Recognizing Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs PUBLISHER
John H. Zwarensteyn: jzwarensteyn@geminipub.com EDITOR
Carole Valade: cvalade@geminipub.com MANAGING EDITOR
Tim Gortsema: tgortsema@geminipub.com COPY EDITOR
Donna Ferraro: dferraro@geminipub.com STAFF REPORTERS
David Czurak: dczurak@geminipub.com Pete Daly: pdaly@geminipub.com ONLINE EDITOR
Chris Ehrlich: cehrlich@geminipub.com ONLINE REPORTERS
Charlsie Dewey: cdewey@geminipub.com Mike Nichols: mnichols@geminipub.com STAFF RESEARCHER/REPORTER
Pat Evans: pevans@geminipub.com NEW MEDIA, DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER
Scott Sommerfeld: ssommerfeld@geminipub.com ASSISTANT DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER
Chris Pastotnik: cpastotnik@geminipub.com ART COORDINATOR
Kelly J. Nugent: knugent@geminipub.com DESIGNERS/PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Melissa Brooks: mbrooks@geminipub.com Kristen Van Oostenbrugge: kristenv@geminipub.com Robin Vargo: rvargo@geminipub.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Johnny Quirin
GENERAL SALES MANAGER
Randy D. Prichard: rprichard@geminipub.com ADVERTISING SALES CONSULTANTS
Christina McDonald Meister: cmeister@geminipub.com Craig R. Rich: crich@geminipub.com Julie Van Gessel: jvangessel@geminipub.com
ADVER. SALES ASSISTANT/COORDINATOR
Karla Warnock: kwarnock@geminipub.com
nominees show eye-opening diversity The West Michigan region has no shortage of major business leaders actively involved in the recruitment and retention of young professionals. The creation of GRid70, Talent 2025, local TedX events, and even the work of the youngest DeVos entrepreneur, Rick, to build 5x5 nights and StartGarden all have united West Michigan’s biggest corporate citizens as well as smaller business owners to give thousands of hours and attention to the issue. The Grand Rapids Business Journal and grbj.com annual 40 Under Forty effort to highlight young professionals is testament to such endeavors, one which is extended far past the current class. The ripple effect is one of encouragement throughout the region. GRBJ first began profiling these young leaders in 1995. The classes that have come before are equally rich with talent and depth, now representing some of the area’s most successful businesses. It is a group of eye-opening diversity, not just for gender and ethnicity but in terms of the types of businesses represented. It is a class extended by the 131 nominees who enrich the community. The number of nominations is just slightly less than the record number in 2011, when 140 nominations were received. Grand Rapids Business Journal is exceedingly grateful for the investment of time in this process by nominators and business leaders. The judges welcome the onerous task and annually comment on the strength of the nominees. All leaders in their own right, they have a true passion for the task. Each of the judges makes the drive to Grand Rapids from their easterly offices and spends a very long day considering each nominee. Scoring is based on business acumen and successes and community involvement. We are grateful for the judges’ time and for their enthusiasm, both for the nominees and for the region. Judges this year included: Chris Scharrer, executive director of Leadership Oakland and owner of a business leadership consulting firm; Don Taylor, coordinator of the University of Michigan – Urban Land Institute real estate forum and retired university business development and real estate developer; and Bob Thomas, executive director of Michigan Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which includes Leadership Michigan. Grand Rapids Business Journal will honor the 2012 40 Under Forty Class, the nominees and nominators Oct. 16 with a networking reception from 5:30- 8:30 p.m. at the Goei Center. Each member of the class will be honored during a formal presentation of the award. We will keep readers and subscribers informed with real-time news on Facebook and Twitter. — Carole Valade
CIRCULATION & MARKETING MANAGER
Scott T. Miller: smiller@geminipub.com CIRCULATION & MARKETING COORDINATOR
Dana Blinder: dblinder@geminipub.com CIRCULATION & MARKETING ASSISTANT
Shane Chapin: schapin@geminipub.com
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Pamela Brocato, CPA: pbrocato@geminipub.com
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Tina Gillman: tgillman@geminipub.com RECEPTION
General Inquiries: info@geminipub.com Lorraine Brugger: recept@geminipub.com GENERAL INQUIRIES
info@grbj.com
CHrIS SCHArrer
TO ORDER REPRINTS
don tAyLor
BoB tHoMAS
Karla Jeltema: kjeltema@geminipub.com (616) 459-4545
P U B L I C A T I O N S
RESEARCH BY
AUDITED BY
40 under forty 2012 | Grand Rapids Business Journal 3