(inspirational music) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) - [Announcer 1] And now, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 31st annual, "40 Leaders Under Forty Awards Celebration".

Please welcome to the stage, Chief Development and Engagement Officer for WTVP-PBS, Michael Eckhart.

(upbeat cheerful music) - Right, welcome everyone to the 31st Class of 40 Leaders Under Forty in Central Illinois.

We're so grateful to have you all with us.

We're very, very excited to be relaunching the program right now, and to be relaunching it under the banner of WTVP.

We're very, very grateful to all of our members, all of our sponsors who make all of this possible.

I need to start by thanking Henry Vicary and Caterpillar for they were our earliest sponsor for this, and without them, we may not have been able to do it at all.

(audience applauding) Thank you.

I need to thank as well all of our sponsors who you've seen on the screens outside, you see on the table signs in front of you.

Again, without them, this night, especially this night in this way, would not have been possible.

So thank you to each and every one of you.

(audience applauding) Now, we are a local broadcast station, and I also need to thank our members because without our members, we wouldn't exist at all, much less be able to be in a position to run an event like this.

So thank you to our members.

Please don't clap yet.

Tonight is a celebration.

It's not a fundraiser, but I just would be remiss if I didn't bring attention to the fact that WTVP exists solely as a benefit to the community to do all the good that we can and in every way that we can.

This is one of those things.

And my pitch for WTVP is kind of always the same.

If you love what we do, would you consider becoming a member?

There's a lot of things that we do.

I mean, we're a broadcast station first and foremost.

We provide educational content to kids that gets them ready for school, that's free to all, and accessible to all.

We provide PBS programs, again, free to all and accessible to all.

We have local programs that we produce, and then we have events like this 40 Under Forty.

We have the hopefully soon to be relaunched Local Legends, and a number of other events besides that, that we care deeply about and think make a difference in our community.

And so what I would ask is that if you love any of those things, would you consider becoming a member tonight?

You see in front of you, a little inspirational quote, a little tent in front of you there.

If you flip it over to the other side, we have a QR code that enables you to donate to WTVP.

Membership starts small, $5 a month is our basic membership.

And I'm saying all this because I really do believe in it.

I'm a member myself.

I think that the reason that we exist is because over many years, thousands of members have declared through their financial support that they want this for their community.

And so this is my appeal to you tonight before anything else happens, that all of this is possible because people have said that, this is your chance right now to make that same declaration.

And now, not later tonight, because you'll forget and this pitch will be wasted, and I worked so hard on it, heaven forbid that it was a waste.

Now, while you're doing that and while you're filling all that out, I need to present, I need to highlight another of the key pieces that allows us to do what we do, that is the individual who has taken on the Herculean task of writing this particular ship and piloting it into the future is our captain, the President and CEO of WTVP, Jenn Gordon.

If you would please welcome her to the stage.

(audience cheerful and applauding) (upbeat cheerful music) - Well, good evening and welcome.

The first thing you'll notice is I'm quite a bit shorter than Michael.

It is such an amazing moment to be gathered here altogether to celebrate and acknowledge extraordinary leaders who are doing extraordinary amounts of good in our community.

I joined WTVP-PBS 11 months ago.

It's hard to believe that.

And at the time, very quickly, a conversation arose about 40 Leaders.

The station had a limited amount of resources at the time, and we were navigating some very, very tricky situations and times.

But very quickly, the board agreed, we have to keep this program here.

We have to make it happen.

John Wieland, who you'll hear from a little bit later tonight said, "Jenn, let's make it happen in November."

And I said, "John, how about March?"

(audience laughing) And here we are.

But all that aside, I just truly wanna express my gratitude both to the Board of Directors and to the staff at WTVP-PBS, to Michael, and the extraordinary team that he leads at the station for bringing this event to life.

And because we are a public broadcasting station, we are also recording the event this evening for a broadcast at a later date, which we're very, very excited about.

