AZ Business magazine and BestCompaniesAZ present the Most Admired Companies program each year with the goal of recognizing organizations that excel in these six key areas: Customer opinion; diversity, equity, and inclusion; innovation; leadership excellence; social responsibility; and workplace culture. One of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies for 2021 is American Express.


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With hundreds of nominations representing the most innovative, impactful and successful companies in Arizona, being one of Most Admired Companies of 2021 shows that these companies truly represent the best in Arizona business. The Most Admired Companies for 2021 will be honored at an awards dinner Oct. 7, 2021, at Pointe Hilton Resort Tapatio Cliffs in Phoenix. Title sponsors for the Most Admired Companies awards are WaFd Bank and Taylor Morrison. For sponsorship information, email Amy.Lindsey@azbigmedia.com. For information about the event honoring the Most Admired Companies, email Lynette.Carrington@azbigmedia.com or click here.

Azbigmedia.com will be spotlighting one of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies each day leading up to the awards dinner.

American Express

Most Admired Company: 2010-2021

Top Arizona executive: Gabrielle Vitale, executive vice president, chief compliance and ethics officer

What it does: Largest credit card issuer by purchase volume.

Admirable trait: In 2020, American Express launched an action plan to advance its diversity, inclusion, and equity priorities. The plan is supported by $1 billion in investments, enhancing diverse representation and equal opportunities for  American Express colleagues, customers, and communities. In 2020, American Express made additional investments to achieve full pay parity, reaching 100% pay equity for colleagues across genders globally and across races and ethnicities in the U.S.

Diversity: In 2020, American Express launched an action plan to advance its diversity, inclusion, and equity priorities. The plan is supported by $1 billion in investments, enhancing diverse representation and equal opportunities for its colleagues, customers, and communities.