Game On

Noemi Perez learned grit at a young age, when she worked in the produce fields of east Collier County, picking tomatoes and other vegetables and then selling the goods at farmers’ markets.

That never-quit ethos has served Perez, 39, well: she’s now CEO of The Immokalee Foundation, which helps young people in the area build skills for professional careers. It’s also served Perez well in the pandemic — when up-and-coming business leaders in all fields, for-profit and nonprofit, have had to find innovative ways to solve problems and reach their goals.

That dedication to a cause — in many cases bigger than themselves — is a central trait inherent in all the winners of the Business Observer’s 2020 40-under-40 issue. The theme of this year’s issue is Game On, a recognition that 2020 has been a year where resilience, fortitude, and for sure, grit, is a must-have to win at business. Despite the obstacles, the pandemic hasn’t kept this group down.