“The individuals chosen by the selection committee represent an incredibly bright future for the economic development profession,” said Andy Levine, president of DCI. “It’s an honor to celebrate their achievements.”
The youngest winner is 26 with the pool consisting of 14 women and 26 men.
The South and the Midwest dominated with 10 award recipients each, with the most recipients located in Florida. Large communities of 200,000 or more came away with the majority of award recipients, with 26 winners. The smallest community has a population of 2,800.
Of particular note, five of the 40 Under 40 are from outside of the United States, four from Canada and one representing Zurich, Switzerland. Within the U.S., 22 states are represented.
“This was the third time we’ve hosted this event,” Levine said. “We received more than 170 nominations, the largest response to date.”
An independent six-member selection committee evaluated and chose the winners based on their exceptional contributions to the economic development industry.
“I was impressed by the energy and dedication of these developers,” said Zach Patton, executive editor at Governing Magazine and 40 Under 40 selection committee member. “Their passion for good economic development really stood out in their smart innovations, thoughtful programs, and cool ideas.”
Economic Development 2017 40 Under 40 Award Winners
- Joe Agostinelli, Associate Vice President, Southwest Michigan First
- Max Ault, Vice President and Director of Business Growth, Columbia River Economic Development Council
- Megan Barnett-Livgard, Business Retention & Expansion Manager, Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership
- Scott Bowles, Business Development Coordinator & Retail Strategist, City of Provo, Utah
- Danielle Casey, Director of Economic Development, City of Scottsdale, Arizona
- David Colligan, Global Business Expansion Division Manager, City of Austin, Texas
- Jennifer Conoley, Senior Economic Development Representative, Gulf Power Company
- Grant Cothran, Manager of Intermodal Development, Norfolk Southern Corporation
- Ashley Elrod, Program Director of Economic Development, Indy Chamber
- Jonathan Ferry, Financial Analyst & Major Projects Manager, Saint Louis Development Corporation
- Peter Frosch, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership
- Jeremiah Gracie, Economic Development Administrator, City of Dublin, Ohio
- Cecilia Harry, Executive Director, Greater Fremont Development Council
- Justin Horvath, President & CEO, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership
- Devin Howland, Workforce Development Program Director, Central Arkansas Planning and Development District
- Michael Karmerlander, Vice President of Economic Development, Greater San Marcos Partnership
- Michelle Kauk, Senior Vice President of Communications & Public Relations, Greater Phoenix Economic Council
- Gord Knowles, Community Development Advisor, Atikokan Economic Development Corporation
- Ana Liss, Managing Director of Business Development, Greater Rochester Enterprise
- Kevin Little, Vice President, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce
- Carmen Lorentz, Former Economic Development Director, State of New Hampshire Division of Economic Development
- Meridith Marshall, Health and Wellness Champion & Senior Regional Economic Development Manager, Colorado Office of Economic Development, and International Trade
- Alexander McCoy, Director of Economic Development, Garrett County Department of Economic Development
- John McPherson, Sector Development Manager, Vancouver Economic Commission,
- Paul Nguyen, Economic Development Specialist, City of Hayward, California
- Jillian Ochs, Director USA, Greater Zurich Area
- Nathan Ohle, Former Senior Advisor, U.S. Economic Development Administration
- Colon O’Leary, Principal, O’Leary & Associates LTD
- Scarlett Phaneuf, Vice President, Bay County Economic Alliance,
- Scott Poag, Project Manager, Augusta Economic Development Authority
- Jake Rishavy, Vice President of Innovation & Technology, Denver South Economic Development Partnership
- Jose Romano, Director of Business Development, Texas Governor’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism
- Charles Sexton, CEO, One East Kentucky
- Crystal Stiles, Director of Economic Development, Florida Power & Light Company
- Jenna Sudds, Executive Director, Kanata North Business Association
- Andrew Tate, President, Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, Inc.
- Ben Teague, Executive Director, Asheville-Buncombe County Economic Development Coalition
- Peter Tokar, Economic Development Director, City of Alpharetta, Gregoria
- Brent Willett, Executive Director, Iowa’s Cultivation Corridor
- Gabrielle Zurita, Senior Director of Marketing, JAXUSA Partnership
For more information on DCI’s 40 Under 40 winners, visit www.aboutdci.com/40under40.
About DCI
Considered the leader in marketing places, Development Counsellors International (DCI) specializes in economic development and tourism marketing. The agency has worked for more than 450 cities, regions, states, and countries since it was established in New York City in 1960. www.aboutdci.com
