20 Under 40

20 Under 40

The program, in partnership with the Abilene Reporter-News, recognizes local business leaders under the age of 40 who are excelling in their career field. Nominees should be those who are making a real impact in the Abilene community with their leadership, drive, strong vision, and notable entrepreneurship.

Previous Recipients

Do you have a young professional that is greatly impacting your organization or business? Do you know of a young professional actively working to elevate our region? Nominate them today for 20 Under 40!

Nominations for the class of 2023 are now open, and will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Friday, Oct. 28. For questions, please contact Laurin Kocurek.

Criteria for the award is as follows:

• Must work in Abilene

• Must be under the age of 40 as of Jan. 1, 2023

• Must not have been a previous 20 Under 40 honoree

Tips to make sure your nomination stands out. ​

1. Be thorough. If you know your nominee does a lot in the community, but you are not sure what it is, FIND OUT! Incomplete nominations don’t win. Amazing people tend to be humble and you might not know everything they are involved in. Get to know your candidate and represent them in the best light. Do some research; talk to their spouse, sibling, parent, boss, business partner, board members, etc, if necessary.

2. Data tells a great story! Knowing that your nominee grew their business from 4 to 30 employees, raised $10M for their charity, increased sales by 150% or volunteers 500 hours/year impresses our judges.

3. Be concise and specific. Bullet points are great!

4. Call out achievements and awards; even if outside of their professional capacity.

An anonymous selection committee meets and reviews the nominations to determine the 20 recipients.