40 Under 40

40 Under 40 Awards

The 40 Under 40 Awards is a signature event hosted by United Way Emerald Coast (UWEC) NextGen United and presented by FPL to honor and celebrate 40 of Okaloosa and Walton counties' top most outstanding young professionals. This event recognizes individuals (ages 21-40) who excel in leadership, community involvement, and professional achievement. These honorees are career-diverse professionals who are passionate about making a positive impact in our community and are committed to upholding the NextGen United mission of engaging, educating, and empowering the next generation of leaders.

How It Works

The process of selecting our 40 Under 40 nominees is a multi-step procedure. It begins with an open nomination process, allowing the public to nominate individuals they believe deserve recognition. After receiving nominations, UWEC reaches out to the nominated individuals and invites them to submit applications. A dedicated selection committee then carefully reviews the applications to identify the top 40 honorees. To be eligible, nominees must be between the ages of 21 and 40 and either reside or work in Okaloosa or Walton County. Please note that previous honorees are not eligible for consideration.

Nominations are now open! The deadline to submit is 8 p.m. on June 16, 2025.

Past Honorees
To view a list of our past 40 Under 40 honorees, click here.

In September 2024, we proudly celebrated our 4th Annual 40 Under 40 Awards—an unforgettable night honoring young professionals who are making a difference. Check out the 2024 photo album and relive the highlights in our recap video below!

Huge thank you to our sponsors!

Our 5th Annual 40 Under 40 Awards presented by FPL is right around the corner — and there’s still time to get involved! A few sponsorship spots remain for this special celebration of leadership, innovation, and community impact. Interested in partnering with us? Contact us at development@united-way.org to learn more.