So, yes (applauding).

(audience applauding) And that's why WTVP-PBS is so excited to carry the banner forward for 40 Leaders Under Forty.

We are your local public media station.

And as such, it's part of our responsibility to tell the great stories about the great leaders who are doing great things in our community.

And that's what you're gonna hear about tonight.

In a few moments, John's going to speak, and he's gonna be largely addressing tonight's honorees in his comments.

And my comments are not for the winners, but for the rest of us in the room tonight.

Tonight is not about resumes.

It's not about professional milestones.

And while we have beautiful awards that will be handed out momentarily, tonight is not about awards, not really.

Tonight is about our community coming together to say thank you to a group of individuals who are leading for the benefit of others and often at great cost to themselves.

You are here tonight because there's someone in your life who has accepted the unique burden of leadership.

Not everyone is designed to lead, and that's okay.

Leaders are not better people than anyone else, but they're uniquely wired to do a job that not everyone can do.

And we need them do it.

Good leadership is essential to the health and vibrancy and success of our community.

It moves us forward.

For Central Illinois to thrive, we need vision casting, hope-filled, hardworking, resilient leaders across all industries and all sectors doing what only they can do, leading well.

The forward momentum and upward trajectory of this community depends on good leadership happening in homes and schools, in community centers, in restaurants, in local banks, and hospitals, in churches, and nonprofits, in manufacturing and public works, in museums and community gardens.

Tonight's leaders serve in all these spaces and more day after day, problem solving, building healthy teams, and showing an unstoppable love and commitment to make this community better.

Our leaders tonight make it look easy.

But if you're here as part of the support system behind one of them, you know, it is not.

The road of leadership is often rocky, bumpy, and laden with failure.

Leaders often commit to living in a space of personal discomfort for prolonged seasons because they're trying to affect real change for real people who are hurting in our community.

Leaders can often feel low and burnt out and ready to throw in the towel, but they don't.

They keep on keeping on.

And tonight is our chance to say thank you to them.

I'm confident that none of the leaders that you'll see on this stage require attention or the applause that they will receive tonight.

But my hope is that our collective recognition and appreciation of their hard work will provide some lasting encouragement for them to keep serving and loving our community so well.

So now, it is my privilege to introduce our next speaker, former 40 Leaders Under Forty recipient, John Wieland.

John received the recognition in 1997.

He is the CEO of MH Equipment, and Founder of his first foundation.

John believes everything in life is connected, which led him to write the popular book on common threads, "Weaving a life through family, business, and faith."

He's been married to Julie for 42 years, and has four adult children and one grandchild.

And notably, John currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for WTVP, which means he is my boss.

But he is also one of the most talented leaders I have ever had the privilege to work with and learn from.

Please welcome to the stage John Wieland.

(audience applauding) (upbeat cheerful music) - Thanks, let me tell you what it's like being Jenn's boss.

She's been here for about 11 months, she said, and we tend to agree on a lot of things, but there was a couple things we disagreed on.

She told you one of them.

And so I said, "Well, why don't we get the opinion of the executive committee of the Board of Directors, which are my people."

(audience laughing) It did not work out very well.

Not only was I owe for two, I didn't even get a sympathy vote from any of the board members.

So the point is, don't mess with Jenn Gordon.

Anyway, you heard that I received the distinction of 40 Under Forty in 1997.

That was a long, long time ago.

But during my journey, I did learn at least two things.

Starting at MH Equipment in 1994, we had about 50 employees and a little over $5 million in sales.

Today, we're over 1,000 employees, and over a half a billion dollars in sales.

During the last 30 years, we've hit one financial milestone after another.

At a recent executive committee at our office, a couple of the executives said, "Hey, John, was there a specific month that stood out as your best month ever?"

And I thought about that, and they assumed that I would say one of the recent months where we were just having big numbers, but they were wrong.

I said, it was October of 1994.

You see, when Julie and I bought the company, it was virtually bankrupt.

