Ben Wilson, 33

Ben Wilson graduated from the University of Florida in 2007 with a degree in building construction  — during one of the most difficult times the industry has faced.

But Wilson wasn’t deterred by the recession. He set to work learning the ropes of his field. “I think the simplest way to put it is to learn from absolutely everybody who you encounter — whether it’s learning the right way or the way things should be done better,” he says.

Today, Wilson has moved up the ranks to vice president of operations for Florida’s Gulf Coast for national building contractor Suffolk. He works on projects across a wide swath of the west coast, from Tampa to Naples.