net growth in the number of facilities accredited in recent years. Finally, Zacharias spearheaded a revamped customer service experience that in a four-year period garnered BOC five prestigious Stevie^® Awards for customer service and innovation.

“I am honored to have been recognized as a finalist for this respected award,” says Zacharias. “It is the work ethic and dedication of BOC’s staff and Board of Directors that has allowed BOC to grow and I am fortunate to be surrounded by such a hardworking team.”

Baltimore SmartCEO created the Circle of Excellence Awards program to recognize the region’s most accomplished CEOs for business excellence in distinct categories. Each year, an independent committee of local business leaders selects the winners based on their business sector influence and industry leadership.

“The Circle of Excellence finalists are shaping the future of Baltimore’s business community and ensuring the sustainability, safety and efficiency of our community for years to come,” says Jaime Nespor-Zawmon, president of SmartCEO. “We proudly recognize their successes and contributions, and we believe that their impact will make a difference for customers and clients across the nation.”

The 2016 Circle of Excellence Awards finalists will be honored November 15, 2016 at an expected sell-out event. More than 300 local executives and guests will gather at the B&O Railroad Museum to celebrate and honor Baltimore’s top business leaders who have successfully taken their companies to the forefront of their chosen industries. The event will kick off with a networking reception, followed by a video-packed awards ceremony that will announce all winners, including those in professional services, Zacharias’ category of nomination. Zacharias and other finalists will be profiled in the November/ December issue of Baltimore SmartCEO magazine.

For more information about Baltimore SmartCEO’s 2016 Circle of Excellence Awards program, visit http://www.smartceo.com/baltimore-circle-excellence/.

About BOC
For more than 30 years, the nonprofit Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has provided credentials demonstrating the competency and proficiency of O&P and DME professionals. BOC offers National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA)-accredited certification programs in five O&P disciplines: orthotics, prosthetics, pedorthics, orthotic fitting and mastectomy fitting. BOC also offers the Certified DME Specialist™ (CDME™) certification for DME staff. BOC partners with O&P and DME facilities, including pharmacies, that provide Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS), by offering accreditation that evidences compliance with standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and various state boards. Learn more at www.bocusa.org.

About the Circle of Excellence Awards
The Circle of Excellence Awards program recognizes the region’s most accomplished CEOs for business excellence in distinct categories. Companies are nominated from all size and industry categories, public or private. Each year, an independent committee of local business leaders selects the finalists and winners based on their industry impact and market leadership. Finalists are profiled in the November/December issue of SmartCEO magazine and celebrated at an awards reception in November, where the winners are announced live.

About SmartCEO
SmartCEO’s mission is to educate and inspire the business community through its award-winning magazine, connections at C-level events and access to valuable online resources. SmartCEO’s integrated media platforms reach decision makers in the Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Long Island, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas. For more information about the 2017 Circle of Excellence Awards nomination process and sponsorship opportunities, email Jolene Lutz at jolene@smartceo.com.