Every September, the Traverse City Business News spotlights 40 local professionals who shine – both in their professions and as champions of community causes. Now in its ninth year, the annual 40Under40 list of the most influential individuals in the region represents a cross-section of business and community leaders – all making their mark, and all under the age of 40 – and is revealed today!

After receiving more than 100 nominations, a panel of judges reviewed the submissions and chose the 40 whose professional and community efforts over the past year rose to the top. The panel included Marguerite Cotto, vice president for lifelong and professional learning at Northwestern Michigan College; Connie Deneweth, CEO of Traverse City State Bank; Kevin Endres,40Under40 alum and co-owner of Three West, LLC; and the publisher and editor of the Traverse City Business News.

Northwestern Michigan College, the annual sponsor of the 40Under40 list, will once again host a reception for the honorees at the Hagerty Center on Sept. 10, and winners will also receive a "swag bag" full of goodies from area businesses.

This year's list includes 19 first-time winners and also several multiple-year recipients. See who made the list below, and read all about them in the September Traverse City Business News, on newsstands this week and also online.

The 2015 40Under40:

Dean Adams, Bay Area Contracting & BAC Design Group
Leah Bagdon-McCallum, U.S. Senator Gary Peters
Chelsea Bay Dennis, c. bay design & The Conscious Entrepreneur
Allison Beers, Events North
Jim Bruckbauer, Groundwork Center
Matt Bulloch, TentCraft
Paul Bussey, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
Warren Call, Huntington
Todd Ciolek, Cherry Republic
Matt Classens, Bishop and Heintz, PC
Troy Daily, Daily Medias
Marie-Chantal Dalese, Chateau Chantal
Nate Elkins, Influence Design Forum & SPACE Coworking
Cindy Evans, Grand Traverse Industries
Bill Froehlich, WTCM
Christal Frost, WTCM
Nathan Griswold, Inhabitect
Gary Jonas, The Little Fleet
Jeff Joubran, Sweet Pea & Hickory Corners
Lars Kelto, Lars Kelto Technology Services
Sarah Lucas, Networks Northwest
Bradley Matson, The Kitchen Digital
Benjamin Marentette, City of Traverse City
Alison Metiva, Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation
Lee Michaels, Cherry Capital Foods
Angie Morgan, Lead Star
Carla Nickodemus, Boride Engineered Abrasives
Colleen Paveglio, Traverse City Downtown Development Authority
Jon Plummer, Moomers
Sam Porter, Porterhouse Productions
Sakura Raftery, Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan
Kate Redman, Olson, Bzdok & Howard, PC
Gabe Schneider, Northern Strategies 360
Ty Schmidt, NORTE! Youth Cycling
Kennith Scott, NMC Training Services
Frank Siepker, Jr., Cherryland Electric
Jessica Sullivan, Hagerty
Trevor Tkach, National Cherry Festival
Lauren Trible-Laucht, City of Traverse City
Kent Wood, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce