ABOUT FORTY UNDER 40

Who are the business stars of tomorrow? Each year, the Ottawa Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Awards answer that question. Here is an awards program that captures the entrepreneurial spirit and dynamism of Ottawa’s business community. The Forty Under 40 Awards recognize business people under the age of 40 who balance bottom line results with a desire to participate in charitable and community activities.

In January, a call for nominations is issued that generates scores of entries. These nominations are judged by a prestigious committee of business leaders. In the past, the committee has included the director of Ottawa’s Entrepreneurship Centre as well as senior partners from legal, accounting and real estate firms.

The judging process follows in April and the list of recipients is usually released in early May.

As always, the nominees are evaluated using three criteria: career accomplishments, professional expertise and community and charitable involvement.

The culmination of Forty Under 40 comes in June with a fun-filled gala that celebrates the new recipients.

For certain, this year’s winners are an eclectic bunch. They include high-tech CEOs, restaurant owners, professionals and executives from more business categories than you can imagine. There is no denying the Forty Under 40 recipients reflect Ottawa’s economic diversity.