So in May, we made like $6,000.

In June, we lost 5,000, et cetera, et cetera.

But in October, we made a whopping $30,000.

My executives, they were confused on why would you pick a month with such a small number compared to today?

And I said to them, "During those, from '94, from April to September, we really didn't know if we were going to make it, but when we made $30,000, we kind of figured we're gonna make it."

And this is the first point.

The joy and satisfaction that you get when you realize you're going to make it in life is so much more grateful than just simply accumulation of wealth.

So once I realized that I was probably going to make it, and the accumulation of wealth items isn't all it's cracked up to be, what's left?

I thought, "Well, try to maybe make a small difference in my small world."

To do that, I went back to a story in antiquity.

A long, long time ago, there was a group of people who were trying to change the world for the better.

Now, the leader of this group, it was a guy named Jesus.

You might have heard about him, okay?

But after him, there was a guy named Paul.

Now Paul, originally, he was trying to destroy this group, but he had a miraculous conversion, became a follower of Jesus, and he was impacting the world as much as anybody.

Late in his life, he went to a town called Ephesus, like Peoria to talk to a group of people.

And he said this, he goes, "You'll never see me again."

He knew that he was gonna be martyred.

And he said, "If you want to change the world, you need to remember one thing."

It's quite the prelude.

The guy that's impacting the world more than anybody is about to share his secret.

Put it this way, let's say you wanna be a great quarterback and you're on an airplane, and you end up sitting by Tom Brady.

You spend the entire time talking about football.

You land, and he goes, "Oh, I forgot to tell you one thing.

If you want to be a great quarterback, you have to remember this one thing."

Don't you think you would be listening and follow through?

Well, that's the same way these people felt about Paul.

But before I tell you what Paul said, what would the world say to a small group of people who wants to change the world?

The world would say, "You have to be well funded.

Ask people for money."

They would say, "You have to develop a power base so you can conquer those who are against you."

They would say, "Nothing changes without money or power.

Get money and power."

Is that what Paul said?

No, he said this, "If you wanna change the world, remember what Jesus said, 'It's more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Wow, if you want to change the world for the better, the thread that needs to weave through your life is the understanding that is more blessed to give than to receive.

And that's my second point.

And this plays out in three areas of our lives with our time, and our talents, and our treasures.

So I thought I'd do a self-assessment on how I was doing, so for my treasure.

Jesus also said something that was pretty cool.

He said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

In other words, if you wanna know where somebody's heart is, just look at where they spend their money.

Look at their checkbook.

Did my checkbook reflect the belief that it was more blessed to give than to receive?

In regards to our time, time is a great equalizer.

We all have 24 hours in the day.

Did I spend too much time at work, or at play, or even with my family?

How much time was I actually using to help other people, to help my community?

Did the use of my time reflect the belief that it was more blessed to give than to receive?

And then with our talent, each of us were giving some type of gift that we do really well in.

Typically, we use those talents for a job or a career, put food on our table, a roof over our head.

But then I realized that I was using any talents that I had just for those purposes.

Did the use of my talents reflect the belief that it's more blessed to give than to receive?

As I reflected on those questions, in my answers, I didn't fare too well.

And over the years, I've tried to lean into a life of generosity, but I have a long way to go.

But I wanna say this to the Class of 2024, which is over there, the 40 under Forty leaders, it's been established tonight that you are making it in this world, and that's one of the greatest joys that you will ever have, and you should be excited, and that is great.

But I'm in my mid 60's now, and I, along with millions and millions of other people have realized that true joy comes when you use the gifts that you've been given to enrich the lives of others.

In some ways, I kind of feel like I'm preaching to the choir of the 40 under Forty class because one of the categories to get elected is community service.

And since they got elected, obviously, they do community service.

I only ask that we simply don't just check off the box.

And this is to everybody in the room.

Find an organization or ministry that you can be truly passionate about.

