The Institute for Career Advancement Needs Leadership Award, a prestigious honor presented annually at ICAN’s Women’s Leadership Conference, recognizes people who live and lead authentically through the “4 C’s” of Collaboration, Compassion, Confidence and Creativity.

This year’s recipient, the sixth, was Carmen Tapio, founder, president and CEO, North End Teleservices LLC. Tapio receive her award at the 28th Annual ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference, held Aug. 11 in Omaha.

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude to receive the 2021 ICAN Leadership Award. ICAN’s high-integrity, compassionate and transformational leadership model inspires so many,” Tapio said in a news release. “Receiving this recognition is such an honor. We all lead, in our own way, every day; it’s how we lead that moves people to action.”’

A dedicated servant leader within her community, Tapio has built a global career that embodies and exemplifies her passion for success in business and thriving communities, the release stated.

Tapio’s current role as founder and CEO of North End Teleservices is the culmination of her passion for business and community by creating jobs and changing lives in northeast Omaha.

North End Teleservices takes a holistic view of everyone they employ; not only by helping them to create a vision for their lives and what is possible but also by helping them to achieve it.

Additionally, Tapio’s company serves as an example of the positive impact business can make on individual families, and the community, by creating pathways to career advancement and leadership.

Her leadership approach has translated into numerous accolades including Small Business of the Month, Business Excellence Small Business of the Year and Business Excellence in Innovation by the Greater Omaha Chamber, Best Corporate Culture by the Urban League of Nebraska Young Professionals and the 2020 Urban League African American Leadership Award for Business.

Tapio is the 2023 incoming board chair of the Greater Omaha Chamber, and the first African American woman to serve in this leadership capacity. She is also a 100 Black Women Legacy Award Honoree, WCA 2020 Tribute to Women Honoree, a recipient of the 2020 Urban League of Nebraska African American Leadership Award for Business, the Greater Omaha Chamber’s 2020 Volunteer of the Year, a 2021 Enterprising Women of the Year Awardee and a 2021 winner of The Bloc’s 50 Over 50 Award.

“We are proud to partner with ICAN to present Carmen Tapio with the 2021 ICAN Leadership Award,” said Alicia Edsen, vice president and corporate safety director at Kiewit. “Carmen is a coalition builder, compassionate leader and in both business and the community, she works tirelessly to get at the heart of issues to enable change. She represents all the qualities ICAN and Kiewit look to recognize with this award.”

Susan Henricks, President and CEO of ICAN, concurred.

“We could not be more impressed with her accomplishments,” Henricks said. “She has founded a successful company, she is extremely active in community events, and she uses job creation as a means of changing lives.”

Tapio led North End Teleservices through the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing new communications to stay in touch with her staff and looking for creative ways to keep people safe while respecting each individual’s situation, maintaining the company’s culture and ensuring clients felt cared for.

She uses her platform to bring new people to the table to solve problems, and, according to her nomination form, “makes each employee feel like a true equal in directing North End Teleservices to a prosperous future, and changing the lives of all who call North End Teleservices home.”

Past recipients of the ICAN Leadership Award include Josie Abboud of Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital; Nancy Pridal of Lamp Rynearson; Patricia Kearns of QLI; Tim Burke of OPPD; and Gail DeBoer of SAC Federal Credit Union (now Cobalt Credit Union).