Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND — The Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce this year’s Top 35 Under 35 honorees for the Grand Island area.
The individuals selected to join this elite group have demonstrated exemplary leadership, dedication to the growth of the community through both professional and personal accomplishments, and a commitment to Grand Island’s success.
“A community is only as good as its next generation,” said Jamie Karl, president of the Grand Island Chamber. “Fortunately, Grand Island is blessed with some of the nation’s most talented and community-minded young professionals. The Chamber is proud to recognize these 35 individuals, all of whom will play a critical role in leading Grand Island area well into the future.”
The Top 35 Under 35 honorees will be recognized for their achievements and featured in a special print publication at the Chamber’s ceremony on April 25, 2024.
This year’s Top 35 Under 35 honorees are:
- Lindsay Avila, Amur
- Guadalupe Ayala Montanez, Multicultural Coalition
- Miguel Baeza Aguilera, Wayne State College
- Payton Best, JEO Consulting Group
- Rene Blauhorn, Blauhorn Law
- Taylor Brase, Central Community College
- Bo Bruning, Chief Construction
- Emily Byerly, Stuhr Museum
- Cassandra Casares, Unity Eye Centers
- Hannah Fair, Ryder Rosacker McCue and Huston
- Mary Frickey, Riverside Lodge Retirement Community
- Kyla Fuchtman, Northwest Public Schools
- Laura Gamboa Urrego, YWCA of Grand Island
- Eric Garcia-Mendez, Heartland United Way
- Sydney Armstrong-Grint, Radiant Modern Dentistry
- Christine Haba, Central Community College
- Kelly Hranac, Country House
- Karen Hurst, Stuhr Museum
- Mikaela Keene, Roe Buick
- Kelsie Kimbrough, Amur
- Kristen Klein, GIX
- Eon Lemburg, Grand Island Public Schools
- Taylor Lemburg, State of Nebraska – District 9 Probation
- Kendra Lutz, Greater Grand Island Community Foundation
- Ashley Meister, Central Nebraska Humane Society
- Jacob Morrow, Grand Island Public Schools
- Jacie Moul, Amur
- Claire Nelson, Amur
- McKayla Ross, Amur
- Jamie Royer, City of Grand Island
- Karli Schulz, Nebraska State Fair
- Seth Swerczek, Hornady
- Megan Vaughn, Greater Grand Island Community Foundation
- Nelly Venegas, Literacy Council of Grand Island
- Andrew Wilshusen, JEO Consulting Group
The Top 35 Under 35 award was developed as a strategy to help address workforce recruitment and retention. Recruiting and retaining young professionals, through initiatives such as this, is essential to the continued growth and prosperity of our business community.
The Chamber selected three local business leaders to a blind review of the Top 35 Under 35 applications. The selection committee had a challenging task of narrowing the large field of qualified applicants to just 35. This year’s judges were:
- Justin Pfenning, Dramco
- Laura McAloon, City of Grand Island
- Blake Corman, Grand Auto Sales
The Top 35 Under 35 is a biennial award. The next recognition will be in 2026.