Nominations open for '20 Under 40'

Look around you, folks. You’ll notice a rising star among your coworkers, community members, peers and friends. Young professionals are making a difference here in the Flathead and it’s time to once again recognize them.

After a successful first year, “20 Under 40” is returning to the Flathead, and nominations are open.

Last year’s inaugural community celebration of these young professionals under 40 involved people like you stepping up and nominating nearly 100 talented business owners, professionals and up-and-coming leaders from all corners of the valley. This group of nominees was reviewed by a selection committee that ultimately narrowed the list to 20. These young “rising stars” were celebrated by nearly 300 in attendance at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell.

Whitefish Credit Union is again the premiere sponsor helping to bring the celebration to our area.

“Whitefish Credit Union enjoys a long tradition of supporting innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Josh Wilson, vice president of marketing for Whitefish Credit Union. “Celebrating the ingenuity of our community’s young professionals highlights how special it is to live and work in the Flathead Valley.”

This year nominations are open a few weeks earlier to allow for a bigger window for review and selection. Young professionals can be nominated through an online form hosted on dailyinterlake.com, hungryhorsenews.com and whitefishpilot.com.

For such a small community, the Flathead Valley has a surprisingly large group of vibrant and active young professionals. Last year at the luncheon, it was fascinating to hear their stories and learn about their passion for the future of our community.

To be eligible, nominees must work and live in Flathead County and be under 40 as of March 1, 2018. As a nominator, this is a chance to honor a peer, a young mentor or someone in the community you admire. It is an opportunity to share their inspiring story of success with others. If you know someone who sets the bar high and serves as an example to you and others, this is your chance to shine a light on them. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges comprised of local community leaders who will review all nominations and any accompanying supporting documentation. The judges will select winners who best represent a cross-section of professions, industry, gender and background that mirrors the Flathead Valley’s business sector. Judges are looking for a compelling story about an area business or community leader who has achieved demonstrated success in recent years. The best nominations demonstrate a nominee’s path to success, unique talents and achievements, community involvement, etc. Community members are welcome to nominate more than one “20 Under 40” nominee.

This year’s honorees will again be announced during a celebratory Kalispell Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Red Lion in June and will be followed by a special keepsake publication that will appear in the Inter Lake. Details on the event will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Having a strong network of young talent is crucial to developing an economy that will ensure a strong future for the Flathead. The nominees are some of the brightest young talent of the next generation of Flathead Valley leadership. l look forward to see who will be named to this year’s class,” said Joe Unterreiner, president of the Kalispell Chamber.

For more information, contact Anton Kaufer at 758-4410 or Kate Lufkin of the Kalispell Chamber at 758-2801.

Anton Kaufer is director of advertising at the Daily Inter Lake and Hagadone Digital Montana.