SBJ honors eighth class of 40 Under 40

The eighth annual event was held at Oasis Inn and Convention Center and was emceed by KY3 TV anchor Tim Tialdo. (Click here for photos of the event.)

Honorees were chosen from about 100 nominees. They were, in alphabetical order: Amy Austin, City Utilities; Brent Baldwin, UMB Bank; Jason Brawner, TrialPoint Inc.; Adam Brown, Amberg Entertainment Inc.; Sam Clifton, Millstone Homes LLC; Cara Connelly, KY3 TV; Sam M. Coryell, Coryell Enterprises Inc.; Ken Dawson, McKesson Corp.; Mike DeBacker, National Park Service - Department of Interior; Andrea Deckard, A. Deckard Interiors; Thomas H. Douglas, Jmark Business Solutions Inc.; Matthew Ennis, formerly of Springfield Symphony; Matt Gifford, Springfield Cardinals; Chris Harmon, American Red Cross; Brian Hickman, BKD LLP; Jeff Jenkins, Skinny Improv; Joseph Johnson, Lathrop & Gage LC; Dr. Tim Jones, CoxHealth/Steeplechase Family Physicians; Michael Kolstad, Evangel University; Anjanette Labellarte, Welcome Wagon; George J. Lamelza III, Team Media LLC; Brooke Liggett, Kirkpatrick Phillips Miller; John Marion, John Marion Construction LLC; Jeremiah Mee, Roberts Mangan McKenzie & Cummings; Joe Metzger, Kraft Foods Inc.; Dana C. Montgomery, Commerce Bank; Kris Nau, Empire Bank; Timothy Oetting, U.S. Bank; Jennifer Passanise, St. John’s Health Systems; Nicole Piper, Child Care Resource and Referral; Catherine Reade, Haden Cowherd & Bullock; Kelly Rostic, media personality; Jennifer Sanders, Paragon Investigations; Jacob Sappington, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin; Jeffery Smith, Butler, Rosenbury & Partners; John Taylor, Drury University; Fawn Warner, The Discovery Center of Springfield; Kendra Williams, Springfield-Greene County Health Department; Shan Wilson, Chrishan Park LLC; and Ryan Zweerink, Ozark Laser Systems & U.S. Photonics.

An independent panel of five judges selected the 40. Judges were Julie Vanvig of Journal Broadcasting; Rhonda Burks of Murney Associates; Kyle McClure of City Utilities; and Aaron Jernigan of The Signature Bank.

Click here to submit a nomination for the 2007 class of honorees.