December 19, 2025

San Diego, Calif. — Dec. 19, 2025 —ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, is proud to announce that it has been honored by CRN^®, a brand of The Channel Company, with the Gender Parity award at CRN’s third annual Women of the Year Awards Gala. Winners were celebrated in New York City at Gotham Hall with an event recognizing the exceptional achievements of women leaders and forward-looking companies who support channel companies.

“The Women of the Year awards carry real weight in our industry, and it was a privilege to accept the Gender Parity Award on behalf of ESET North America,” said Marissa Pitchford, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at ESET North America. “At ESET, we are committed to creating an environment where women can grow, lead and help shape the future of cybersecurity. This award reflects the passion and dedication of my HR and ESG colleagues who champion inclusion every day, and it’s a validation of the steady, sometimes invisible work that goes into building equitable environments where people can thrive.”

The Gender Parity award recognizes an organization with a strong, demonstrable commitment to nurturing and advancing women within its workforce. ESET and other finalists are recognized for developing diverse teams, significant representation of women in leadership roles, and sustained efforts to support women’s development, retention, and long-term career growth.

ESET stood out for its dedication and measurable progress toward gender equity. While ISC2 research shows women make up 22% of the cybersecurity workforce globally, women represent 37% of ESET’s workforce and 42% of its leadership roles, including 50% of the executive leadership team. Over the past three years, ESET has also increased the promotion rate of women by 15% to reach 36% to ensure advancement opportunities more closely reflect their representation in the talent pool. Globally, ESET’s Mexico, Argentina, and Singapore offices have reached full gender parity, with 50/50 representation.

A key milestone behind this award is ESET’s long-standing Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, which celebrated its tenth anniversary this year in North America, and has expanded to seven countries. To date, the program has supported 40 women in North America who have gone on to pursue careers across the cybersecurity industry. ESET’s commitment also extends into the San Diego community through partnerships with local organizations including the Girl Scouts of America, Greater Than Tech, #LatinaGeeks, and Promises2Kids. These collaborations provide cyber education, mentorship, and early STEM career exposure to thousands of girls and young women each year.

“I am privileged to celebrate the extraordinary achievements and unwavering dedication of the 2025 CRN Women of the Year honorees,” said Jennifer Follett, Vice President, U.S. Content, Executive Editor at CRN, The Channel Company. “The drive and passion of these remarkable leaders and allies are reshaping the IT channel and fueling ongoing progress. We deeply value their impact on innovation and growth in the technology industry and eagerly anticipate all they will accomplish moving forward.” 

At the Women of the Year Awards Gala, ESET North America’s Director of Channel Marketing, Hope McCluskey, was also recognized as a finalist for Role Model of the Year.  

To learn more about the winners, visit the 2025 Women of the Year Awards website: crn.com/women-of-the-year. 

About ESET

ESET® provides cutting-edge cybersecurity to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown—securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts, and blogs.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world's top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers, and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.

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