When someone has a passion outside themselves, it is a game changer.

You become a better boss and a better employee.

You become a better spouse, a better parent.

You become a better friend, a better person.

And when we live out a life of generosity with our time, our talent and our treasure, our homes become healthier, our communities are stronger, and we discover the full beauty of our humanity.

Congratulations to the group of 2024.

Thank you very much.

- [Announcer 2] To begin our presentation of awards, please welcome to the stage, Vice President of Business Development and Advanced Medical Transport, Todd Baker.

(upbeat cheerful music) - Thanks very much.

Thank you all for being here.

How about one more hand for John Wieland?

That was very inspirational.

(audience applauding) I'm honored to represent the Class of 1999.

I know when John pointed out there, I was thinking, "No, I'm '99, not 2024," but I look like that.

So I'm honored to be here.

Each of these wonderful young candidates tonight excels at their workplace.

Most of them were nominated by people here in the audience, coworkers, bosses, individuals they work in the community with.

They're accomplished at their jobs, very young, but accomplished at their jobs.

But more importantly, they're giving back to our community.

They're investing their time in our community to make it a better place.

And there's one resource you just can't get any more of, and that's time.

I am honored to be here tonight to introduce the first six.

And please celebrate with me the beginning of the Class of 2024.

- [Announcer 2] Pierre Anyansi is a Network Security Engineer at Advanced Medical Transport, and the owner of Any It Support.

Pierre gives back to his community by supporting a local homeless shelter and teaching IT courses at the Minority Business Development Center.

He's passionate about helping those in need and noted for his commitment to student success.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) A graduate of Northwestern University Alexander Bousky is a Manufacturing Project Engineer at Caterpillar.

His team members and managers appreciate his engagement and leadership.

In spite of great personal loss, Bousky continues to help others, fostering the next generation of leaders and believing that great effort leads to great outcomes.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Brett Brooks has carved a unique path from journalism to filmmaking.

As the Founder and owner of Bee Squared Films and Peoria Miss Juneteenth, she fully embraces content creation, modeling, acting, and filmmaking.

Brooks proudly showcases the good that is happening in Peoria's Brown and Black communities, while mentoring local youth and helping them achieve their dreams.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (upbeat cheerful music continues) Noted for his humble service and community impact, Nickolas Connor has served as a Peoria Firefighter for 13 years.

He volunteers with several groups including the Fire Department, Look, It's my Book, and Peoria Public Schools, leading the Fill the Fire Truck initiative.

Connor loves that in Peoria, one person can make a difference through kindness and a good heart.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Called a bright light for our community, Raquel Dagit is a second generation Cat employee, working her dream job as a Commercial Talent Development Manager.

She believes in overcoming challenges by faithfully showing up and being willing to learn.

Dagit shows up for her family and community by volunteering at her church, her children's school, and supporting the Midwest Food Bank.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 1] From the Peoria Riverfront Museum, please welcome President and CEO, John Morris.

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) - How we doing?

Tonight is a celebration of leadership, and it looks good for our future ladies and gentlemen.

This is the city of gratitude.

Tonight, I'm grateful for WTVP-PBS for lifting up these extraordinary people.

And I am grateful for this second talented group of people who love this with all their hearts, and they are the future of this community.

Let's welcome them now, the second group of 40 Leaders Under Forty.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 2] Everley Davis is passionate about helping people explore diverse avenues of creativity.

As the Assistant Curator and Community Engagement Coordinator at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, Davis manages the Every Student Initiative, touching almost 100,000 local students and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) With over 14 years experience in public accounting, Adam Donahoe works as a Senior Manager at RSM.

Described as dependable and always willing to go the extra mile, Donahoe also serves on the Board of Directors for Goodwill of Central Illinois.

Adam and his wife both grew up in the region and are grateful to live near family and friends.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Marissa Draney is a third generation educator serving for 15 years as a teacher and now as the Principal of Peoria Academy.

