Pinnacle Award Finalist
Congratulations to the AFP 2025 Pinnacle Awards Grand Prize Winner: Stanford University
American Airlines, Stanford University and The World Bank were named the AFP 2025 Pinnacle Award Finalists, sponsored by Truist
Learn more about the finalists’ submissions:
✈️ American Airlines
American Airlines partnered with GTreasury to build a custom Collateral Management System that centralizes treasury operations, streamlines debt portfolio management and delivers near-total global cash visibility. This industry-first solution integrates collateralized debt, fleet management, cash, FX and investments into one platform—boosting automation from 50% to 90% and freeing up treasury resources for more strategic initiatives.
The results have been transformative: cash visibility increased from 65% to 99%, risk has been reduced through automation and treasury teams have reclaimed up to 20% of their time to focus on higher-value work.
Going forward, American’s first-of-its-kind platform is setting a new benchmark for asset-heavy industries. By proving that a tailor-made treasury system can deliver scale, efficiency and agility in one of the world’s most complex operating environments, American Airlines has created a blueprint for other organizations. The platform not only strengthens financial operations today but also positions the airline for greater innovation, resilience and strategic growth in the years ahead.
🎓Stanford University
Stanford University developed UniRev©, a secure, scalable and cost-effective payments platform that modernizes how 300+ campus merchants handle transactions. By automating processes, improving compliance and unifying merchant services across departments, UniRev has already delivered more than $1.3M in annual savings while restoring confidence in central finance operations.
UniRev is more than just a payments tool—it’s a Center of Excellence that serves merchants of every size, from small student clubs to large university departments, while seamlessly integrating with Stanford’s branding and backend systems.
Its design makes UniRev both a unique achievement and a model for the future. By creating a solution that scales across a wide range of users and is now being licensed to other universities and nonprofits, Stanford is redefining what payments infrastructure can look like in higher education. The platform’s continued expansion promises to deliver lasting efficiencies, stronger compliance and a replicable standard that other complex institutions can follow.
🌍 The World Bank
The World Bank launched FundsChain, a groundbreaking blockchain-based solution that digitizes and tracks funds disbursed to developing nations. By replacing manual, paper-heavy reporting with end-to-end digital traceability, FundsChain ensures transparency, accountability and trust—making sure funds reach those who need them most.
The impact is already global: from financing typhoon recovery in Manila, to empowering 95,000 youth in Kenya with education and training, to supporting more than 750,000 households in Bangladesh—FundsChain is proving to be a catalyst for transformation.
Looking ahead, this initiative is redefining what’s possible in public financial management. By pioneering the use of blockchain to enhance transparency, reduce fraud and accelerate access to development funds, the World Bank is setting a new global standard. As FundsChain expands to more countries and projects, it has the potential to inspire governments and institutions worldwide to adopt more transparent, efficient and equitable financial systems.