by YPAL Director of Communications, Erin Spalding
This week, Business First will recognize and publish a special section dedicated to 40 young professionals in our community. They are Louisville’s top Forty Under 40 and we are proud to announce that over 30% of those being honored with this prestigious award are or have been members of our organization.
Congratulations to current and former YPAL members: Brittany Caskey, Rachel Ford, Ankur Gopal, Larry Horn, Heather Johnson, Lauren Jolly (former YPAL Board Member), Nirupama Kulkarni, Christoper Lavenson, Jean Lee (YPAL President-Elect) , Morgan McGarvey, Ben Reno-Weber (former YPAL Board Member), Dr. Tad Seifert, Allison Truttmann & Rebecca Weis (YPAL President).
This class, as a whole, has an impressive and diverse resume. There are CEOs, presidents and vice presidents, top-tier executives, founders, professors and deans, small business owners, digital gurus, doctors, lawyers and bankers and anyone should feel honored to be counted among their ranks.
Business First created the Forty Under 40 special section in 1996 to introduce its readers to the next generation of business professionals. Now, the list of accomplishments of each class is longer each year and the award is a testament of what Louisville’s young professionals are already doing as community leaders.
The award has also become a demonstration of how much our city values and supports young talent. Business First does not have to pull teeth each year to find its nominees. This year, they received nearly 500 names when they opened the nomination process in April. Once the nominees were contacted and submitted their application and letter of recommendation, judges had a list of 280 complete nominations to whittle down to just 40.
Business First’s Forty Under 40 is an elite club full of distinguished alumni that many young professionals aspire to join. Companies know it’s a great honor to have one of their own selected. We all wonder, “What criteria do the judges look for when selecting a Forty Under 40 candidate?” On October 1, YPAL will be hosting representatives from Business First representatives including editor, Carol Timmons and publisher, Tom Monahan, to explain the nomination and selection process at our annual Forty Under 40 Luncheon. Many of this year’s recipients will be in attendance as well. This is your chance to get your questions answered and network with a group of individuals anyone would be glad to have in their contacts list. Register for this event by Friday, September 27.
Congratulations again to all of Business First’s Forty Under 40 Honorees and especially those we are lucky enough to have within the YPAL ranks. Keep an eye out for Business First’s special section on September 27 for a full profile on each honoree.
YPAL Members Only: Louisville Economic Development Focus Group
Network at Night
