Adriano Paonessa, better known as Dre Pao, is a 23-year-old songwriter/recording artist from Hamilton, Ontario. Dre’s career was launched in 2012, when he was discovered while teaching on a beach near Madrid, Spain by Spanish artist Xuso Jones. With the launch of Xuso Jones’ US record label, Dre was named to “The People’s Choice” segment of the competition. In the last 12 months, Dre’s songwriting fame has increased in Canada and Korea, working with Jeremy Romaniwezi, B.And, collaborated with producer Juan Dee Sedas who has produced for Pitbull/Shakira.

Cameron Ballantyne and his two business partners have successfully grown a start-up software company into a pan-Canadian leader for Canada’s leading on-campus career and experiential education platform. Orbis Communications works with post-secondary campuses from coast to coast. Orbis Communications recently expanded into the United States. Cameron and his team built their software daily. Cameron also has significant ties in the Niagara Region and has been recently recognized at the jurisdictional level from those that have helped him in life, most notably for the assistance from the David Gregory MacKinnon Fund and the Toronto General Hospital.

Dr. Andria Hoda always knew she wanted a career in the health and wellness industry. In 2005, she graduated on the Dean’s List from Mohawk College’s massage therapy program and went on to study chiropractic at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto. Dr. Hoda is proud of having received many awards including not only in her practice but for her volunteerism. After graduating, Dr. Hoda recently partnered Meadowlands Chiropractic with TCN Wellness on Concession Street in Hamilton. Her mission is helping improve the health and wellness available to Hamiltonians.

When Erwin realized in his mid-twenties that he’d never get ahead with a nine-to-five job, he started buying houses. To date, he’s owned 17 properties and is constantly reinvesting his investments into the next level. Erwin’s friends noticed and wanted the same for themselves. He created the Mr. Hamilton Investment System to assist his clients in 2015, even seeing them complete 67 transactions in their investments with a new everyday investors in Hamilton. Erwin is president of the Hamilton Basket Brigade and in 2015, they delivered over $34,000 of food to 425 families in need over the holidays.

Recently appointed CEO of pt Health, a 50-million-dollar Canadian health care company with over 1000 employees, Heather’s drive and determination to find money and technology in a way that benefits people has received the accolades of Canadian organizations. She has worked with leadership from several divisions of companies previously, such as hospitality and home care. Prior to her role as CEO, Heather served pt Health in cabinet minister, and was a member of the Women in Leadership program with the Conference Board of Canada. Heather earned her degrees and certificates from McMaster University and did her Executive Masters in France.

Jordan McCarter is a man of ideas. In his work at Pearson Dunn Insurance, he spends his time working with his clients to provide the most comprehensive and innovative solutions our community has to offer. He is a proud father of twins who understand and share in the family environment. Jordan McCarter has a love for travel and the arts, enjoying the many cultural wonders of this world including art, architecture and design that he has brought home to Canada. Jordan volunteers for many charities in the region, from City Kidz to the United Way.

Justin is the manager of student entrepreneurship at McMaster University. He launched and spearheaded Spectrum: McMaster Entrepreneurs in 2014 and in doing so has been providing support to entrepreneurship student start-ups. He runs workshops, speaker series, and events throughout the year to help McMaster students achieve their goal in the entrepreneurial world. Justin has supported and consulted with more than 300 student start-ups. Justin has personally been involved in entrepreneurship since the age of 11 and has over 12 years in the areas of education, non-profit, and tech technology.

Krysta is a realtor with Ambitious Realty Advisors, operating out of the downtown core of Hamilton. In her role as a realtor, she has demonstrated a phenomenal understanding of the Hamilton real estate profession. She is an acting Chair of the Hamilton Real Estate Crawl and is the creator of a Hamilton Real Estate consultant group. She has demonstrated tremendous leadership in her community and through her varying roles within the committees, boards and organizations she belongs to. She is an inspiration to so many others and has an incredible future for Hamilton.

A dedicated mortgage specialist, Maja works out of the Hamilton office of RBC Royal Bank where she’s constantly growing her mortgage portfolio. Throughout her career, Maja has gained a wealth of experience through international education, having studied in Croatia, the US, and Canada. In 2011, Maja immigrated to Canada and has since been recognized as an immigrant success story for her hard work and achievements. When Maja is not helping clients with financing their dreams, she helps lead outreach initiatives of Hamilton’s Newcomer Network. She is a mentor for international students, LGBTQ and transgender youth, and has served and still sits on the board of directors for Volunteer Hamilton.

A professor and coordinator of the Small Business Program at the McKeil School of Business, Melanie leads the entrepreneurship group at Mohawk College’s McKeil School of Business. She is also a proud business coach for SURGE. Melanie’s passion for entrepreneurship is inspired by her extensive experience in the corporate world in her career, in company operations and management. She has held national leadership roles in the toy industry, and led teams in the early success of SURGE. Her involvement has had an impact across the region by supporting the aspiring entrepreneurs in business competitions throughout Southern Ontario.

As the program manager responsible for the design, implementation and managing of the Hamilton Bike Share system, Peter Topalovic has managed a 750+ bike, 115 stations program—the largest in Ontario. Over the last decade, Peter has helped transform a vibrant, 9,000 people use per month, bike-share community in Hamilton from concept to reality. He also works with leadership on smart city initiatives and has met over 32 Community Happenings” throughout the region, and has also participated in the region’s efforts on emergency management and resiliency. Peter is a graduate of McMaster University, and works with the Durand Neighbourhood Association

Sangeeta is a born and raised Hamiltonian. She is a Brock University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English degree, specializing in business and communication studies. She is the marketing and project manager at EB Media Solutions, who loves merging creativity with technology so that the business problems of local businesses succeed. Sangeeta’s role in the company has given her the chair of Global Growth of EB Media Solutions in terms of client base, profit and the implementation of project solutions in Hamilton and across the nation.

Tim Bolen likes to make people smile. He’s been given that ability for the past 15 years on TV throughout the region and for the past several years at CHCH, working as the star of CHCH’s Morning Live. Tim’s effortless love, charm and charisma have made him popular with viewers and the entire team member of the CHCH family. He continues telling the story and his passion is evident in his coverage. After spending four years covering Morning Live First Edition, Tim has a new role as a co-anchor for the Morning Live’s remote segments, where he’s even more immersed in the community, bringing the stories that bring those smiles.

Warren Pyper is the founder and operator of The Hamilton Brewery (THB). Along with his passion for strong media presence, Warren has been in the industry for more than 19 years and has come a long way with his friends from the design department at a local college to create a brand that everyone has grown to love and accept. THB is Hamilton’s first brewery in nearly 100 years. Warren and his team have won awards for creating local beers in the city. Warren and his team have collaborated to build the city’s industry towards its goal to launch a second brewery in 2015 and to help raise a brand and market brewery demand in Hamilton.

Blake Wyatt is the founder and CEO of Wyatt Development Group. Driven by his belief in architectural excellence, with strong partnerships and economic opportunities in the City of Hamilton, he is a recognized innovator in the real estate development and construction industry. Blake has studied urban land economics at the Sauder School of Business and is a candidate for the Master of Real Estate Development at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C. He is thrilled to be recognized as one of this year's Top 40 Under Forty winners.

As a lifelong resident of the Hamilton area, Dan Churchill is the owner and operator of two Pita Pit franchises in Dundas and Hamilton. Though the franchise is an international brand, Dan has established his restaurants as family-owned locations with local roots. He has jumped headfirst into local events, charities, schools, and fundraising, and prides himself on giving back to his community. Dan’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in his continued efforts to increase sales and expand his customer base. However, his real passion lies in mentoring his young staff to help achieve their goals both inside and outside the workplace.

As the owner and director of Fermata Inc., Daniel oversees a team of qualified music therapists, educational specialists and support staff who provide creative options to professionals to individuals who have cognitive, psychological and neurological challenges. With onsite programming at McMaster Children’s Hospital, music lessons and at-home therapy for children and young adults, he is dedicated to helping those in need to support people. Daniel has volunteered his time and support; he is also the host and producer of a new TV show called “Call to Action: Gonna Fly Hamilton,” highlighting individuals who, like him, choose to settle in Hamilton from across Canada and the world.

Giuliana graduated from McMaster University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science. While in undergrad, she was heavily involved with musical clubs and student government. This involvement propelled her into her current job as vice-president of administration of the McMaster Students Union. She was also dedicated to giving back to her community through her involvement with the YWCA Hamilton’s Young Women’s Advisory Council, the Emerging Latina Leadership Seminar, and the Jo Brant Hospital Foundation. She was recently nominated for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and is thrilled to be one of this year’s 40 Under Forty Business Achievement Award recipients.

A senior sales representative for Colliers International, John MacNamara focuses his work on the Hamilton and Burlington commercial real estate market. John’s market knowledge, negotiating skills and strong sense of ethics have earned him recognition for his career. John has stepped forward to help his coworkers in support of the community by participating in the United Way Committee in 2012. In addition to these responsibilities, in 2013, John also completed the largest transaction in the history of Colliers International in Hamilton. He supports several charity organizations including the Habitat for Humanity and is thrilled in finding home to run their programs supporting the surrounding community.

Justin D’Olimpio is the owner and coach of Just Train Fitness and has been a certified personal trainer for seven years. Justin is focused on helping his clients achieve their health and wellness goals through mind, body and spirit. Besides overseeing day-to-day operations at his facility, Justin is responsible for designing new workout programs and assessing his clients on a monthly basis. Justin is also focused on helping his community through various fundraising initiatives and looks to have a positive impact on Hamilton for years to come.

Kevin is the founder of Software Hamilton, a website dedicated to promoting the Hamilton technology and start-up community. Founded in 2011, Software Hamilton has organized over 50 DemoCamps showcasing local software for the community. Kevin is a professor of computer science at Mohawk College. He is also completing his PhD in computer science at McMaster University. In addition to academic responsibilities, Kevin teaches computer programming and adult literacy for the Hamilton Tiger-Cat fan – “Oskie Wee Wee!”

Larissa is the operations manager for the CoMotion on King co-working space located in the old Hamilton Spectator building on Gore Park. She is heavily involved alongside the founders, strategizing the co-working space in downtown Hamilton. At the same time, she is the front face of the business. Larissa has helped hundreds of creative and business professionals as they work to develop, disrupt and grow their companies by managing the day-to-day operations and providing administrative support to new members to the community. Outside of work, Larissa is a community builder, offering mentoring events through Start-Up Weekend and Hacking Health.

Manny Ferreira was born and raised in Hamilton’s north end. Life was rough and at the age of 19, Manny found himself living at Good Shepherd’s Notre Dame House. He decided to make more for himself, and reached out to the City of Hamilton’s Youth In Transition program, where he began getting the support he needed. In the past few months, Manny chose cooking and worked in many local restaurants. After cooking dishes for the Ancaster Old Mill and Earth to Table Bread Bar, Manny fell in love with Mexican cuisine. He decided to start up Mezcal Tacos & Tequila and it has been a huge success, attracting the attention of Hamiltonians and customers everywhere.

Michael is an enthusiastic and kind-hearted denturist who continues the traditions of his father at Battell Denture Clinic, a family-run independent clinic. Bringing smiles to life with denture and implant-retained dentures, Michael is well known for his precision and leadership in his craft. With the growing demand of the senior population, Michael has become a mentor for the creation of challenging dentures. Michael is a past board member of the Ontario Denturist Association. He has worked with the College of Denturists since 2009.

Rachel Devine is an award-winning aesthetician and makeup artist, and the owner of Aesthetics by Rachel, a holistic spa in Hamilton. Rachel has won 15 Hamilton Reader’s Choice Awards and three national awards. In 2015, Rachel created R Devine Skin Care, which is a completely natural, organic skin care line. R Devine Skin Care was launched August 5, 2015. The rapid success of her skincare line led Rachel to register R Devine Skin Care as a trademark in both Canada and the U.S. Her skincare line is sold in 12 different spas and boutiques across Canada and in the U.S. Her wholesale list is continuously growing.

Stacey Ziebarth is a certified STOTT Pilates® instructor and owner of Studio Zee Pilates in Hamilton. She has been helping people move healthier for over nine years. Voted as Hamilton’s Best Pilates Studio three times, Stacey is committed to helping each client move better by bringing awareness to their mind/body connection and alignment. In addition to being an instructor, Stacey has managed multiple yoga and pilates studios. She has also coordinated health and fitness programming for community events.

Tyler began his career at WalterFedy in 2007, becoming an associate in 2012. He uses his experience as a licensed engineer, as well as a project manager and mentor to the next generation of new Hamilton engineers and tech professionals. Over his career, Tyler’s dedication to mentorship and client relationships in the Hamilton market has been key in establishing strong connections at WalterFedy. Tyler is passionate about helping the community and focuses his volunteer effort on presenting to students and at WalterFedy projects

Brianne Service is a Canadian artist, focusing on oil paintings of architecture in a severe perspective. Throughout her art career, Brianne has held workshops in Florence, Italy, and art residences at the Carmelite Art Centre in Hamilton. She’s an instructor of drawing and painting at several post-secondary institutions in the region; and holds a diploma in Illustration from Sheridan College. A graduate of the OCAD University Drawing and Painting program, she has received numerous awards for her work internationally through many solo and group exhibitions.

Daniel is a division director with Investors Group, where he brings a wide range of experience to his clients. As a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Daniel uses his practice to create financial expertise. Daniel has won provincial awards in 2012, Ontario Leader in 2012 and 2013, and again for his team’s awards in 2010 and 2013. In 2015, he was awarded the Developing Advisor of the Year award which recognizes the top specialists in representing ownership needs and providing quality advice. Daniel also works with corporations to implement and manage employee benefit plans.

