Emerging Leaders of United Way of Lake County Announce 4 Under 40 Award Recipients to be Honored

Emerging Leaders of United Way of Lake County Announce 4 Under 40 Award Recipients to be Honored

Mentor, OH (November 26, 2024) – The winners of the Emerging Leaders sixth annual 4 Under 40 awards will be recognized on Thursday, January 23, 2025, from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm at The Everly in Mentor over heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks.

The award serves to honor Lake County’s best and brightest young professionals for their hard work and achievements in the areas of leadership, community involvement, entrepreneurship, and professional accomplishment.

This year’s winners include Kathryn Baden, CEO of Olympus Aerospace; Rochelle Fowler, Process Specialist at The Lubrizol Corporation; Kerry Jonke, Manager of Customer Experience at Laketran; and Francisco Veloz, President of Veloz Landscape & Nursery.

The event is open to the public with advance registration. Tickets are $55 per person, $45 for members of the Emerging Leaders and Women United, and $30 for those under 21 years of age. Complete details and registration can be found at uwlc.org/el-4-under-40-2024.

Sponsorships that include tables of eight are also available and can be found by visiting the aforementioned website page. 

"Recipients of our 4 Under 40 award exemplify outstanding leadership in both philanthropy and personal achievement. These honorees symbolize the bright future ahead, and this recognition allows us to celebrate their meaningful impact on our community's success and progress,” said Brad Shimko, Chair of the Emerging Leaders.

Last year’s winners were honored in front of a crowd of two hundred and included Sarah Bals, Founder and Owner of 440 Marketing and Executive Director of Lake County Development Council; Lindsay Defeo, Owner of Leolo Hospitality in Mentor; Anna Dey, Owner of Smoothie King in Mentor and Painesville, Owner of Clean Eatz in Mentor & Westlake, Owner of The Yard on 3rd in Willoughby), Owner of The Vitamin Shoppe in  Huber Heights, Partner of Bario Tacos + Tequila in Columbus and Pittsburgh, and Founder and Director of The 24 in 24; and Dr. Andie Musial, Professor of Biology at Lakeland Community College.

United Way of Lake County President and CEO Dione DeMitro shared, “Lake County is filled with exceptional young professionals, making the selection process both inspiring and challenging due to the remarkable talent in our community.”

The winners were determined based on their hard work and achievements in four areas: leadership, community involvement, entrepreneurship, and professional accomplishment. 

The Emerging Leaders of United Way of Lake County welcomes new members interested in volunteering their time and talent to impact lives in the community. To learn more about the Emerging Leaders, visit United Way of Lake County’s website at uwlc.org/emerging-leaders.