Through her work at the school and in community organizations like Global Fest Peoria, Draney fosters collaboration, trust, and unity, believing that great leaders empower others to achieve their potential.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Driven by a deep love for her city, Mariama Ford is the Director of Human Resources and Finances with Central Illinois Friends.

She advocates for Peoria's arts, politics, small business and nonprofit sectors, while also passionately promoting mental health awareness.

Ford is a proud graduate of Central High School and devoted mother to Layla.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering and applauding) Ryan Foster has a lot of job titles, Founder, Owner, Chef, Leader, all aimed at helping others.

Foster flexes his chef skills at Hickory Catering and Hickory Stick and gets his hands dirty at Budded Mattah, an Urban Agriculture Initiative.

While Ryan has impacted many lives, he's most proud of his titles of husband and father.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 1] Please welcome to the stage, the President and CEO of Illinois Surgical Specialists, and WTVP Board Member Dr. Andy Chiou.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - It's always hard to follow John Morris.

I've spent my entire life doing that, so we're just so happy and pleased to be here tonight.

This is such a a wonderful event, the energy, the vibe, the community, this wobbling platform.

But these award recipients represent the (indistinct) of us.

They're bold and fearless in their support of our community, and we urge them to continue their good work, to keep shining, and to keep inspiring the next generations.

And lastly, on behalf of WTVP Public Television, welcome to the alumni of 40 under Forty.

Let's welcome them.

Let's welcome the next five recipients.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 2] Known as Pekins biggest cheerleader, Baylee Gambetti is an award-winning Realtor and works as a Designated Manager Broker for Remax.

Gambetti loves helping people feel at home in Central Illinois, and goes out of her way to make new friends.

She serves on several festival committees in the Kiwanis Club and helps in efforts to revitalize downtown Pekin.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Ben Getz credits his success to mentors who have helped him along the way.

He's the Director of Internal Audit Services at RLI and has achieved many designations to further his career.

His experience benefits several boards, including Bradley's Department of Accounting Advisory Council.

Getz serves at his church in Morton and counts himself blessed to raise his family here.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Jona Hall scales obstacles and then builds ladders to help others do the same.

Hall earned degrees from ICC, Penn State, and a certificate from Harvard, all as an online student and working mom.

She founded Zeta Mu Phi to help online students find funding and her non-profit, Illuminate: Lighting the Way Against Trafficking & Abuse has donated over $40,000 to various shelters.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Known for her energy, positivity and love for animals, Michelle Hayes works as the Director of Foster Care at the Children's Home Association of Illinois.

Hayes's passion for giving back was fostered by a cancer diagnosis at age 16.

Crediting her family and St. Jude's for saving her life, Hayes now supports St. Jude's and has raised thousands of dollars for their vital work.

(audience cheering and applauding) Francie Hinrichsen loves making her own way and helping others do the same.

She's an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and real estate investor, launching three companies in the areas of marketing, entrepreneurial education and real estate.

Hinrichsen champions the female business community and loves living in Central Illinois with her husband and two children.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience applauding) - [Announcer 1] Please welcome Peoria City Council Member, Andre Allen.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - Good evening, greater Peoria.

Make some noise!

(audience cheering and applauding) Congratulations to the Class of 2024, 40 Leaders Under Forty.

Great leaders may forge new paths and get out in front, but they are never alone.

The fist is always stronger than the finger.

They benefit from the support of mentors, and role models, and family members.

Each leader in the Class of 2024 represents a whole network of people who have helped 'em become who they are today.

That network includes past 40 Leaders under Forty as they now join hundreds of those alumni as they share the responsibility to pass along the insight and the support they receive to the leaders that follow him.

Class of 2024, never forget to lift as you climb, thank you.

(audience cheering) (upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 2] For the past 12 years, Ronnie Hudson II has lent his vast talents to Central Illinois.

This Georgia native works as an Embedded Software Engineering Team Lead and L5 Display Systems Coordinator at Caterpillar.