Erika is an entrepreneur, a teacher and an active member of the Hamilton community. With her two businesses, Niche for Design and member of the Hamilton Office Pro, Erika is widely involved with the Chamber of Commerce and the co-working committee at McMaster. She is cofounder of one of the Ladies Entrepreneur organization and advisor to the business and arts centre. Currently, Erika helps charities as an instructor and an advisor to the Lookout for Success event and gives presentations to community organizations as well as volunteers weekly with local non-profits.

Hank has served as the executive director of EduDeo Ministries since 2003. Hank received his undergraduate degree from Redeemer University College, and recently completed a Master of Arts in Intercultural Ministry from Western University. Together with his wife, Michelle, they are proud parents of four children and have been active in foster care over the past four years. Hank is heavily involved in the local church and serves as a board member of the Hamilton Foster Parents Association and the Hamilton Children’s Aid Society and the Canadian Christian Relief and Development Association (CCRDA).

As the co-founder and president of SCAN-LINK Technologies Inc. Jonathan Fava helped revolutionize the mobile safety industry by creating innovative technology solutions that save lives in heavy-duty mobile equipment used in various industries. Jonathan transformed an idea into the development, manufacturing and distribution of the SCAN-LINK Armour RFID Safety System. In an era of rapid technological growth, Jonathan identified the need for worker safety technology and developed the process SCAN-LINK Armour system to fill that space. Through hard work and dedication, SCAN-LINK is now a leading technology in RFID personnel safety solutions.

Justin is software architect at Mohawk College where he has become a dedicated programmer and problem solver, designing eHealth solutions for health care providers across Canada and the world. Having worked his way up from student to analyst, to software architect, Justin has won several awards for his skill and commitment to excellence including Techniest’s Award at Mohawk College in 2009 and 2011, and is now actively engaged in the global eHealth community. When he’s not busy developing new state-of-the-art projects, Justin is influencing tomorrow’s talent by teaching college courses and mentoring students.

As a third generation Hall Construction Inc. family member, Kevin has been involved in the industrial-commercial-institutional construction business from a young age. Currently, he holds the title of president and oversees the day-to-day direction of a growing firm that his grandfather started in Hamilton over 65 years ago. His father, Bradley, and uncle Mark have both taught him so much about the construction business and continue to mentor him. Kevin is proud of his roots and gives a lot of credit to them for his success.

Layla Abdulrahim-Moore is a newcomer and a proud Hamiltonian. She moved from Bahrain to Hamilton as an international student, and has fallen in love with the city ever since. A commerce graduate from McMaster University, Layla works with the group coordinator of the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council, run by the City of Hamilton. She has helped implement the Canada-Ontario Local Immigration Partnership since 2008, and has brought much needed local programs and initiatives. Layla is Co-chair of HIVE X 2015 Conference, and a member of the Hamilton HIVE young professional board of directors.

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Michelle McDowell opened the doors of her small Registered Massage Therapy clinic in 2010. Over the past six years, she’s expanded her small wellness centre, serving the community and helping residents. Michelle is proud that more than 20 health professionals now call Evolve Massage and Wellness Solutions home. Giving back to the community is central to Michelle’s business philosophy. From working full-time at Hamilton Public Health to managing the day-to-day operations of her business to chasing around her two-year-old daughter, Michelle’s always busy.

Ron (Deagundas) Mclester Jr. is Turtle Clan from the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Having moved to Canada in 2002, he has completed undergraduate studies in criminal justice and social work. Last year, he completed a Masters in Indigenous leadership at the University of Alaska. Since 2005, he has held progressively responsible leadership roles at the University of Guelph, Mohawk College (where he is currently employed), and other institutions. He has helped develop the first active model for strategic Indigenous education at Hamilton’s Mohawk College, and is a principal project partner on a provincial school student-readiness initiative, the Bundled Arrows Initiative.

Growing up in the Hamilton arts community, Steve Haining has recognized great success on both the business and creative sides of the media industry. Working for years at Barke Media as a director of still photography and motion, Steve has been making his impact on the arts community by being trail blazer. Steve’s company has become a brand. Since then, his company has become an innovative leader in delivering creative and giving back to the community, actively volunteering within his community and abroad. With strong goals and a passion to inspire, Steve’s future in the community is exciting.

Vince Raso is a senior manager in the Hamilton office of KPMG LLP. He has over 10 years of experience providing valuation, due diligence and other financial advisory services to clients in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. In addition to his role with KPMG, Vince is a sessional faculty member at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University where he teaches financial and managerial accounting at the undergraduate and MBA levels. A graduate of McMaster University, receiving an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2005.