• 2007
  Linda Marrow, Vice President/Editorial Director, Ballantine
• 2006
  Lucia Macro
  Executive Editor, Avon Books
• 2005
  Leslie Wainger
  Executive Editor, Harlequin Enterprises
• 2004
  Donna Hayes
  Publisher and CEO Harlequin Enterprises
  and
  Isabel Swift
  Vice President of Editorial Harlequin Enterprises
• 2003
  Donna Seaman
  Booklist
• 2002
  Award not given
• 2001
  Carol Stacy
  Romantic Times Publisher
• 2000
  Jeff Bezos
  President & CEO, Amazon.com
• 1999
  No award given
• 1998
  Daisy Maryles
  Executive Editor, Publishers Weekly
• 1997
  Kay Murray, Attorney
  Authors Guild
• 1996
  Evan M. Fogelman
  Literary Agent
• 1995
  Gerald Ratcliff
  Bookseller
• 1994
  Richard Curtis
  Literary Agent
• 1993
  Jayne Ann Krentz
  Author
• 1992
  Marilyn Black
  Publisher, Meteor Kismet
• 1991
  Kate Duffy
  Executive Editor, Meteor Kismet

*Prior to 2006, the Vivian Stephens Industry Award was known as the Industry Award. The award name was changed in order to honor one of RWA's founders, Vivian Stephens.