Meet 20 rising stars helping build the future of Modesto, Stanislaus County
Are you weary with the drumbeat of negativity about our region’s “brain drain” of young professionals to the Bay Area and elsewhere?
This section is your antidote.
The Bee started the 20 Under 40 program in an effort to put a spotlight on the many rising young leaders who stayed here (or returned after education) and are working tirelessly to make our region a better place. These superstars don’t often get the recognition they deserve, and 20 Under 40 – which will birth a new class each year – helps correct that.
As you browse through the profiles you’ll find a diverse group of individuals who have worked tirelessly to build careers, families and the community they love. Their collective passion for our region sets the foundation for a better future.
So please take the time to read the profiles – written in their own words in a question-and-answer format.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the panel of judges who chose the winners. Each spent hours poring over more than 70 nominations. So a heartfelt thank you goes out to Dan Costa, CEO, Innov8 Partners LLC; David Darmstandler, CEO and co-founder, Datapath; Ron Foster, Foster Farms; Stephanie Gallo, vice president of marketing, E.&J. Gallo Winery; Jeff Grover, president and owner, Solecon Industrial Contractors; Marian Kaanon, president and CEO, Stanislaus Community Foundation, and Yamilet Valladolid, Modesto site supervisor, El Concilio.
The community is invited to attend a special event at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Gallo Center for the Arts, where we’ll honor the members of the first class. Tickets are $25 and are available through the Gallo Center box office. The ticket buys you admission, appetizers and drinks.
Congratulations to The Bee’s 20 Under 40 Class of 2016!
Joseph Kieta: 209-578-2356, jkieta@modbee.com, @JosephKieta
This story was originally published August 21, 2016 at 6:54 AM with the headline "Meet 20 rising stars helping build the future of Modesto, Stanislaus County."