He also mentors young engineers.

Hudson's creative talent shines from the stage and TV.

He credits his success to the support of his wife and two children.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering) Born and raised in Peoria, Danni Jepson is known for her dependability, kindness, and humility.

(audience cheering) Her career trajectory has always related to sales, and she currently works as an Account Executive with Adam's Outdoor Advertising.

Through her work on the Board of the Pediatric Resource Center, Jepson is changing the world, starting in her own backyard.

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) Ranked top three in the nation, Lexi Kaiser is a licensed Funeral Pre-planning Specialist, serving families across Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

With her creative talents, she teaches speech and dance, choreographs for community theater, and raises funds for CASA through dancing with the local stars.

Through it all, Lexi prioritizes time with her husband and three sons.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering) Alicia Kamischke is quick to fill needed roles at work and in the community.

At Prairie Engineers, Kamischke is the State Local and Education Market Lead and built the role of project management officer from scratch.

She serves on several engineering boards and committees.

Alicia also volunteers as her son's soccer coach with the Cub Scouts, PTO and St. Jude's.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience applauding) Inspired to live life knowing she left it a better place, Kerry Klesath is the Director of the Special Education Association of Peoria County, which serves 16 school districts.

She has also participated in the St. Louis to Peoria St. Jude run for the past 10 years, Klesath embraces the challenge of being a working mom, passing down her family's values to her daughters.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 1] From OSF Healthcare, please welcome their Director of Strategic philanthropy, Theresa Murphy.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (upbeat cheerful music continues) - Thank you so much.

There are so many qualities that embody what a great leader is, but often the common denominator is the ability to overcome challenges both personal and professional.

It's during these times that our leaders learn about themselves, about strength and resilience, about empathy and gratitude, all while forging the path for our next generation of 40 Leaders Under Forty.

And it's not easy, but again, it nurtures the passion and purpose that we've heard about.

It's so important, passion and purpose for our family, our friends, our coworkers, our community.

It's something this group, our next group of 40 Leaders Under Forty share, and I am so happy to be able to introduce our next group of 40 Leaders Under Forty.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering and applauding) - [Announcer 2] A native of Central Illinois, Devon Knobloch has worked in banking since graduating from Bradley University with a degree in accounting and is now a Commercial Lender for Fortress Bank.

Devin is noted for his character and impact on local businesses and organizations such as his church and Midwest Food Bank.

He and his wife spend their free time keeping up with their three children.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Described as an outstanding Attorney, husband, and father, Brett Kolditz is a hardworking public servant who improves his hometown and state.

Kolditz is an Attorney with the Illinois Attorney General's office Workers' Compensation Bureau.

As the longest serving member of the CDBG Public Service Advisory Commission, Kolditz finds it rewarding helping nonprofits realize their visions.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Kimberly Ku is a curious, positive lifelong learner.

Dr. Ku works as a Community Physician Partner at Illinois Cancer Care and has triple board certifications in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine.

She speaks at scientific conferences and contributes to medical literature.

Dr. Ku enjoys cultivating a farming lifestyle with her three children.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Alexandria Lavin steered a search for answers to her daughter's illnesses into a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with primary immunodeficiency called the Yellow Bear Foundation.

Lavin has now raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for several medical nonprofits through special events and volunteering.

Lavin lives in Peoria with her husband and three children.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Reagan Leslie's job titles include Preservationist, Interior Designer, and Founder of Leslie Tyler Design and Build.

But at her core, she's an Artist.

Her preservation work grew from her experience caring for a 1908 Tudor revival.

Through TV appearances, her company, and her volunteer work, she highlights the beauty and history of Peoria.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering and applauding) - [Announcer 1] Now, please welcome the Chief Resource Officer for Midwest Food Bank, Jada Hoerr.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - Good evening, Peoria.

Many of Central Illinois's greatest achievements can trace their roots back to a 40 Under Forty Leader.

