I initiated this project, which I coordinated in addition to my regular duties as Business Weekly editor. I'm particularly proud of the cross-department collaboration. The 40 Under 40 Awards were fruit of a collaboration of several departments at Reading Eagle. It showcased the diverse talent of our community from our varied occupations and industries. I gathered a committee of independent judges from the community who advised us on the creation of the program, reviewed nominations and select the winners. Some editors questioned whether we could even get 40 nominees but we surpassed that and found the cream of the crop of up and coming leaders. I was told it surpassed expectations on the advertising money it made and as a return on investment it surpassed other company projects. I do not know the details because we kept editorial content separate from advertising.

These awards, sponsored by Penn State Health St. Joseph, recognize outstanding leaders in the Berks County region. The following women and men were selected to be part of the Reading Eagle's first "40 under 40" list. These awards, sponsored by Penn State Health St. Joseph, recognize outstanding leaders in the Berks County region who are excelling in their organizations through their leadership roles. They are driven by success, motivated by challenges and are role models for their peers.