People, in general are amazing. The amount of thinking power and drive the average person has truly is incalculable. Determination, fortitude, and willpower are all outstanding attributes that the average person has the ability to harness and utilize on a daily basis. The choice on whether or not to use these attributes falls on the person themselves, and the winners each year of the Dayton Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 certainly choose to make the most of those qualities.
For a little under two decades, the Dayton Business Journal has reached out to the Dayton community for help with identifying the Young Professionals who embody these characteristics and are making a direct impact in the Dayton region. Not just anyone is allowed to become a part of this elite group. This intense nomination process can have hundreds of individuals nominated by local business owners and community leaders. These nominees are then reviewed by a committee to see how their community and regional efforts have benefited the Dayton Area.
Carol Clark, Publisher of the Dayton Business Journal, told me, “Our annual Forty Under 40 Awards honors young professionals who not only continue to advance their careers, but also work to make Dayton a better place for all of us through innovative injection of regional improvement ideas and considerable community service. For 17 years now, the list of winners each year is impressive and we continue to consider them rising stars and people to watch. Many of our former winners have become some of the city’s top leaders."
In 2014, I was honored to be announced as one of the winners of the Forty Under 40 award. I believe this was a direct by-product of the initiatives I helped create, as well as participate in, within the region. At first I did not truly understand at the time what an achievement this truly was. I was a 27 year old who thought, “Wow, this is pretty fun.” Then I started to read the bios and learn about the other winners who were in my class, and began to realize how amazing it was to be thought of as an equal to any of these community leaders.
Forty Under 40 is an amazing honor to receive. I highly encourage you to nominate someone today if you have not already done so. Simply click the link below to nominate. It has changed my life for the better, and wouldn't you like to be the catalyst of change for someone else in the community, helping them continue their pursuit to make the Dayton Region the best it possibly can be.