I'm humbled to be a part of this amazing group, a group whose positive influence and legacy has strengthened our community.

As we welcome the next 40 Under Forty Leaders, they are joining the ranks of 1200 alumni.

I am confident that their impact will continue to grow and shape our community for generations to come.

Let's welcome the next crew.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 2] Lisa Martin uses her strengths in leadership and accounting to make an impact on the world from right here in Central Illinois.

Martin is the Chief Financial Officer for Midwest Food Bank and oversees operations of the Morton Division.

Passionate about feeding those in need, she also serves on several committees and leads students at church and camp.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience applauding) School Counselor and Family Liaison at Peoria Public Schools, Michaura Pittman is a dedicated advocate for youth and families.

She's pursuing a Doctorate in Education, is a National Certified Counselor, and a member of several professional associations.

She loves mentoring young people with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and caring for her husband and two sons.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) Claudia Plumer uses science to serve justice.

As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Plumer works at the Pediatric Resource Center and specializes in medical evaluations for young victims of sexual abuse.

Her many volunteer hours serve organizations that support rural communities.

Claudia is proud to live in Stark County with her husband and four children.

(audience applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) An avid advocate for her patients, Dr. Nicole Rau is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and a Clinical Neonatologist and Associate Program Director of the pediatric residency at OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois.

Dr. Rau also serves on the Board of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

She enjoys the outdoors with her family whenever possible.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) As a child, Liridon Rrushaj envisioned contributing to groundbreaking research to help those in need.

Now with vast expertise across the healthcare industry, Rrushaj is the Director of Venture Investments for OSF Ventures.

In his volunteer work, he promotes entrepreneurship and mentors kids with the Boys and Girls Club of Pekin.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience applauding) - [Announcer 1] From the Talisman Development Group, please welcome Betsy Larson.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - One of the exciting things about this year's class of phenomenal (indistinct) is that they are spread out across 18 different towns and cities across Central Illinois.

From Galesburg to Bloomington, Pekin to Wyoming, and everywhere in between, chances are they could be your neighbor.

Because these leaders exemplify what it means to be a good neighbor, our whole region is lifted and improving every day.

So if you see them in your neighborhood or at a community event, be sure to stop them and thank them for the impact they're having on our region.

Now, let's welcome our next group of neighbors.

(audience applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 2] Josh Schnauber believes (audience cheering) that small victories lead to achieving big goals.

Starting on third shift, filling orders for Caterpillar, Schnauber kept working hard and moving up.

He's now the Senior Manager of Transportation, managing all inbound ground transport in North America.

Josh lives in Chillicothe with his family and is heavily involved in the Chillicothe to Peoria St. Jude run.

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) Self reinvention led Maxwell Schneider into a new career as a Real Estate Broker, now leading the Schneider Home Group at Keller Williams.

He credits his wife and people in the industry for helping him build a new business in a new town.

He's heavily involved in Tremont, where he lives with his wife and four children and serves on the Taswell County Board.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering and applauding) Adam Shaw is the Director of Finance at the Greater Peoria Sanitary District, ensuring financial stability and stewardship of public assets.

Shaw gives back to the organizations that have shaped him, volunteering with the Boy Scouts, serving as a Marine and supporting the Itoo Society, which helped his grandfather emigrate from Lebanon.

Shaw and his wife just welcomed their first child.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience applauding) Jami Truelove enjoys helping others pursue their passions.

She's the President and CEO of Heart of Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters, encouraging youth to reach their potential and cultivating strong leaders for Central Illinois.

She also serves with several nonprofits and co-owns River City CrossFit.

Jami and her husband live in East Peoria with their two rescue dogs.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering and applauding) Described as a force multiplier, Pat Venditte is an Account Executive at Pearl Technology.

Prior to Pearl, he played 13 seasons of professional baseball.

