Future Leadership Program Nomination

Future Leadership Program (FLP) candidates must: 

  • Be 40 years of age or younger as of January 1, 2027. 
  • Have at least five (5) cumulative years of general professional experience as of January 1, 2027. 
  • Have at least three (3) cumulative years of professional experience in the confectionery industry (candy, chocolate, gum and mints) as of January 1, 2027. 
  • Be a current employee engaged in a confections-related role (candy, chocolate, gum and/or mints) at an NCA member company or qualified retail customer. 
  • Aspire to executive leadership within the confectionery industry. 
  • Demonstrate commitment and dedication to NCA and the confectionery industry. 
  • Have the support of their employer to participate if selected*. 

*NCA facilitates the evaluation process, it does not vote on or influence the selection of participants. For more information on these elements, view the  weighting and criteria.

Program Guidelines

  • Max of five (5) applicants per company 
  • Only one participant per company may be selected per year 
  • Selection committee members may not provide recommendations for applicants 

Please note: Applications are evaluated and selected by a committee of industry peers. A nomination does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Nominees must submit an application and will be evaluated according to the same criteria as all other applicants. 

The deadline to nominate is Friday, September 18, at 11:59p.m. EDT

To be eligible for nomination, the person must meet the following criteria:

  • Be employed by an NCA member company or a qualified retail partner 
  • Be 40 years old or younger as of January 1, 2026 
  • Have at least 5 years of professional experience, including internships and roles within family businesses 
  • Have a minimum of 3 years in a confectionery-related role 
  • Have the full support of their employer to participate in the program 

Future Leadership Program applications are reviewed by a committee made up of industry professionals, including past Future Leaders, based on the following criteria:

  • Leadership experience 
  • Examples of personal and professional development 
  • Writing and communication skills, as demonstrated in applicants’ essay submissions
  • Professionalism and the presentation of their application materials 

Program policies:

  • Max of five (5) applicants per company 
  • Selection committee members may not provide recommendations for applicants 
  • Only one participant per company may be selected per year 

For more information on these elements, view the weighting and criteria for each element of the application.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Who is submitting the nomination for the 2027 Future Leadership Program?

Name(Required)

Who would you like to nominate for the 2027 Future Leadership Program?

Name(Required)

Please complete the form below to nominate someone for the 2021 Future Leadership Program. Upon submitting the form, the nominee will be notified of their nomination. To be eligible for nomination, the person must meet the following criteria:

  • Candidates must be current employees of an NCA member company or qualified retail customer.
  • Candidates must be 40 years of age or under as of January 1, 2021.
  • Candidates must have at least three (3) cumulative years of experience in the confectionery industry as of January 1, 2021.
  • Candidates must demonstrate commitment and dedication to the confectionery industry.
  • Candidates must have aspirations for executive leadership within the confectionery industry.

  • Who is submitting the nomination for the 2021 Future Leadership Program?

  • Who would you like to nominate for the 2021 Future Leadership Program?

Applications for the 2027 Future Leadership class will be accepted through Friday, September 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.