When a former teammate, Chris Gradoville died in 2021, Venditte launched Gratitude, which raises scholarship funds through baseball camps.

Pat calls his wife and three children the highlight of his life.

(audience applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 1] Please welcome to the stage, WTVP Board Member and the CEO of Widmer Interiors, Win Stoller.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering) - Wow, what an incredible group.

We've had 35 incredible winners so far, but we're not done yet.

We've got five more.

I hope all of you have been as inspired tonight as I have been through these leaders.

The breadth of their impact on our community is phenomenal.

And I, for one, am honored, and thankful, and excited to live in Central Illinois knowing our future is in great hands with all of these young leaders.

And if you know of other deserving leaders, be sure to nominate them next year for the 2025 Class of 40 Leaders Under Forty.

But now, let's welcome our final group of the Class of 2024.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 2] A graduate of the University of Illinois, wife of 17 years and mother of two, Christina Walker is the Office Administrator of Walker Excavating.

She also serves as Treasurer to the Elmwood High School Parents Club, volunteers with the Junior League of Peoria, and fundraisers for several non-profits.

Walker believes that every contribution, no matter how small, counts.

(audience applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) Called a social media sensation by "The New York Times", Judy Wang is the owner of Judy's Family Cafe in Galesburg.

With the help of her marketing team, Judy has built a following that travels from hours away to enjoy her food.

She cares for her community and donates food to local groups.

Wang is proud to provide for her two children through the business she's built.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) Michael Jojo Winters Jr. is the Youth Trades Coordinator at Dream Center, Peoria.

Empowering youth with valuable skills for their future, he's driven by a vision to help young people reach their potential and is never really off the clock.

Born and raised in Peoria in a family of five, Winters loves everything about his hometown and works tirelessly to make it even better.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) (audience cheering and applauding) Michelle Wolfe strives to make an impact wherever she's called.

She teaches deaf and hard of hearing students at Charter Oak Primary.

Outside the classroom, Wolfe empowers DHH individuals through early intervention, launching a ministry for DHH teens and serving as a member of OSF's Cochlear implant team.

But Wolfe's most cherished calling is as a wife and mother.

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat cheerful music continues) Shaped by passion for education and connection to the community, Dr. Charlie Zimmerman is the Principal of Metamora Township High School.

This redbird was profoundly influenced by his own education in Metamora and works tirelessly to create an environment for everyone to thrive.

Most of all, family is essential to this husband of 12 years and father of four.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - [Announcer 1] And now, please welcome back Michael Eckhart.

(upbeat cheerful music continues) - And I'm back.

So can we get just one more big round of applause for our full class?

(audience cheering and applauding) We are just so proud of this class that we put together and it just was a joy to get to know them.

They've been a joy the whole way through.

I need to say a few thank yous before we conclude the evening.

So first, I need to thank Janet Hellige, who was our Event Coordinator for this event, who made all of the details just shine.

Thank you, Janet.

(audience cheering and applauding) I also need to thank our recognition committee who put in hours and hours and hours of reading applications and putting just deep thought into choosing this class.

And I'm extremely proud of the class that they put together, so can we get a round of applause for our recognition committee.

(audience cheering and applauding) And then lastly, I just need to thank the WTVP staff.

This has been six months of work to relaunch this in this way.

It's just been a wonderful payoff tonight, so thank you to all of you who have put so much into this evening.

(audience applauding) All right, and thank you to all of you for joining us tonight to celebrate these leaders.

It would not have been the same in an empty room.

The bar will now reopen for the next 30 minutes.

Complimentary yearbooks, which feature articles about every honoree are available at the registration table, on your way out.

We'll also have additional copies for sale for $5 a piece if you'd like to stock up.

Lastly, like I said before, if you've loved this evening and if you love what we do as a station, would you consider becoming a member?

We're here just because people in Central Illinois have said that what we're doing is worth having, so please consider that.

This concludes the festivities.

Have a great night.

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